The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-18
LARGE AUDIENCE
ATTENDED FINAL
PRODUCTION
Interest In Historical Pageant
Maintained To The End.
FULL CAST WAS PRESENT
Most Successful Local Entertainment
Of Its Kind Ever Given In
Vermont

The concluding performance or the
Bennington Historical Pageant was
given yesterday afternoon at 3 o'clock
before an audience numbering over
fifteen hundred people, The Pageant
was to have concluded with the per
Torrance OF Wednesday evening but
an extra performance was made nee
essary by the rain Tuesday The
weather for the final presentation
was ideal and the entire production
was considered by many to be the
most perfect of those presented.
1t had been feared that as many of
the cast are working people, all those
participating in the other performan-
ces might not take part, but the en-
tire cast of characters appeared for
the concluding presentation. The
many stage pictures were never pre-
scented with more life or color, and
the great battle scene was produced
with more realism than has marked
any previous performance. &.
Following the prologue, the second
group of early settlers filed across the
foreground of the great stage and as
Miss Hilda Pratt reached the center
of the stage little Miss Lois Estes ran
forward with a large basket OF roses
and presented 1t to Miss Pratt with
a "curtsey" with the compliments OF
the entire Pageant company who from
the wings joined the audience in the
wild cheering. The compliment was
made to Miss Pratt, as the young
woman conceiying the idea of the CIV
| ing of a Pageant to commemorate The
history of Bennington.
Following this demonstration a
stranger from North Adams stepped
out of the audience and led the
throng in giving three loud and hear
ty cheers for the Bennington Histori-
cal Pageant Following the scene re-
presenting the meeting OF the Council
of Safety, George b. yelling stepped
from the wings and briefly but elo'
quently thanked all who had In any
way aided in making the Pageant so
great n success He then presented
Miss Margaret Eager director OF the
Pageant to the audience who broke
forth into spontaneous cheering
which lasted several minutes.
A meeting OF the financial commit
tee was to have been held this morn
ing In the office Of Collins M. Graves,
chairman OF the committee but was
postponed by the unavoidable absence
of Mr.. Graves. It has been postpon-
ed until this evening and until the
committee has adjusted accounts no
authoritative statements can be made
as to the receipts of the Pageant. IL
can be stated however that the people
witnessing the big play numbered be-
tween nine and ten thousand.
The music for the Pageant was iur'
nished by the Goldsmith orchestra
and was unusually good. The furnish
ing of music for as large a produc'
ton with such a number OF dancing
and singing numbers Is a difficult
task and the fact that these we're Tea
lures of the Pageant is due In no III
tie part to the musicians.
Among the performers deserving
of special mention for tireless energy
not only in the big performance but
also in the work done for the benefit
of the entire production is DR.. I'D
Lane. who as Colonel Baum had not
only the duty of marshaling the Brit
ish troops, but also the directing OF
the noise making machines behind
tn scenes.
Another gentleman whose name
was omitted from the printed pro
gram is DR.. ID. w. Cranberry who is
spending the summer at Old Bennins
ton and who took part as an officer
on Gen. Stark's stan.
The costuming, painting and get
ting the performers ready each day
was in charge of Fred l.. Harmon
Scores of others who have given
time and effort and skill to the sue
cess of the Pageant deserve special
mention did time and space permit
The ushers. the special police for the
grounds, the stage carpenters and as
sistants all did their part toward max
ing the Bennington Historical Page
ant the most successful local enter
tainment ever given in Vermont.