The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1924-02-14
H. S. OPERETTA
SATURDAY eve
Feast Of the Red Corn" A
Pretty Indian 0peretta

the feaSt OF the He'd Corn, ar
operetta in two acts will be given BY
the Gilrs' Glee Club of the Miller High
School. Saturday evening, at the Aud
jtorium, under the direction of Miss
Mildred Boyum.
The scene of the operetta is laic
in the hollow OF a glen, and takes
place the evening before and the
morning Of the feast of the Red Corn
The plot carried out follows:
The Maidens of the Wanta tribe Of
Indians. once every year repair to Q
secluded spot to celebrate the feast
of the Red Corn. The one who is tn,
first to find a red ear of corr
expresses her dearest wish to the
~Sorceress, an old squaw of the tribe,
who calls upon the God OF the Four
Winds to give a sign that the wish
will be granted.
This year the Queen. Weede Wanta
joins the maidens. hoping to get the
red ear. because of her great desire
to know OF the welfare of the King
The scene opens with the entrance OF
the maidens into the glen where the
feast shall take place.
The old Sauaw. tells the Maidens
that the Four Winds have whispered
TO her that there will be no wish
granted this year because someone
has committed a %grievous offense. I'm
pee Light, younger sister of the Queen
is suspected of being the culprit, and
is threatened with burning at the
stake. While the Maidens are pur-
suing Impee Light away in the forest,
the Queen comes to the glen and sings
to the Star OF the Farthest North to
protect and guide her King who has
gone to the wars in the North, and
from whom she has had no word.
The Maidens capture Impee Light
who has been teasing the three little
children OF the Queen and committed
the terrible offense of tying war fea-
theirs on the Sacred Stuffed Bear. I'm
pee Light excuses herself on the
grounds OF having inherited a peculiar
and as she talks of her
wierd fancies, the ghosts of the dead
trees rush in on the scene and dance,
finally disappearing in the forest. The
little children have grown tired and
the Queen lulls them to sleep. The
old Squaw makes use of the opportun-
ity and weaves a spell which puts
them to sleep and she disappears IN
the forest. Night falls.
At the break of daWe, Impee Light
having pretended sleep, but having
resisted the spell Of the old Squaw,
rouses the sleeping Maidens, who with
great glee join her in the Tale of the
Three Little Bears. The Queen sug
gests a canoe ride before they cele-
brate the feast. whereupon the old
Squaw emphatically declares there
there can be no use in holding the
ceremony because the Four Winds
will not grant the sign. The Queen
protests that during the ano trip
some sign may come to show no +;
they may obtain the good Offices of
the Four Winds, and all but the old
Squaw go off for the canoes. The old
Squaw, left alone, sings the Song of
Sorrow" and the shades about her
take form and dance the Flaming Al
row Dance, which is interrupted by
the return of the Queen and all the
Maidens. hysterical ovre the drown
ing Of the three little ones and Impec
Light. They all sing the Song OF
Sorrow" and then the three little In
dams bodies, having been recovered,
are brought in on stretchers, and the
Maidens cover their eyes to lament
The three little Indians, who have
been playing dead, jump up and laugh
at the Maidens, explaining how they
upset their canoe in shallow water,
and kept their heads above water un-
Ger the canoe, and Impee Light rush
es In to enjoy the joke.
The Queen insists seriously that I'm
pee Light has really saved the lives
Of the little ones and on account OF
this the Four Winds must be appeased
and surely will hearken to the Maid
ems.
The old .Squaw undertakes to in
woke the Winds again and this time
with success. The feast is celebrat
ed and the Queen finds the Red Ear,
and In answer TO her expressed wish,
che sees a vision of her King who is
alive and well, and on his Journey
home.
The Feast is progressing gaily as
the curtain fails.
Characters In the operetta are:
Weeda Wanta, Queen of the Wanta
lriDe -------------- DOrOtny Hunt
Impee Light, her younger sister -
---Dorothea Love