Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-07
PRAYERS SAID
AT REHEARSAL
PRIEST RECITES INVOCATION
AT PASSION PLAY
STORY OF GALILEAN is TOLD IN
Fl ACTS
Rev. Hublls Weise Directs Prelimina.
rIes of Drama, and Father Peter
Huesges of Santa Barbara
Dominates the Chorus

Prayer as the opening feature of a
rehearsal probably is the greatest in
novaIlon known to stageland. How
ever, It is with prayer that the Passion
play is opened at each rehearsal No
more impressive sight could be i'm
agined than when the members of the
cast who will tell the story of the
Christ at the Auditorium theater
March 13 bow their heads while a
padre utters q few words of suppl
cation.
Four times a week in st. Joseph's
hall, Twelfth and Los Angeles streets,
$50 children gather to go through the
various parts they are to take in
the Passion play. They romp and play
until the appointed hour. Then Father
Humilis Weise raises his hand. Every
child drops on his knees at the first
words of "Our Father"
The prayer is said more to put the
children in the proper mental atti-
tude than anything else. 1t has been
found that when rehearsals are opened
with prayer the true meaning of the
words they utter and the scenes they
enact are brought home to them with
greater effectiveness.
Rev. Mr.. Weise. who will portray
the choragus, is directing in general
way all the rehearsals. George w.
Freddy of San Francisco is, however,
the actual stage director. 1t was
necessary for Father Weise to secure
special permission from the head of
his order to take part in the play.
Play Has Fl Acts
The Passion play is in twenty-one
acts and prologue. 1t tells the story
of the life of Christ in detail. In the
prologue the three tableauX are adam
and Eve Expelled from the Paradise"
1.-THE Sacrifice of Isaac" and Cal
vary" In the first act King Solomon's
entrance into Jerusalem is shown first.
Then Christ's entrance into the same
city is depicted. The return of the
Prodigal Son and Jesus in the house
of Simon are the two scenes of the
second act. Tobias taking leave Of
his mother and Jesus saying farewell
| to his mother are the two scenes Of
the FIRST part of the third act while
Jermias weeping over Jerusalem and
Jesus weeping over the same city are
other portions of the act. The sacrifice
of Melchisedec and the Last Supper
are shown in the fourth act. Joseph
sold by his brothers and the betrayal
Of Christ by Judas for thirty pieces of
silver are shown in the fifth act.
Adam earning his daily bread by the
sweat of his brow, Jesus on the Mount
of olives and the Garden of Gethsem-
ane are the pictures of the sixth act.
The apprehension of Christ by those
who sought to put him to death is the
seventh act. In the eighth act the
stoning of Naboth and Christ before
Caiaphas are shown. In act nine the
denial of Peter in the principal picture.
Scenes in Tenth Act
Daniel in the lions den and Christ
before PLATE are shown in the tenth
act. Christ is taken before Herod IN
the eleventh act. Christ's trial before
Pontius PLATE when he is condemned
to death is shown in the twelfth act.
In the next two acts the punishment
meted out to Christ by PLATE is shown
wildly One of the most affecting
scenes in the entire play is shown
when PLATE pronounces the death SEN
tence on Christ. Christ's journey up
to Calvary is depicted in the fifteenth
act. Then follows the crucif1Xlon ana
! Christ on the cross The scenes related
in the Bible as having taken place at
Christ's tomb are shown in the eight
eenth act. The resurrection is shown
in the nineteenth act and the ascension
| in the twentieth act. The final picture
shows Christ enthroned in heaven.
Father Peter Huesges of st. An
thongs church, Santa Barbara, who
wrote the music for the Passion play,
arrived in Los Angeles yesterday to
direct a special musical rehearsal.
The chorus is composed of 200 voices.
William Stoermer will enact the part
of the Christ, Miss Helen Johnston the
Virgin Mary and Miss Mary Gonzales
the Angel of Compassion. Miss Ethel
Stoddard will play Mary Magdalene.
P. II. Hobrecht of San Francisco VIII
play Herod; Philip Kerr, Judas, and
Edward ]. McCurdy, Caiaphas. Other
| parts in the play will be assigned by
Frank Eagan of the Eagan-Morosco
dramatic school.
AS a special treat to the children
who have worked so hard to make the
play a success and who are so faithful
at rehearsals. Mr.. Stoermer will give
| them an ice cream party after the re-
! hearsal this afternoon.