Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-04-17
R|CHH|S7OR|CDRAMA
"Missien Play" Of Franciscan
Friars Of the West.
Presented In Theater Built In imms-
dlste Vicinity Of San Gabriel Mls-
sion In California, Which
Was Founded In TIT.

The Franciscan Friars, who joyfully
undertook the great and glorious.
though highly dangerous, task Of
Christianizing and thus civilizing Cali.
fornia, led life rigorous in the ex.
treme, quite devoid Of carnal desires
for self-indulgence or gain of any sort
for themselves. They had very few
comforts and their privations were
Outlines tragic. Yet the stage on
which their lives were set supplies
such a wealth Of color, action and
grandeur that 1t yields rich and am.
pie material for spectacular, histor.
ic drama. such as is now wrought into
the first American production of this
character ever successfully offered to
the public-'The Mission Play"
To John Steven McGroarty, already
prominent in literary circles in Cali.
fornia as one Of the foremost histo-.
ians, as well as q talented poet, be-
longs the honor Of this brilliant tri.
umph. MIR. McGroarty has, with con-
summate art. depicted the various
types in the lives of those beloved
and loving fathers, Of their many re-
sponsibilities, emergencies and diff
culties, as we'll as the various inno-
cent pastimes upon which they be-
nignly smiled. The incidents of the
play are entirely true to historical
facts.
This project was accompanied by
the appropriate idea of building for
the play theater on mission soil, In
the immediate vicinity Of San Gabriel
mission, which was founded in It'll
under the direction of and visited
very many times by the sanity Fa-
Their Junipero Sierra. Though now
SCARED and worn, it has escaped de-
struction. The ground on which the
playhouse stands is historic, having
been given by the parish for the pur-
pose On this spot the Indian neo-
phytes, under the direction Of the
padres, made the stone and brick with
which they built San Gabriel mission.
Two gigantic pepper trees, planted by
Father Junipero himself, during the
last years of his life, grace the en-
trance to the theater grounds. Most
of the stage properties and many OF
the costumes are historical relics
loaned by enthusiastic Californians.
Every performer in the cast Of 300
ia q native Of California, and so great
is their pride in the play that many
are serving without pay. Thus we
have here combination of perfect
conditions for truly great pageant
historic ground and appointments,
also community enthusiasm.
The curtain is withdrawn, revealing
picturesque San Diego bay. the "Har.
Dor Of the SUM-" with its great purple
promontory Of Point Iona on the
right and moored in the clear waters
Of the bay the quaint Spanish ship
San Carlos, which brought to this
land part of the first expedition to
colonize upper or Alta California that
had ever been attempted. 49,
On the stage are visible some Of
the tule huts erected by the company.
In the foreground three Catalonian sol.
diers and their corporal are on guard.
discussing the situation. They COM
plain of their hunger, sregret having
come to California and deplore the
sickness and suffering in the camp.
The California Indians they pronounce
to be quite hopeless, as being too
dirty. too degraded and too bestial to
be attracted to baptism by even the
loving kindness of Father Junipero.
whom, no matter what they may say
Of any one else, they greatly revere.