The Washington times., 1914-05-10
WARE DROfNaR
G0L0@a
GREEK PAGEANT

What is this Greek pageant drama
that is going to be given in the amphi-
theater being erected at Sixteenth and
streets northwest? What does pageant
drama mean?
These are questions many persons
are asking concerning The Fire Re-
gained" which, with a cast of nearly
1900. will be given here May 16 to %.
inclusive.
.rne Greek pageant drama, entitled
The Fire Regained'' Is. first, Greek
because the author, Sidney NJ. Hirsch,
has used as his plot a NEUROLOGICAL
Greek story. 1t will be pageant be-
cause all of the big spectacular features
will he in evidence. OF course, it is un-
necessary to explain the application OF
the word drama" because the affair is
a dramatic work.
There are more than 100 persons as
sembled at present for the presentation
of The Fire Regained." There will be
a splendid musical program. supplied
especially for the play by +. Arthur
Henkel and a large augmented orches-
ira OF halt a hundred musicians to In
terpret the score while Percy Foster
will lead the choral force of some co
voices. There will be wood nymphs,
SdtylS, Nestdl NlISlHs, anu many othci
groupings.
The drama opens with a shepherd
sleeping under tree. His nock ol
sheep Craze near by. 4 number Of
wood nymphs, dryads, etc, appear
they are, pursued by pans. satyrs, etc
After throwing lea"es of the soma
plant, grapes. etc, upon the shepherd
they disappear.
Three muses. appear, and speed over
to the sleeping shepherd. and. aftel
chanting OF their gifts, they stoop and
kiss the youth. They disappear. The
youth arises, enthralled by the beauty
of what he considers n vision dreamed
and addresses ode in praise.
Athene the goddess OF wisdomJ ap-
pears: the youth falls PROSTATE in awe
and reverence. She informs him that
in Athens, one of the thirty maidens.
the vestdl virgins, who guard the sacred
fame, Is falsely accused oS unchastity.
The underworld gods or demons have
connived, and the Furies and Hesphae-
tus (the fire god have dispatched four
runners to consummate the aSonized
death OF the virgin.
They can BE- overcome only by the
youth defeating them IN the race over
the horizon, and seas, etc, and res
Cuing the maiden.
The shepherd. at glance from
Athene. dies. The Nine MUSES. ep-
pear. and prepare him for the grave.
Bls ck-robed figures appear and lower
him INFO n sepulchre. Athene resurrects
the shepherd from the grave. Eros
enters with Pegasus. The youth, taking
the winged horse, delivers ode and be-
seeches aid for his perilous mission
The hierophant. accompanied ny
three young priests, enters ard stands
before the auricular stone. and inquiries
of the gods. The auricle answers in
secret phrase. The hierophart assem-
bles all the priests. maidens, etc, and
makes known TO them the terrifying
omen.
He attempts to discover the guilty one
among the thirty maidens. and calls
upon all the underworld demons TO ap-
pear, and. through their weird cere-
monies, blast and break the mind of the
maiden.
One of the maidens becomes possessed
of hysteria: the facts seem to assure
of her guilt. and she is brought. Shrek
ing, before the altar and condemned to
death.
Athene appears and orders that the
maiden be granted boon of trial by or
deal. Then follows the fight of the
doves. ram and lamb ceremony, and
then the ram and races and everything
demned, and is about to die when the
youth on the winged horse comes in
sight, and after much strife between
the opposing forces the youth rekindles
the fire and saves the nader. who is
Athene herself. helmeted ana trium-
phant.