"BEHOLD!" A new script.

BEHOLD!

A Program for the Bicentennial of the Birth of the Báb

(created by Anne Perry, based on passages from Robert Weinberg’s compilation 

The Primal Point: A selection of testimonials and tributes to the Báb and His followers 

published by George Ronald, 2019, and other sources as noted.

Note:This script is totally flexible. It can be performed by adults, youth, or children in a setting that is formal or informal. Passages can be read or memorized. Costumes can be utilized or not. It can be shortened as needed—or lengthened. (Delete or add characters; cast members can play more than one part.) Music or visual projections of photos of the actual people quoted could be included. Commentators can be on stage all at once or come on one at a time. They can stand or sit. MC’s remarks are flexible and can be changed; I have left out designations such as “Hand of the Cause” since the program is designed for the public, but these can be added.)Be creative! AP

CAST: 

MC        

Commentators:

Sara Louisa Lady Blomfield             Hasan Balyuzi              Dr. T. K. Cheyne

Horace Holley                                   George Townshend      Sir Francis Younghusband

Tahirih                                               John Ferraby                Count Leo Tolstoy

Mary Hanford Ford                           Robert Hayden             Potentially others . . .

A.L.M. Nicolas                                 Edward Granville Browne

Play by Tom Lysaght about Anis

Great for Bicentennial:

http://tomlysaght.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Loves-Companion-Final.pdf

SCRIPT: Celebration of the Birth of The Báb

A program originally created by Anne Perry for the Dallas Bahá’í Community, which can be modified to fit other localities.  Rehearsal and advance preparation recommended. In a small community, this could be done as a spontaneous reading, if scripts are made for everyone. 

Staging:Two mics placed on either side of the stage, with beautiful drapes on podium, column, or table (green, gold. . . ) and red roses.  Visual slides can enhance the program, if desired (request slide show).  Dress: can be elegant, historic, or multi-cultural, but shouldn’t be pedestrian. Lighting can be dramatic, warm.  Readers can be seated and go up to the mic on either side in advance of the reading; sometimes there is a back and forth, so it should be rehearsed and noted where a reader should stay standing and step aside, and which mic he/she should go to. Ideally, the program should flow as one element, without applause. Technical assistance is important.  

Participants:    (9–12 readers/musicians/singers and 1-2 technical assistants) 

MCcan be the same person as one of the readers, or not.  

Persian or Arabic reader/chanter could also be one of the readers, below. 

Reader 1:  male or female

Reader 2:  Reader of the Báb’s account, male, strong reader, perhaps in 20s

Reader 3:  male or female

Reader 4:  male or female

Reader 5:  male or female

Reader 6:  male or female

Reader 7: Reader, account of the Mother of the Báb, female

Reader 8: Reader, account of the Wife of the Báb, female

Reader 9:  Strong and poetic reader, female preferred

Music about the Báb: Who Is the Child?

Lots of music can be found at 9starmedia.com.

For example, this is a great song: https://9starmedia.com/susan-engle-jean-white-special-times?zenid=d60cb014e14249405e7c88336de470f8

Who Is the Child?    Echo/chorus

1 Who is the child, Who is the child,‘Alí Muhammad  

Born in Shíráz, Born in Shíráz,city of roses?  

Who is the child, Who is the child,grown straight and true, Who told us, “I am, I am, I am the Promised One?”*

2 Who is the child, Who is the child,raised by His uncle, October born, October born,humble and gentle?  

Who is the child Who is the child,we bow before

Who told us, “I am, I am, I am the Promised One?”

BRIDGE:

Do you know Him?  

Have you heard His name?  

Does your heart feel the beauty of His presence?  

Do you love Him as did Mullá Husayn? 

If you’ve found what you’ve been seeking, you can tell me.

3 Who is the child, Who is the child,tender and holy, 

Wrote the Bayán, Wrote the Bayán,foretold the Glory?  

Who is the child Who is the child,Whom God prepared 

To tell us, “I am, I am, I am the Promised One?”  

Yes, He said, “I am, I am, I am the Promised One.”

And he said, “I am, I am, I am the Promised One.”

Script for the Celebration of the Birth of the Báb

The sublime days of celebrating the bicentenary of the Báb's Birth will soon be upon us! All over the world there will be celebrations and special proclamations!!!  

Below is a script put together by Marlene Macke, in the voices of Fátimih Bagum,The mother of the Báb; Khadíjih Bagum. The wife of the Báb; Jináb-i Hájí Mírzá Siyyid ‘Alí, known as Khál-i-A‘zam, The uncle of the Báb; Shaykh ‘Abid, The teacher of the Báb.

I Knew the Báb

His Early Life through the Remembrances of Those Who Knew Him

A Dramatic Reading in Commemoration of His Birthday

Compiled by Marlene Macke

St. Marys, Ontario, Canada

  

Meditation on Titles of Bahá'u'lláh

At last! We have created a book, Meditation on Titles of Bahá'u'lláh, featuring names associated with Bahá'u'lláh paired with Tim's beautiful nature photography.

We were inspired by the House of Justice’s suggestion a couple of years ago:

At the heart of these festivities must be a concerted effort to convey a sense of what it means for humanity that these two Luminaries rose successively above the horizon of the world. Of course, this will take different forms in different contexts, extending to a myriad artistic and cultural expressions, including songs, audio-visual presentations, publications and books. Such initiatives, coupled with widespread celebrations that are both uplifting and reverent, are also sure to spark the curiosity and wonder of many who may as yet be unfamiliar with the names of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.  (The Universal House of Justice, Bicentenaries of Twin Birthdays, 18 May 2016)

 

While our book did not get published before the October 2017 events, we still offer it as an expression related to the bicentennial.  Please email (unity9@sbcglobal.net) to inquire about purchasing, as right now it is not distributed anywhere, aside from our home office.

Beautiful PowerPoint available, great for teaching

Frank Samandari writes: 

Greetings. I've created a PowerPoint presentation for the Birth of Baha'u'llah celebration. You can follow this link to view the presentation online:

https://1drv.ms/p/s!ArCnT1I3eE6HbBu9Cu1GiK1aUv8

I have made this as a gift to Baha'i communities, and you are welcome to share with others.

It's a beautiful offering--a great teaching tool for use now! Sorry I've posted it so late.  Anne