Part 473: Staging the Third Degree
Yesterday I began exploring the increased sales of Masonic regalia and paraphernalia across the country at the beginning of the twentieth century. Part of the development of theatrically staged Masonic degrees was establishing a need for elaborate stages, complete with painted settings, props, costumes and lighting systems. As the western sales representative for M. C. Lilley and Co., Brown increased the visibility of the fraternal supply company by not only joining numerous Masonic orders and fraternal organizations, but also by ascending to high offices in each order.
A key period becomes 1903 to 1904. By this time, M. C. Lilley had secured the theater contracts for several Southern Jurisdiction Scottish Rite stages, including Little Rock, Arkansas; Oakland, California; Wichita, Kansas; Salina, Kansas; McAlester, Oklahoma; Guthrie, Oklahoma; Portland, Oregon; Duluth, Minnesota and Fort Scott, Kansas. I am sure that there are more, but these are the ones that I have positively identified.
In 1903, Bestor G. Brown became Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas, placing him in a regional spotlight. He was provided with a unique opportunity to market his vision, especially pertaining to the staging of degree work. This included staging the first three degrees of Freemasonry (Blue Lodge). The Topeka Daily Capital reported, “Good Program is Arranged. Masons will have great meeting tomorrow” (14 February 1904, page 6). Masons from all over Kansas gathered in Topeka for “the forty-eight annual communication of the most worshipful grand lodge of the A.F. and A.M., the thirty-ninth annual convocation of the most exalted grand chapter of the Royal Arch Masons and the thirty-sixth annual assembly of the most illustrious grand council of the Royal and Select Masters.” What this means is that 600 to 700 of the top Masons in Kansas, as well as other visiting dignitaries, would be gathered both for both public and Private meetings; many would be exposed to the theatrical interpretation of degree work for the first time.
If one were to pitch a new idea, this is the time and place to promote it. Here is what Brown did, he promoted his company and staged the third degree of Masonry in full costume. The “Topeka Daily Capital” reported that the Grand Officers, together with a team selected from the local lodges, would stage the third degree of Masonry “in full costume” in the Representative Hall. This space was fitted up to function like the early stages in Masonic Halls. Masonic Halls were the precursor to a formal Scottish Rite stage. A rectangular room, similar to a banquet hall, was slightly altered to include an elevated stage on one end of the room; sometimes the stages were temporality constructed for a specific event. Some even included a proscenium arch, front curtain, and a few roll drops to establish the appropriate environment. In cases were roll drops were not rigged for the performance, wings, shutters, book flats, or profile pieces were temporarily positioned to provide the painted backings for early degree productions.
Interestingly, at the end of this event, the Scottish Rite Masons of Topeka hosted a banquet and musical program for all visiting Masons in the Masonic Hall. There is something to be said about the visual impact of a staged scene. During the same event, a special assembly was held in the Masonic Hall to confer the high degrees of Royal, Select, and Super-Excellent Master. The article reported, “This council has not only a state, but a national reputation, and will present the beautiful degrees of Cryptic Masonry with its complete equipment and paraphernalia.”
To be continued…
