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Search for tag "Play"
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| 1903 May |
Russian poet Isabella Grinevskaya wrote the play "Báb" which was performed in St. Petersburg in 1904 and again in 1914 and once again in 1917. It was translated into French and Tatar (and later into German by Friedrich Fiedler) and lauded by Leo Tolstoy and other reviewers at the time. It is reported to have been Tolstoy's first knowledge of the Faith.
In 1910-11 she spent two weeks in Ramleh as a guest of `Abdu'l-Bahá and after she returned to Russia she had several letters and Tablets from Him.
Immediately upon her return from Egypt in January of 1911 she began work on the book "A Journey in the Countries of the Sun", an account of her visit with 'Abdu'l-Bahá. This work was not completed until 1914 because in the summer of 1912 she made a trip to Paris to work with the French translator of "Báb", Madame Halperin, and when she returned to Leningrad she began work on the drama entitled Bahá'u'lláh. It was published in Leningrad in 1912 but was never performed. "Journey", a book of some 550 pages did not get published because of the disruption cause by the advent of the war. See BW6p707-712 for the article "Russia's Cultural Contribution to the Bahá'i Faith" by Martha Root.
For a photo see BW6p709 or here.
Also see Notes on the Bábí and Bahá'í Religions in Russia and its territories by Graham Hassall.
Isabella Grinevskaya (the pen name of Beyle (Berta) Friedberg), born in Grodno in 1864, died in Istanbul in 1944. [Revolvy]
In His message to Isabella Grinevskaya, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá praised her efforts to stage theatrical performances about the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh but cautioned her that people’s attention at that moment was focused on “war and revolution.” However, He added, “the time for staging it will come” and it will “have a considerable impact” in Europe.
Ms. Grinevskaya’s play about the Báb was first staged in St. Petersburg in January 1904. Mr. Tolstoy read the play and wrote Ms. Grinevskaya to praise her and share his sympathy with the Baha'í teachings, according to an article by Martha Root in the 1934-1936 edition of The Bahá'í World.
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St Petersburg; Ramleh (Alexandria); Alexandria; Egypt; Istanbul (Constantinople); Turkey; Grodno; Russia |
Isabella Grinevskaya; Leo Tolstoy; Publications; Drama; Plays; Arts |
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| 1910 (In the year) |
The publication of God’s Heroes: A Drama in Five Acts by Laura Clifford Barney, (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, 1910).
The play, based on the life of the Báb, centred on Táhirih.
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London |
Laura Clifford Barney; Plays; Drama; Tahirih; Bab, Life of |
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| 1911 9 Sep |
‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited the home of Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper at
31 Evelyn Mansions, Carlisle Place, Victoria.
In the afternoon ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited the home of Miss Anett Schepel and Miss Alice Buckton,
Vanners, Byfleet, Surrey (since demolished), some 20 miles out of London. He spoke with a number of working women from the Passmore Edwards' Settlement who were visiting while on holidays. (The Passmore Edwards' Settlement began in 1890 as one of the first “settlements” run by socially-conscious middle-class educators for the benefit of local working people and their children.) The talk has been entitled, "The small house and the path to true happiness". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks, SYH39]
Alice Mary Buckton (1867-1944) wrote many plays and poems. Her play Eager Heart
was seen by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on His second visit to England. She became a member of the
Froebelian Society which was formed to reform educational methods. She persuaded
Anett Schepel who had worked at Pestalozzi-Froebel Haus in Germany to move to
England and together they worked to improve child education, opening a school in St
John’s Wood.
[ABL85-86, In the Footsteps of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá p9-10]
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Byfleet; United Kingdom |
Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, First Western tour; Alice Buckton; Drama; Plays; Education |
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| 1912. 11 - 19 Apr |
During His time in New York 'Abdu'l-Bahá saw a play by Charles Rann Kennedy called The Terrible Meek about the crucifiction of Christ.
He later came to His hotel room to see Him. [Luminous Journey 21:42]
At some point Juliet Thompson introduced him to Lebanese poet and artist Khalil Gibran who created a portrait of HIm. [Luminous Journey 22:07]
Howard Colby Ives met with Him at His hotel. His description of the account ends with "But life has never been quite the same since." [Portal to Freedom Chapter 2]
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New York |
The Terrible Meek (play); Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Kahlil Gibran |
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| 1912 21 or 22 Dec |
'Abdu'l-Bahá witnessed His first dramatic performance. It was a mystery Christmas play entitled Eager Heart written by Miss Alice Buckton and performed at the Church House, Westminster before an audience of 1,200. [SoW Vol III no 19 2March1913 p 7, CH154, AB34]
He is reported to have said, perhaps on another occasion, "The stage will be the pulpit of the future". [Quoted by Loulie Mathews in The Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom, Vol 4, No. 3 (June 1923, p69]
Star of the West, Vol. 19 no. 11 Feb1929, p.341 quotes 'Abdu'l-Bahá as saying: "drama is of the utmost importance. It has been a great educational power in the past; it will be so again,". [BW1994-1995p255] |
Westminster; London; United Kingdom |
Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Drama; Plays; Arts |
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| 1912 c. Dec |
On another occasion He gave an outline for a play to his hostess for the evening, Mrs Gabrielle Enthoven, which He called Drama of the Kingdom. It was expanded into a play and put to print by Lady Blomfield's daughter, Mary Basil Hall, approved by the Reviewing Committees for the National Assemblies of both the British Isles and the United States and Canada. It was published in 1933. In 1994 a production based on this outline was premiered in Perth, Australia entitled The Face of Glory: A Musical Rendezvous with the Soul. [CH155-156,
Bahá'ís and the Arts: Language of the Heart by Ann Boyles, also published in 1994-95 edition of The Bahá'í World, pp. 243-272] |
London; United Kingdom |
Abdul-Baha, Travels of; Abdul-Baha, Second Western tour; Abdul-Baha, Writings and talks of; Abdul-Baha, Life of; Drama; Mary Basil Hall (Mary Bloomfield); Lady Blomfield; Publications; Drama of the Kingdom (play) |
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| 1960 12 Jul |
Horace Hotchkiss Holley, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Haifa. (b. 7 April, 1887 in Torrington, CT) [MC226-227, BW13:849-858]
See FMH58-59 for the story of how he came to believe in the Faith.
He had served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States from 1923 until 1959 and as the secretary from 1924 to 1930 and 1932 until 1959. After the passing of the Guardian he served in the Holy Land. [UN110; BN No 347 January 1960 p1]
Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
For his obituary see BW13:849–858.
For cable from the Hands of the Cause see MC217–18.
See also SBR214-247, LoF253-264 and Holley, Horace Hotchkiss by R. Jackson Armstrong-Ingram.
Some of his is publications: See BEL7.1197 to 7.1233]
- The Bahá'í Religion: Papers Read at the Conference on Some Living Religions Within the British Empire Papers presented by Horace Holley and Ruhi Afnan. 1925 [BEL7.386]
- Bahaism: The Modern Social Religion, (1913) [BEL7.1203]
- Religion for Mankind, (1956) [BEL7.1222]
- World Unity,
- Bahá'í, The Spirit of the Age, (1921) [BEL7.1201]
- Bahá'í Scriptures; Selections from the Utterances of Bahaʼuʼllah and Abdul Baha, (1923 and 1928) The first general book-length compilation of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Many passages were early and nonauthoritative translations. The book was superseded by Bahá'í World Faith [BEL4.71]
- Read-aloud Plays,
- Divinations and Creation,
- The World Economy of Baháʼuʼlláh
- The Inner Garden; A Book of Verse
- The Reality of Man (1931) [BEL3.103]
- He was a man of enormous capacity. When asked about it he referred to a "zone of energy" in which he sometimes operated when more than normal strength was available to him. [FMH58]
- See the biography Infinite Horizons - The Life and Times of Horace Holley by Kathryn Jewett Hogenson published by George Ronald 2022.
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Haifa; Torrington; Connecticut; United States |
Horace Holley; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; Bahai Scriptures (book); Drama; Plays; Arts |
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| 2018. 8 Jul |
The opening of the play about Tahirih called Daughter of the Sun to an audience of 450 people at the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama. The dramatic presentation was produced by journalist Kamale Selim Muslimgizi and came at a time when the life of Tahirih was gaining renewed attention and interest in Azerbaijani society due, in part because a book on Tahirih’s life and works that were translated and published in 2016 which catalyzed a growing interest among the people of Azerbaijan about the life of this iconic champion of women’s emancipation.
Tahirih wrote in Persian, Arabic, and Azeri, a widely spoken language in Qazvin and the surrounding region. Azeri is also the main language of Azerbaijan. Tahirih has long attracted interest among scholars. Western Orientalists of the 19th century wrote of her influence on literature and gender equality. In recent years, there have been numerous academic articles and books about her as well as translations of three volumes of her poetry into English.
The play continued its run in Baku and in the following months on stage in other cities across the country.
[BWNS1276; 30 April, 1960] |
Baku; Azerbaijan |
Tahirih; Drama; Plays; Arts; Kamale Selim Muslimgizi; BWNS |
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| 1951. 14 Jun |
All will note with interest the increasing use of plays and playlets as a teaching medium. The Montreal community produced one entitled "Fireside Chatter", written by Harold Hamwee. They report "The Maxwell Home was crowded for the event, and it was an exciting evening, not only for the audience, but for the 9 Montreal Bahá'ís in the cast, some of whom had never been on stage before, and were rather surprised to find out that in the new era one also ACTS. The play takes place in the home of a couple who had pioneered to a new city and are holding a fireside. The discussion is typical of most Bahá'í firesides where Bahá'u'lláh's remedies for a better world are discussed. The most outstanding character was Alix, whose thinking was obviously mixed up, but who bravely wore a bright red shirt in honour of her ideas. Rena Gordon deserves praise for the character study of this pathetic but comic figure. Alex had prejudice against everything except names. ·She had no difficulty with the word Bahá'u'lláh. "My own name is Yosopovitch", she said, "which does not includemy three middle names!" The play had no dramatic action, but it had continuity and held the attention of the audience. It presented the Baha'i Faith. to new contacts in a more vivid manner than any speaker could have done." [CBN No23 November 1951 p6] |
Montreal, QC |
Play; Harold Hamwee |
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| 1953. 5 - 6 - 7 Sep |
Maritime Summer Conference was held during the Labour Day weekend at Little Sands on Prince Edward Island. Bahá'ís from three of the Atlantic Provinces attended-with a total of 18 adults and one youth.
Peggy Ross of Scarboro gave a course on "The Reality of Man".
The Charlottetown friends presented the play written by Ruhiyyih Khanum, A Spiritual Assembly's Growing Pains. This play included a scene from a real incident which took place in early Montreal Bahá'í history between Ruhiyyih Khanum and Charlottetown Bahá'í Ernest Harrison. []CBN No 45 October 1953 p4 |
Little Sands, PE |
Maritime Summer Conference; Conference; Peggy Ross; Ernest Harrison; Ruhiyyih Khanum; play; A Spiritual Assemblys Growing Pains |
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from the main catalogue
- Bahá'í Writings and the Buddhist Doctrine of Emptiness, The: An Initial Survey, by Ian Kluge, in Lights of Irfan, 20 (2019). Agreements and convergence of the Buddhist concept of sunyata with the Bahá'í Writings. [about]
- Birth and Childhood of Baha'u'llah, by David Merrick (2008). Childhood and Early Life of Bahá'u'lláh, told in plain English and suitable for reading aloud. [about]
- Buddhism and the Bahá'í Faith, by Moojan Momen (1995). [about]
- Coming Out, by Ian Kluge (2001). Short, humorous play depicting the confusions that can result from trying to be too delicate in announcing one's commitment to the Bahá'í Faith. [about]
- Drama of the Kingdom, by Abdu'l-Bahá and Mary Basil Hall (1933). A play written in 1912 by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá while he was in London and adopted with permission by Mary Basil Hall (named Parvine by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá). [about]
- Dress for Mona, A: Abridged one-act version, by Mark Perry (2002). The story of Mona Mahmudnizhad. [about]
- Glimpses of Abdu'l-Baha: Adapted from the Diary of Juliet Thompson, by Roger White, in Another Song, Another Season (1979). Portrayals and dramatizations in verse, adapted from recollections by Juliet Thompson. [about]
- God's Heroes: A Drama in Five Acts, by Laura Clifford Barney (1910). A play based on events in the lives of the early Babis, with a focus on Tahirih. [about]
- Indiscretion of Marie-Thérèse Beauchamps, The, by Roger White, in The Witness of Pebbles (1981). Fictional dramatization of a recollection of seeing Abdu'l-Bahá in Montreal (1912). [about]
- Instrument of Music, The: A Musical Comedy, by Sarah Munro and David Cerpa (2019). Dramatization of the role of music in the expansion and consolidation of Bahá’í communities, drawing on the example of Latin America, and the impact and use of music to contribute to the growth of any community. [about]
- Laura Barney's Discipleship to 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Tracing a Theological Flow from the Middle East to the United States, 1900-1916, by Layli Maria Miron, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 28:1-2 (2018). How Laura Barney employed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s teachings to influence social discourse as she taught the Bahá'í Faith in Europe and the United States. [about]
- Layli, Majnun, and the Infernal Tree, by Mark Perry (2001). Short play dealing with the story of Layli and Majnun and partly inspired by the Seven Valleys. [about]
- Light of the World: Selected Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, by Abdu'l-Bahá (2021). Tablets of ‘Abdul-Bahá describing aspects of the life of Bahá’u’lláh including the tribulations He suffered, events in His homeland, the purpose and greatness of His Cause, and the nature and significance of His Covenant. [about]
- Read-Aloud Plays, by Horace Holley (1916). Nine short plays. Contains no mention of the Bahá'í Faith. [about]
- Sailor's Problem, The, by Ben Roskams (1995). A short play about unity featuring Sherlock Holmes. [about]
- Some Sort of Foreigner, by Roger White, in The Witness of Pebbles (1981). Fictional dramatization of an encounter with Abdu'l-Bahá in 1911, and reflections on "this business of religion." [about]
- Spiritual Assembly's Growing Pains, A, by Ruhiyyih (Mary Maxwell) Khanum (1976). A play, in 28 pages, showing "some of the workings of a Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly: some of the blunders, some of the problems; how certain types of people fit better into one office and others into another." [about]
- Tablet to the Premier [Ali Pasha] (Lawh-i-Ra'ís): Tablet study outline, by Jonah Winters (1999). [about]
- This Gem-Studded Crown: A Dramatic Sketch, by Sarah Munro and Sofie Geschier (2017). Fictional dialogue of the first of eight actual meetings between Martha Root and Queen Marie of Romania, in January 1926. [about]
- Two Shall Appear, by Olivia Kelsey, Revised Second Edition (1943). A play which attempts to depict in a brief form the background and some of the heroic events of Bahá'í history. [about]
- Unpublished Talks by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, by Abdu'l-Bahá, in The Sufi Quarterly, 3 (1928). Four short talks given by ‘Abdu'l-Bahá in London, December 1912. These talks have not been published elsewhere and the translator is not identified. The original Persian text alluded to at the beginning seems not to be readily available. [about]
- Vojdani: Ou, La quête: drame en huit tableaux, by Pierre Spierckel (2007). Drame relatant la recherche spirituelle de Vojdani telle que contée dans "Fire on the Mountain Top", joué par de jeunes gens bahá'ís et chercheurs. [about]
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