The Arvada enterprise., 1910-10-28
-Arvada Boy Sees
Passion Play.

and scenes.
One hears the question, What
is done with the immense re-
ceiptsP' the answer is simple:
After the entire expense is paid
the receipts are divided into
thirds, one third going to the
community for public improve
ment and two thirds to the indi-
vidual players who receive an
amount relative to their impor-
tance in the play. To show that
it is not a money making propo-
sition, Anton Lang received only
$3.50 for his services as Christus.
At eight O'Clock on the morn
ing of september II, twas in my
seat anxiously awaiting the open
ing of the play. Three cannon
shots announced to the villagers
that the play had begun. The
hum of. conversation of the
thousands is hushed as the open
ing overture draws quietly to a
close. The music of the Passion
play, written specially, is beauti-
full and perfectly appropriate.
AS the music ceases the chorus
of forty men and women in classic
drapery appear from the wings;
with hands solemnly crossed and
heads reverently bent, the
speaker of the prologues recites
the following words: In holy
wonder cast thee down, Orca,
bowed low meath Gods own
curse! Peace visits thee! He
angers not forever!
The play is composed of seven
teen acts, divided into scenes and
D eceded and followed by twenty
two tableaux' the tableaux rep
resent mainly the Old Testament
3 .enes connec ed with he Passion
s, it Sc, ms that the Old Testa-
m mt is used at massive back
ground of support for the gospel
story of the New.
In order to explain the mean
ing of the tableaux and to pre-
pare the audience for the scene,
there is an ingenious arrange
mept whereby the chorus OF
Guardian Angels fill the inter-
ludes with singing.
The speaker of the prologues
fist recites some verses clearly
and impressively, then the choir
bursts into song; at the close the
singers draw back to reveal the
tableau. At the opening OF an
act the chorus withdraws from
the stage for fully half the time
of the performance.
The music of the play is OF
great charm, not a note is per
mited to be copied. It is the
production of a former school
master of the village.
There are 685 people actually
engaged in the performance who
appear on the stage; of these 81
are women, and 200 children.
There are i25 speaking parts,
the ages range from the babe OF
a year or two years to the old
man of 72 years.
The first tableau and one OF
the most effective of the play rep
resents the Fall of Adam and
Eve and their banishment from
Eden. The first scene OF act |
represents Christ's Triumpha'
Entry into Jerusalem and the
Cleansing of the Temple. There
are hundreds of people waving
palm branches and shouting then
Hosannas looking toward the
open space through which the
Christ comes riding on an ass.
His face is composed and pensive
and his attitude lowly and SYM
pathetic. He dismounts, gives
his blessings here and there, sees
in the temple the money chang
ers, the hagglers and tne par
gamers. For "a moment he stands
as if amazed and indignant and
then suddenly bursts forth his
words of protest against such de-
famations of Gods House, ne
drives the defamers from the
temple, he overturns the money
tables, he releases some captive
pigeons that take to flight amio
the despair of the owner.
This scenes and tableaux follow
lin their presentation of Christ's
Mife and the plots of the chiefs
hgainst him. | can take the
1ime to describe only a few OF
i he most important; the leave
aking at Bethany is one OF the
host effective aud impressive of
he play, Jesus journeys to Beth
ny for the last time accompa-
lied by his disciples. they do
pt grasp his meaning as he tells
8em that in a short time his say
Of tho ccriptilreS must he