THE
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
and THE LEGAL CHRONICLE
A Synopsis of
"The Romance of a People"
People" depicts, in the form of pageant-
"The Romance of ■
drama, the faith and destiny of the Jewish people from its beginnings
to the present time The episodes follow Ribhead and historical
records; but in some instances • fusion of themes replaces strict
chronological order, bringing into immediate illuminating contact
incidents, situations and characters separated in time and place
s ustained by invisible singers
united in significance. The theme is
and an inviable choir, and by a visible dramatic, dancing •nd choral
■
cast of 2,500. The Voice of the Reader, heard in the int erludes,
represents the audience reading from the screll of Jewish history,
represents the audience reading from the scroll of Jewish history,
PROLOGUE: The Creation.
The scene opens in darkness which is gradually illu-
minated by clouds that roll across the huge backdrop. As
the action proceeds the Narrator, who is unseen, interprets,
comments, recites and accompanies at certain points the
action on the various levels of the stage. The Narrator
finds his vocal counterpart in the Singing Voice who chants
the major songs of the pageant.
In the
The Voice intones: "Bereshis bore Elohim .
beginning God created the heavens and the earth . . ."
When the words And God said. 'Let there be light' " are
reached, light is born dimly on the mass of figures which,
immobile at first, silent, transfixed, represent the undiffer-
entiated pre-Creation time. The light increases. Far-
withdrawn, indistinct, confused, an agitation sets in. A
vague murmur is heard, swelling in irregular waves. Sound
and motion take on immense rhythmic patterns. The
pulses of light heat stronger. The words "Yehi Or—Let
there he light" rise from the confusion, dominate the sea
of sound. They become more powerful, more distinct,
more ecstatic. As man emerges from primeval chaos he
cries "Chaim Lechol Chai—Life to all living." Presently
a huge Adam, archetype of Man, becomes visible. The
chant becomes louder. Man emerging from chaos gropes
toward the light as the swelling choir takes up the tri-
=pliant refrain: "Borchi Nafshi—Praise the Lord, 0 my
Soul."
Light and sound, reaching their fullness, represent
the morning of Creation, the freshness of the world as it
came from the hand of the Divine Artificer.
FIRST EPISODE: Idol Worship. The coming of Abraham.
In the days after the first dread Fall the generations
of men became progressively evil. God looked upon the
earth and it was corrupt. And the Book tells how he sent
a deluge of forty days and forty nights to wipe Creation
off the face of the earth. Only Noah, in his generation a
man righteous and wholehearted, was saved. But again
Man became deluded by false gods.
Man in his degradation is shown upon the stage. his
sons are worshipers of Moloch. The chorus gives a back-
ground of licentious music to the bacchnalia which is
about to ensue. The excitement spreads, is heightened, as
slaves, bending low to the ropes, enter, dragging the vast
idol of Moloch to the center before the Temple. From the
field enters the procession of priests, accompanied by the
virgin destined for sacrifice to the god. The worshipers
are now prostrate. As the sacrifice is about to be con-
summated a frenzy descends upon them. In wild, orgiastic
dances, in which terror. lust and rage are mingled, with
a loud screaming of the name Moloch, they turn their faces
toward the priests ascending with their victim. But the
victim is saved.
Scornfully watching the deluded worshipers is Abra-
hem, surrounded by a handful of his tribe. The time has
come for him to strike for the true God. A cry of derision
goes up as he approaches the monster from the field. The
cry shrieks off into dread fear as Abraham utters the
sacred words: "Adonai Echod—God is One.•
With the pronouncement of the words the idol wor-
shipers fall to the ground. Moloch crumbles into the clay
of which he N•as made. A piercing light illumines Abra-
hose children are destined to be as numberless as
ham, w
the grains of sand. The covenant has been made with
Abraham.
SECOND EPISODE: Egyptian Slavery and Deliverance.
It happened in those days that the children of Abra-
ham were stricken with famine in their own land; and they
migrated to the land of Egypt. There they dwelt in peace.
But a new King came up over Egypt who feared Israel,
that it would multiply. He set taskmasters over the chil-
dren of Abraham, and bondage became their lot.
The tragic song of the ,laves is heard from the stage.
and over them is the figure of an Egyptian slave driver.
As he cracks his whip the treadmill-like life of the people
in bondage goes on and they chant : "Shuvo Shuvo!—De-
liver us."
The pain of many venerations, and of hope almost
extinguished, is in the rhythms and the chanting. "And
the children of Israel sighed. by reason of their bondage.
and they cried, and their cry came up to God, and God
remembered his covenant." Behind the ranks of the slaves
suddenly appears the signal of the Burning Bush. Mose•
receives his command to bring forth the children of Israel
from the House of Bondage. Moses is seen on the stage.
a dim figure, communing with his God. The words "Eheye
Asher Eheye—I am that I am" ring out around him.
The power given to Moses by God enables him to
liberate his people. The slaves strike off their chains and
Moses lifts the keynote of thankfulness as he sings "Shiro
L'Adonai—Sing Unto the Lord." The others join in.
The liberated people strike off their shackles. The
(Turn to page 71
To The—
Jewish Community
of Detroit
The Ernst Kern Company
Offers Its
Congratulations
Upon The Presentation of
"Romance of
a People"
The Ernest Kern Company extends its good wishes to the Jewish
community of Detroit in its sponsorship of a spectacle fraught
with significance in its dramatization of the Life of a People.
KERN'S
WOODWARD at GRATioT
Congratulations!
'ROMANCE OF
A PEOPLE'
to the
Community, Cast
and Sponsors
My best wishes for the success of the inspiring drama
of 4,000 years' struggle against prejudice. intolerance,
oppression! A masterful message and lesson, vivid and
timely!
HENRY BEHRENDT
....ssamas ■■ •