The Irish standard., 1912-06-01
Purpose is to Secure Playhouse
Where Plays Catholic in Tone
May be Presented.
The Plan Working Out in Many of
the Leading Cities of Euro
pean Countries.
His Emmence Cardinal Farley Lend.
ing his Enthusiastic Support
to the Movement.

A project which has the support of
Cardinal Farley is under way. the
purpose of which Is to secure thea
ter in which plays Catholic In tone
will be presented. The movement is
being led by Miss Lummis. When in
terviewed regarding the plan Car
dinal Farley said:
II am entirely In sympathy with
the movement which seeks to secure
for New York a theater where plays.
Catholic in tone, will be produced
There Is no agency more potent for
good or evil than the theater, and the
effect of plays of q high moral char
acter on the people cannot be over
estimated. Plays which draw their
subject matter from the lives Of the
saints will not fail to be impressive
when produced in reverential man.
phere. There is q particular need at
this time for a good play, and any
step in this direction should meet
with the approval not only Of Cath
olics, but of self-respecting public.
shall be glad to assure my CO. opera
ton in the line of the dramatic move
ment Miss Lumrnis has in mind and
shall urge the clergy and laity under
my charge to assist her in every pos
sible way"
The new playhouse will not be CIV
en- over to productions Of a religious
nature exclusively, although it is
planned to have many such plays; but
the drama or spectacle staged will be
supervised by the ecclesiastical au-
thorities Of the Archdiocese Of New
York as represented by a lay coun-
Gil. Nor is it intended to have the
theater one which will appeal to Ro-
man Catholics alone.
The playhouse will open, according
to present plans. early in the fall the
atrical season, and shortly after the
meeting of the United Catholic Char
tiles in Washington In the early part
of September. This time is set sc
that the plans of the New York Cath
olics may be fully set forth at the
meeting in Washington and a sym.
pathetic movement inaugurated ir
other cities.
1t is proposed to focus the attention
of churchmen All over America on the
project. It is not intended to buil6
g. theatrical structure, but rather te
lease at the beginning.
The movement Is intended to be 6
constructive one. and the new theatel
will supply productions Of guaranteed
moral quality. 1t is to take the place
Of the theater where plays Of ques'
tionable morality have been supplied
and will be sort Of positive protes
against such plays. The plan is head
ed by Miss Eliza OBJ. Lummis, foun
der of the Daughters of the Faith, 81
organization Of Catholic society wo
men.
, Miss Lummis Is not the originate
of the theatrical project of a quasi
religious theater. Such projects hav
been successfully carried out in sew
t eral European cities. In Paris tn
Patriotic league. composed of Cath
olic women, has a theater of its owr
It is called the Renaissance Theate
3 and has it's own corps of actors. TIL
: theater is said to be highly success
l full and profitable. It is filled at ev
. cry performance. One Of its aims !
to present original plays from TIN
ei cleverest pens Of the day.
: In Madrid women support tn
q Theater Laura with complete success
e 1t is patronized by the entire roya
i family Of Spain. Not only does tn
d Spanish League maintain its theatel
: but 1t conducts popular priced per
formances where the admissio
s charged is small enough to meet tn
o purse of the poorest citizen Of Ma
drid. The Countess Won Walterskir
d chen is heading a similar movemer
t in Vienna, and in South America ther
e is league of women who act as stag
Q censors in questions Of morals an
4 post their decisions on the churc
doors.