What do the founding of St. Augustine and the 1954 World Series have in common? You could have seen both from the same seat. When the St. Augustine Amphitheatre was constructed in preparation for the 400th Anniversary of the city in 1965 (funded entirely by private donations from citizens), the play "Cross and Sword" was a driving force behind the design - commissioned especially for the quadricentennial celebration. It was a stage dramatization focusing on Pedro Menendez and the founding of St. Augustine, replete with song and dance numbers. The play was written by Pulitzer Prize winning author Paul Green, and only eight years after its debut it was designated the official state play of Florida. I think this article from the St. Augustine Record says it best: "Cross and Sword" will dramatically and spectacularly transport the audience, through the magic which is the theater, on a magic carpet woven of music, song and dance to the glittering court of Phillip II and on to the wilds of Spanish Florida in the 16th century.
And that wasn’t the only time St. Augustine got second-hand seats from a New York City landmark. 100 chairs from the Metropolitan Opera House were installed into a newly remodeled conference space in the Government House in 1967. Government House had served for many years as the St. Augustine post office until it was acquired by the St. Augustine Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission. It was renovated by the Commission to serve as a conference, community, and exhibition space. The Cross and Sword Alumni keep a blog with a lot of really interesting information and photographs relating to the play, so make sure you give that a visit.
Any readers remember going to see Cross and Sword? Any performed in it? Share a memory with us!
0 Comments
|
AuthorA small group dedicated to exploring the history of the Ancient City. Archives
May 2017
Categories |