San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-07
STUART WALKER WILL
OFFER PGRTMARTEAU
PLAY HERE SATURDAY !
Sir David Group in After
noon and Jobs Story
at Night.

With Stuart Walkers production Of
"The Book OF Job, which will be seen
in San Antonio at the Breckenridge
High School Auditorium. Saturday
night. the stage returns 10 the func-
ton it originally exercised in Eng
land. The first dramatic productions
in English were stories fsm the Old
Testament. with their New Testament
fulfillment. These were called mys-
tcrics. They were followed by dramat-
izing the lives of the saints in what
were called miracle plays. Later
came the moraliiics. enforcing the re-
ligious and moral teachings Of the
church The church. at this time.
recognized the value Of the drama m
enforcing its teachings appealing TO
the eve. The youngest spectator took
away vivid picture of what the
church wished TO impress upon HIM.
After time dramatic representa-
lions degcperated until they became
a scandal. and the church opposed
the stage. Opposition grew until the
lord mayor of London issued an cdlct
forbidding the erection of playhouseS
time of Shakespeare. actors were IN
disrepute. and the church frowned
upon the drama. If one reads the
PLAYS preceding the Puritan period
he can understand why the Puritan
abhorred every form of dramatic pres
cntation. The opposition of many
pious people now 10 the stage must
he traced 10 the Puritan reaction. L.
r.. Barnum. the super-Showman'
caught the pious by calling his thea
ter museum. and in Boston the
same name was used. 1t must be SAID
that even the most liberal among
church people may find many thlngs
on the modern stage to which they OBJ
jcct as demOralizing.
Stuart Walkers production of The
Book Of Job has received enthus-
iastic endorsements from the clergy
throughout the United States.
Through its portrayal of the sublime
Biblical story. thousands will be led
to read the Book of job where one
read ii before. through its presenta-
ton now. for the first time. the aver
age man will be made TO appreciate
this piece of inspired prose unequaled
in all literature.
Inc predllectlOn OF STUART Nalhtt
for theatricals can be traced back TO
the time when he was 6. when his
father presented him a toy theater
with a front curtain. two sets of seen
cry and trap door. The little boy
began his career as a producer by
giving free adaptation of The Bo-
hemian Girl" the opera which he had
seen but few weeks before. This
version was especially notable because
il had two morals: The reward of
virtue and the condemnation of vice.
Thus every one was satisfied. For
six years the small boy gave regular
performances of his one piece in the
little theatcr. and then the audience
which usually consisted OF the
neighborhood children-rose in body
and demanded n change of bill. Here
was d problem. indeed. for the mana
ger. But the youthful producer rose
to the occasion. He repainted his
theater. changed the name OF the play
and gave it over again. There was
almost a riot. The question now was
how 10 hold his audience. and the
answer could be only One-repertOry.
The "star system" fortunately. could
not apply in this instance. And so
Stuart Walker wrote a play each
week thereafter. and gave it on Mon