Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-12-07
D. H. s. STUDENTS TO
GIVE CANTATA FOR
NEAR EAST FUNDS
1.-THE STORY OF BETHLEHEM"
WILL BE FEATURED AT SUN.
DAY AFTERNOON PERFORM.
ANCE-CAST OF CHARACTERS
is ANNOUNCED.

A new departure is being under
taken this year at the High School in
producing a musical Christmas play
on Sunday afternoon, December IS, at
4:30 p. m. This play is entitled "The
Story of Bethlehem. and was writ
ten, both the librettc and music. by
Mari Ruef Hofer
There is no more beautiful contribu-
ton to the literature of Christmas
than that of the old half-forgotten
nativity plays of the medieval ages
In those days when the mystery and
.maryel.~.af the weadaEansa birth. had
not yet faded from the kien of man
were produced those sacredly human
dramas whose simple and beautiful
character ranks them among the
classics of thhe world Simultaneous
ly with the greater passion plays and
miracle plays of Europe sprang up
these lesser dramas of the birth of
Christ. This particular one selected
for production at the High School will
be beautiful in scenery, costume, in
action, and especially beautiful in
music. The play will be given under
the direction fthe faculty and par
ticularly that of Mr.. John L. Hoff.
The cast has been rehearsing for
some time and every effort will be
made to make this play a real contri-
button to Ottawa's Christmas of 1921
The NativityMusic.
Much of the beautiful old music
which will be given in this play be-
longs to the inspired worship of the
early Christian church, fragments of
which are yet to be found in old Choir
al collections. The moods, for the
most part, are vigorous and in the
heroic choral form. Others represent
pure scared sentiment of which latter
type "The Angel Lullaby" found in
an old Bavarian mystery play of the
18th century, cannot be equalled in
modern times. "Rejoice Jerusalem" "
one number in the play, is a beauti-
full antiphonal chant of one of the
to the Doric mode of the Greeks. All
of the music is exceedingly beautiful
as well as historical and is sure to
leave profond impression on all
those who hear it.
1t had been intended to offer this |
as free Christmas contribution from
the High School to the public Of OF |
tawa, but it was suggested that an ad- |
mission charge of twenty-five cents |
be made and that this money be added |
to the fund which the High School is |
raising for the starving children of |
Armenia, This was thought to be a !
good suggestion and has been |
adopted. The High School hopes to
be able to give over five hundred dol !
ars to this important charity.
The cast is as follows:
Herald-Eleda Hassley.
Sheph pherds-Willard Gosteow, Ken
leth Kneussl Charles Ingham, Ed |
ward Spillane. Russell Harding. AL
bert Harding, Albert Lavell, Milton !
Howard and Stanley Lambert.
Wise Men-Albert Lavell, Milton
Howard and Stanley Lambert
Angels-Helen Claus, Helen Dana,
lucille Goodman, Eleda Hassley, Mar.
yuerite Todd, Marjorie Refior, Harriet
Bradish, Eleanor Hay, Vera Claus,
lucille Mercer and Grace Koenig
Followers-Lucille Calhoun. Marie
<lass, Edith Sulzberger, Mildred Sell
ner Ora Thompson. Louise Geen,
Dorothy Haglund, Margaret Dunn,
Katherine Volkenant and Helen
Iarmion.
Mary-Florence Tucker.
Joseph-Lyle Conard.
Grandmother in Tableau Group
EZRA B. Ham, various children.
companist-Juanita Gallup.