New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-08
Percy Nackaye, the.
Maker Of Mosques

intelligence Of humanity, but they had
no money with which to call on we'll
known sculptor to work this out A
farmers boy who was taking part in
inc masque came forward and said he
mad done some modelling and asked if
he might try it.
Inc figure he made showed that
he was Enthusiastically an artist.
There are Robert Edmond Joneses and
hichard Ordynskis by the score wait
ing Tor the spark to touch them off,
who cannot light their candle at, the
cold fires Of our industrial life.
Percy Mackaye does not contemplate
d'spacing our modern intensive drama
with the community play. Both will
have their place in the Civic Theatre
Inc community play is a naive, large
emotional expression that does not en-
eroach on the province Of the highly
specialized interior drama. 1t has
conditions of its own that would per
haps influence, but would not infringe
upon, the smaller theatre. The partic-
, patton OF great audiences is as vital
! to 1t as the participation of great
choruses-so that one of the condi-
tons Of the community play would be
a theatre very different in construction
from what We have to- day It would
DC something like the Harvard Stadi-
am, with perhaps movable roof for
Indictment weather. Or it might take
another form if community chose
TO make it so. Nor is the character
of community plays definitely charted.
They might be seasonal festivals, or
pageants or poetic drama on a huge
scale, or, as his next masque. "lhe
Roll Call" is propaganda by which a
national need is made known.
"The Roll Call" is masque which
the Red Cross organizations over all
the country Will give in order to enroll
members for the coming year. 1t sets
forth the work and ideals of the Red
Cross in richly dramatic symbolism.
mere arc nine characters who speak the
verse and many pantomimic characters.
The community choruses Of each citvwill
:ake part. The actual enrolling Of the
audience as members of the Red Cross
Is part OF the masque's ritual. The
settings and costQme plates By Robert
Edmond Jones are being sent abroad
with general directions for staging the
masque. After It's first presentation in
Washington presentations of the
masque viii take place in every part
of the country, but though it will be
the same masquc there will be ines
capable local differences with which
each neighborhood will flavor its pro-
duction. With the force of the Red
Cross organization behind it, the effect
OF propaganda through such medium
cannot fail 10 be huge. It will call
out all the resources Of art to light
up the emotion Of pity.
One Of our tacit assumptions is that
art, is the preoccupation Of scgre~
gated and futile few. Yet the quest
for beauty goes on nightly in moving
picture and variety house. in opera
house and theatre Perhaps the girl
who has finished ten hours Of dreadful
monotony in telephone exchange and
the man who has worked all day e
machine desire beauty more ardcnty
than the lcisurcd few. 1t is not al
together an anodyne that they seek.
They wish to measure what life has to
offer SO that they NAV know flow to
formulate their protest against the
Grass. meaningless matcrialism Of our
civilization.