The University Theater is putting on a play from the York Gild. This got me to wondering why the gilds were so popular during medieval times. The Middle Ages were based on a Feudalism system that allowed lords and owners of land to tax town people and their trades to excess. The original gilds were formed to protect worker (gild members) and protect consumers. This would make it very understandable that gilds were formed. The gild could be compared to the original set up of our government, of the people for the people. It would also explain how the gilds became so popular so fast.

"Guilds in the Middle Ages." The Middle Ages Website . N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov 2010. <http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/guilds-in-the-middle-ages.htm>.

The English pageant cars were a tradition long upheld in ancient times. An English pageant car was a mansion on wheels that moved though the principal street of a city and brought to a halt at predetermined stations where a scene of the play cycle is performed. We have decided to resurrect this wonderful tradition around campus. We have decided that the main streets of campus will be used to promote our new play – The Capmakers’ Play: The Woman Take in Adultery / The Raising of Lazarus. Each stop of the pageant car will last for approximately 15 and we will alternate 3 scenes from the play. The full cast will be involved in with this project and full costumes will be employed. The pageant cars are well worth seeing, so come join us. We will list the full pageant route and stops as soon as we have the full details. 


Nagler, A.M. "English Pageant Cars." A Source Book in Theatrical History. New York: Dover Publications, Inc, 1952. Print.

As we think about a world of moral ambiguity it is wise to look at the time with which we live in. Was the world as morally ambiguous in medieval times? One would think that it was based on the plays of the times. Take, for instance, The Woman taken in Adultery, play produce by a York gild. The play chronicles a woman who is accused of adultery and chased to town to be stoned. The woman is brought before Jesus, who then forgives her for her sin. This is also chronicled in the book of John, although it was not part of John’s original Gospel. The story was later placed in John because it was decided that this example of Jesus’ mercy was too important to miss.  While I do agree that the information is important I often wonder about one important missing piece. Where was the man? The woman was accused and threatened to be stoned because she slept with a married man, yet other using the “entity” of the man to accusing her of the adulterous act he is not mentioned again. Why was the man not threatened or accused? Was man not as guilty as woman? Could man not have used Jesus’ mercy as well? Was he not also sinful and in need of forgiveness? Just a though!

"John 7 - IVP New Testament Commentaries." Biblegateway. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov 2010. <http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/John/Jesus-Forgives-Woman-Taken>.

The acting in the Woman Taken in Adultery, part of the play now being performed at the University Theater is exception. The actress playing “the woman” (Chris Noman) gives a compelling performance, the best I have seen since the scene was portrayed on the big screen in Jesus of Nazareth. This actress will definitely go far in her career if her performance in this play is anything to go by. Check her out in our play. You have until December 21^st to catch her amazing performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k0RzhVJSxE

The York theater gild is presenting the renowned play The Capmakers’ Play: The Woman

Taken in Adultery / the Raising of Lazarus. The York Theater gild is known for presenting plays with connotation of The Lords Prayer. This is not unexpected as the term gild is used hand-in-hand with any kind of urban religious fraternity or craft organization that support to religious societies and composed of men and women working at a common craft. With the intense focus on the moral and ethic belief of a Christian society the play is most certainly going to be true to the words stated in the Bible. For any person that considers themselves an aficionado on The Lords Prayer these plays are a must see



guild"  A Dictionary of World History. Oxford University Press, 2000. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  Central Washington University.  1 December 2010  <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t48.e1566>

The theater gilds of medieval time produced many plays, all relating to the further spread of the Christian religion. We are presenting one of these plays, The Capmakers’ Play: The Woman Taken in Adultery / The Raising of Lazarus.  The section of the play dealing with Lazarus deals with the 1 Apostle warning Jesus that the Jews awaiting him fear him and will stone him, but Jesus must travel to the city for Lazarus who is dead. Jesus deals with Lazarus’ sisters Martha and Mary of Bethania and then raises Lazarus from the dead based on the faith of his sisters. We are currently casting for the parts of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Any interested in auditioning for this part please report to the theater department auditorium on December 1^st from 8:30 am until 7:00 PM.

Drum, Walter. "Lazarus." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 30 Nov. 2010 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09096a.htm>.

Inbetween post

This is just to break up the two different blogs