The Washington times., 1928-03-31
Episodes From Lives Of the SAINTS
Presented Before Brilliant Audience
Rare Beauty Displayed
in Grouping and Cos
tuning; Bonny Maids
in Cast

Everybody" turned out
yesterday for the most ap-
propriate Of 3 grist Of Len
ten benefits, episodes from
the lives Of the saints pre-
sented IN tableaux form, and
the audience at the National
Theater was one Of the most
distinguished which has as
sembled this season.
Heavenly Beauties
Girls from the diplomatic
group were represented in the
company Of Heaven" on the
stage. with more girls from the
old resident families Of Wash
ingtori and scores Of pretty
children, while their sisters
and cousins and aunts and
not 4 few masculine relatives
and admirers made up the COM
pany which filled the house to
the doors.
The dim lighting at present
fashionable in the theaterS made
Il difficult to see who was in
the audience. But the British
Ambassador and Lady Isabella
Howard entertained box party.
The Spanish Ambassador and
Mime. Padilla, the French AM
bassador and Nine. Claudel, and
the Minister Of Hungary and
Countess Szechenyi, all of whom
had daughters in the cast, were
noted ii the house.
IN the Audience
Mrs. Taft, wife Of the CHIEF
Justice, was q member OF box
party OF ladies'. Over the way
were the Minister Of Greece
and Mime. Sinopoulos, with their
small son. Senior Annoedo OF
the Spanish Embassy; Count Mac.
chi di CelIere, Of the Italian
Embassy, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Frederick Atherton. During the
1ntermission the Minister Of Ru.
manias NJ. Cretziano, was dis
covered. hobnobbing in the foyer
with Mrs. Eugene Meyer. IL.
Given for the benefit 81 the
Sisters OF the Good Shepherd
and other Catholic charities, the
Catholic clergy had representa-
ton and there were many nuns
IN the house. Numbers OF chill.
@rrAO- 49, &c.
their little friends on the stage
lent interest to the audience.
Diplomatic Ladies
The entertainment was organ.
lied under the auspices Of 4
group Of ladies' from the DipIo.
matte Corps, most Of whom are
Catholic in their affiliations.
Countess Seherr-Thoss. daughter
Of the late Henry White, the
inpresario, had worked out the
tableaux and assembled the cast.
she proved herself q producer
OF gifts and imagination. VOL
colt Waggaman, successful young
washington architect, had done
the settings The posing Of the
laOieaux ana the costume de-
signing was in the artistic hand
OF Mrs. George Oakley Totem,
Jr., q sculptress-known to two
continents as Vicken Won Post
Mrs. Totten garnered laurels in
? new role yesterday.
ziegfeld himself might have
enVied the beauty OF the young
women. taking part in these
fableaux--and the pictorial quail
4Tv ff THAR
fiyes? Yes, but it really was q
superlatively beautiful production,
presented in a reverend spirit in
keeping with the approach Of the
more solemn days Of Holy Week.
A Radiant Angel
Miss Evelyn Walker as q ra.
diant angel. browning st. Cecilia
tCountess Margaret Seherr-Thoss),
was the loveliest Of them ALL
until there was shown, against
the symbolic background OF the
Cologne Cathedral, Miss Janet
Newbold as Our Lady, with wee
Gilbert Totten, winsonne baby,
as the Infant Jesus, in her lap.
An exquisite Madonna, with the
statues Of saints grouped about
her!
Mile. RENE claudeI. daughter
Of the French ambassador, filled
the role Of her sister. Mile. Marie
Claudel, as Queen Blanche Of
CASTLE, shown with her little son,
st. Louis George Tottenl. and
appeared again as Joan Of Arc,
the peasant maid, rapt before the
vision Of st. Margaret Miss Fran
cescas Stewartl, st. Katherine
(Miss Margery Eustis) and a
handsome st. Michael in a coat
of mail Countess Margaret
Seherr-Thossl. Little Miss Renee
Claudel. a younger sister, had the
role OF the Dauphin In a scene
showing the Temple Prison in
Paris during the French RevoIu.
ton. Miles. Rosa and Maria
PadilIa. daughters of the Spanish
ambassador. appeared together as
st. Theresa and the Princess Of
Eboli In q group In a convent IN
Spain of the sixteenth century:
and Countess Cornelia Szechenyi,
daughter of the Hungarian minis
ter, was a lovely st. Elizabeth
OF Hungary in one of the most
picturesque Of the tableaux.
Impossible to mention all the
pictures that are worthy Of men,
ton.
Music Program
The tabIeaux were strung to.
gether on a thread Of music. with
A. ]. Rhodes giving before each
one a brief history of the saint
portrayed. The manuscripts had
been prepared by one Of the sis
tiers Of the Immaculate Seminary.
Rare old church melodies and
folk tunes had been assembled.
through the research OF Percy Lee
Atherton. assisted by Charles A.
Beneon. director Of the choir.