Evening star., 1938-12-26
Bv JOHN ]. DAILY.

Along in the early COS the late
DR.. Henry Van Dyke wrote an imag-
inative tale called The Story of
the Other Wise Man." work that
had an adventurous voyage in the
land of books. At the turn of the
century it was made into play,
THE Other Wise Man." a religious
drama revived each year by a group
of Washington thespians.
Tonight and the next three nights
'The Other Wise Man" will be
staged in Luther Place Memorial
Church. This marks the 14th an
nual presentation from an arrange
ment of the original story made by
Bess Davis Schreiner.
Some years before he died DR..
Van Dyke made his own dramatiza-
ton of the famous story, and this
is the text usually used at Christ
mas time throughout the country.
Due to special arrangements with
the author and his publishers, how
ever, the Washington group is per-
mitted to use the Schreiner presen-
pdpiOil oo ldA do hllOWll, Oilly
one other organization follows this
copy-a group of drama lovers called
the Religious Pageantry Guild,
which presents the play each year
in the First Presbyterian Church at
Jacksonville, Fla.
Author Approved Adaptation.
Numerous attempts were made to
have DR.. Van Dyke present at one
of the earlier performances in
Washington. He was never able to
attend, though he expressed keen
interest in the enterprise. The
adaptation is said to have met with
his approval.
Through the years several changes
have been made in the text and in
the manner of presentation. but the
tale clings strictly to its first line of
simplicity - the forward moving
story of Artaban, American-made
and not found among the ancient
lore of the East. DR.. Van Dyke at
tested to this some time before he
died. He had studied and loved the
curious tales of the three wise
men of the East, as they are told
in the Golden Legend" of Jacobus
de Voragine and other medieval
books, but he had never heard, nor
read, nor even dreamed of the
fourth wise man until one sleep
less night, when burdened with
cares and troubles he tossed on his
bed and saw Artaban as in a vision.
This is the tale that will be un-
folded again by distinguished cast,
led by Denis E. Connell, who plays
the lead role. To combine the dra-
matte and spiritual values in the
play, it is staged without any great
attention to theatricals in the COM
mercial sense. No stage is erected.
No settings are built. The wide
auditorium retains its churchly dig
nifty. Behind tall arches in the
choir, high above the chancel and
the aisles where the drama unfolds,
deep blue curtains are suspended.
In front of this curtained back
ground the action takes place.
Beck Was First Artaban.
The first time "The Other Wise
Man" was produced here, Walter
Beck-now on the professional stage
played the role of Artaban. Mar
rator of the legend was another
well-known figure in drama circles
here, Mrs. Frederick E. harrington,
who played the role for two years.
1t afterward fell to Katherine Riggs,
who now appears in the dual ca
pacity of harpist and narrator. She
also was the first musical director.
During the long period that this
play has occupied the attention of
Washingtonians at Christmas time,
several of the original cast have
continued their activities. Four of
the present group helped with the
first production. They are Nina
Norman, who appears as the Hebrew
mother; Ruth Shoemaker, one of
the producers; Irving L. Koch, who
plays Abgarus, father of Artaban,
and Harold Snyder, who created the
lighting system for the drama.
Yerby Pannill again will play the
Parthian slave girl.
Somewhat like the Passion Play
at Oberammergau, the Washington
production of "The Other Wise
Man" has built up tradition. In
IA years the cast has been aug
mented. Improvements have been
made here and there, and the orig
inal script rewritten, with new
touches added. Many men and
women were in the first production,
but not nearly so many as now play
the parts.
Children who played what are
called "bit" parts in the original
play have grown up in their parts.
Some have advanced to more i'm
portant roles. A generation has
gone by, and some of the youngsters
now play parts once enacted by
their elders.
Hours of Rehearsal.
A great deal of work goes into
the production each year. Hours
of rehearsal take their toll of time
and patience. This goes for the star
down to the lowliest members of
the cast. And some rather fine
character portrayals have come out
of this workshop, especially in the
role Of Artaban. -Four men have
played that role-Maurice Jarvis.