The San Francisco call., 1909-10-03
STAGE READY FOR
THE PASSION PLAY
Four Hundred Performers Are
Prepared TO Give Solemn
Religious Interpretation
Magnificent Spectacle viii Be
Shown Twice, Each Time
Taking Four Nights

The $4,000 feet of lumber has been
shaped into the mammoth triple stage;
the six stereopticons. the j spot lights
and u food lights are in position; the
5000 ncandescent lights are in place
all the 5000 yards Of canvas has been
fashioned into scenes; the 5000 frame
pieces and 90 hanging pieces have been
fitted together into representations Of
temples and trees: the 400 members Of
the cast have been rehearsed carefully
and the grand trained chorus Of 2oe
voices is ready 10 burst forth with the
opening notes-an is in readiness, after
months OF effort, for the greatest pas
sion play the world has ever witnessed.
which the Franciscan fathers win pre-
sent as a solemn missionary movement.
at the Coliseum for two complete per
formsnces Of four nights each, begin
ming Monday. October il, one week
from tomorrow.
PAGEANT OF GREAT SPLENDOR
With the production so near, and
nearly All of the $4,000 il has cost IN
preparation expended, some idea can
be gained OF the magnificance oil the
great drama, the richness of the cos
tuning and the impressfveness OF the
spectacle, The peasants OF Oberamer-
gau have produced their world famous
play every 10 years. Their production
has been almost as large as that TO be
given by the Franciscan fathers at the
Coliseum In the open air, they have
had almost as large a cast, and nearly
as greaS a chorus. But nothing like
the lighting effects, the scenic spiendor,
the quality of the classical music or
the richness of cOstuming has ever be-
fore been attempted.
ORIGINAL PLAN ENLARGED
Father Josephat Kraus. working in
the parochial residence OF the Francis
can fathers attached 10 St. BOniface's
church. hoped at first to present the
spectacle in st. Bonifaces auditorium.
which seats 1900 persons. But when
businessmen OF the city saw the
grandeur Of the - hour production and
rea nzed how impressive were the lines
written by the priest and how awe
inspiring the effect of the sacred tab
leauX would be, they persuaded Father
Josephat 10 present the passion play
in the Colisum and allow il TO attain
its fun proportions.
Since the first passion play was
given no production has equaled the
performance San Franciscans will be
able to see within a few days. Were
the passion play at Oberammerga as
ma gnifcent its praises would draw
many times the number that usually
attend.
TWO COMPLETE PRODUCTIONS
The production viii be given octo-
her II. u, Il and Is. Monday. Tues
day, Thursday and Friday, and octo-
her Il. is. 20 and q. Sunday. Monday.
"Wednesday and Thursday. The y hour
performance viii be completed in four
nights. SO the dates as arranged pro-
vide for two complete productions of
the play. The spectacle VIII run
three hours each evening. Seats are
on sale at the Fairmont. the St. Fran
els the Emporium and George May
cries. $50 Market street. Only tickets
for a complete four nights perform
ance are sold, and the price varies
from 81 10 SO.
PROGRAM FOR FOUR NIGHTS
Following is the program Of the
four nights production. with scenes
shown on each Of the three stages:
FIRST NIGHT
ARRANGEMENT
Prologue: Left stage-Adam and Eve ex-
PEELED from Paradise Center stage-Calvary.
Dawn TO sunrise. Right stage-Sacrihce OF
lsaac
Act 7: Left stage-King SolOmon's entrance
into Jerusalem. Center stage-Christ's entrance
into Jerusalem. Right stGge-City.
Act II. Center Stage-Dining hall Of Solo
mon. Right stage-Return Of prodigsl son
Act III. Left stage-Tobais taking leave Of
his mother Center stage-Bethany near Mount