SUGGESTIONS FORCOMMUNITY PRELUDE AND EPILUDE

In producing this Masque, different communities will doubtless wish to observe different ways of assembling to prepare and begin its production.

Some, especially those given on a small scale, may need and desire no prelusive form of ceremony, in action, speech or song.

For productions given on a larger scale, however, since a receptive and devotional state of feeling is greatly to be desired for its proper rendering and its impression upon those who witness and take part, it is strongly recommended that some kind of brief, general Song Overture of the people be held just before the Masque begins.

With this need in mind, the suggestions here made by the author are given for whatever service they may render to the desired end.

As Prelude to the production of “The Evergreen Tree,” the following kind of Song Overture and informal Ceremony are suggested for such large-scale types of the Masque’s production as are witnessed and performed by all classes, races, ages and creeds of the community.

After night-fall, on a winter’s evening, let us imagine men, women and children of a town or city gathered together out of doors in a public square or park, or indoors within some level-floored structure, to assemble by the community Christmas Tree, and to join in general singing under a leader.

The Leader will gather the best trained singers at a central place (indicated by the roped-off circle in the Ground Plan on the page opposite), and will start the community singing, or guide its spontaneous beginnings under his leadership.

The trained Chorus will perhaps sing the “Adeste Fidelis,” or “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,” and the carollers will raise their voices in such old Christmas songs as may best appeal to them. So, perhaps for twenty minutes or half an hour, the singers will hold an informal Overture, in which all the gathered people may have joined.

Meanwhile, or beforehand, the Chorus will have put on their outer garments of red and white (designed according to Mr. Jones’ costume suggestions), and will have divided into their two separate bodies—(1) the mixed voices, Chorus A, and (2) the male choir, Chorus B.

Then the Chorus Leader, or some one appointed by him, when the Masque is almost ready to begin, will rise at the centre—visible above the heads of the Chorus and the people—and will speak to the assemblage, perhaps in his own words, or perhaps—using some portion or all of the speech here given—he will speak substantially as follows:

THE CHORUS LEADERNeighbors and Friends—we have been singing together:Wherever friends sing together out of their heartsThere God sings with them.We believe many different ideas, many differing creeds.—To-night let us forget how we differ:Let us remember only how we believe in one great thing—One Spirit in common—and this is its holy name:Singing Together.In old, old times, when plays were sung by the people,They built for them altars, sacred places of singing;And before their dramas began,They used to pray thereAnd ask a blessing on the players, on the chorus and the people.And there, on those altars, they wrote the name of their Lord.Friends, we are gathered here now by an old, old altar:The altar of Song—Song of the people: old, young; happy, sad; rich and poor.We cannot see it with our eyes,But we know it in our hearts;And there we can read what is written—the name of our Lord,Whose hallowed name is calledSinging Together.Now out of our Singing will rise an Acted PageantTo tell an old story newly—The story of a Child.Over yonder, by the Christmas Tree—there is the Wilderness,The Place of Outcasts:Over there—is the Gate of a Palace: the Palace of Herod—Herod, the mighty king in the Bible,His place of Empire;And there—and there—are two Paths, that lead to the Tree.Now let us sing one more carol,And take our places;Then listen, and watch for a sign, while the Chorus sings:And when all is over—each of us, all together,Let us raise up our hearts and voices to one great SpiritThat will make of us all one people:The Spirit whose glorious name isSinging Together.

THE CHORUS LEADER

Neighbors and Friends—we have been singing together:Wherever friends sing together out of their heartsThere God sings with them.We believe many different ideas, many differing creeds.—To-night let us forget how we differ:Let us remember only how we believe in one great thing—One Spirit in common—and this is its holy name:

Neighbors and Friends—we have been singing together:

Wherever friends sing together out of their hearts

There God sings with them.

We believe many different ideas, many differing creeds.—

To-night let us forget how we differ:

Let us remember only how we believe in one great thing—

One Spirit in common—and this is its holy name:

Singing Together.

In old, old times, when plays were sung by the people,They built for them altars, sacred places of singing;And before their dramas began,They used to pray thereAnd ask a blessing on the players, on the chorus and the people.And there, on those altars, they wrote the name of their Lord.

In old, old times, when plays were sung by the people,

They built for them altars, sacred places of singing;

And before their dramas began,

They used to pray there

And ask a blessing on the players, on the chorus and the people.

And there, on those altars, they wrote the name of their Lord.

Friends, we are gathered here now by an old, old altar:The altar of Song—Song of the people: old, young; happy, sad; rich and poor.We cannot see it with our eyes,But we know it in our hearts;And there we can read what is written—the name of our Lord,Whose hallowed name is calledSinging Together.

Friends, we are gathered here now by an old, old altar:

The altar of Song—

Song of the people: old, young; happy, sad; rich and poor.

We cannot see it with our eyes,

But we know it in our hearts;

And there we can read what is written—the name of our Lord,

Whose hallowed name is called

Singing Together.

Now out of our Singing will rise an Acted PageantTo tell an old story newly—The story of a Child.Over yonder, by the Christmas Tree—there is the Wilderness,The Place of Outcasts:Over there—is the Gate of a Palace: the Palace of Herod—Herod, the mighty king in the Bible,His place of Empire;And there—and there—are two Paths, that lead to the Tree.

Now out of our Singing will rise an Acted Pageant

To tell an old story newly—

The story of a Child.

Over yonder, by the Christmas Tree—there is the Wilderness,

The Place of Outcasts:

Over there—is the Gate of a Palace: the Palace of Herod—

Herod, the mighty king in the Bible,

His place of Empire;

And there—and there—are two Paths, that lead to the Tree.

Now let us sing one more carol,And take our places;Then listen, and watch for a sign, while the Chorus sings:And when all is over—each of us, all together,Let us raise up our hearts and voices to one great SpiritThat will make of us all one people:The Spirit whose glorious name isSinging Together.

Now let us sing one more carol,

And take our places;

Then listen, and watch for a sign, while the Chorus sings:

And when all is over—each of us, all together,

Let us raise up our hearts and voices to one great Spirit

That will make of us all one people:

The Spirit whose glorious name is

Singing Together.

So concluding, the Chorus Leader and his Assistant Leader will accompany their Choruses (the one—Chorus A, the other—Chorus B) to the places where they sit during the Masque (indicated on the diagram) in front of their respective stages.

As they go to their places, the Choruses will sing the carol “Good King Wencelas.” Then, when all is still, the Masque of “The Evergreen Tree” will commence with the Chorus of the Wilderness.

At the conclusion of the Masque, it is not advisable that any other formal ceremony should follow.

The participants, the children and the people will naturally be gathering about Santa Claus and partaking of the gifts from his pack, or otherwise sharing in happy festivity.

In order, however, that the Masque shall not end in a general, disordered scattering of the assemblage, it is recommended that those in costume, including the Choruses (now united), shall march in good order to the places of their costuming, or to such other places as the Director of the Masque may designate, singing together stanzas of the Masque hymn—easily learned, in unison, to the appealing music of Arthur Farwell—

“Glory and serenity,Beauty of desire,Bless to-night this holy treeAnd our candle-fire.”—etc.

“Glory and serenity,

Beauty of desire,

Bless to-night this holy tree

And our candle-fire.”—etc.

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