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Sunday, March 26

5:00 pm

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Sam Rittenhouse invited us and Inge to attend the play High Cotton by The Promise Players at Lampeter Church of the Brethren. Sam’s daughter Debbie and her husband Lanny were part of this production, both playing background people this time.

The two Newsies often had announcements for the community as they tried to sell newspapers during the depression.

The orchestra was right in front of us.

The cast singing High Cotton.

Sunday morning church service.

The guys talking about girls and stuff after church.

The two leads were in the beginning of a romantic relationship that wasn’t going well with their parents because he was a Spurlin (his dad was a mill worker) and she was a Davenport (owners of the mill).

Sunday lunch discussion at the Spurlins house about the courtship didn’t go well.

The discussion at the Davenports wasn’t going any better.

These two (left) added a lot of humor to the play. Shark was a bit of a rebel and Prudence was always talking to him about his drinking while trying to get him to come to church.

Both were handing out flyers promoting their cause.

A secret meeting in the park.

Mr. Spurlin getting a haircut on Monday morning – discussing the state of the world’s finances.

After a few more men arrived they created a barbershop quartet.

Sister Prudence handing out flyers in the store. At least she thought it was her flyer, but she had accidentally picked up some of Shark’s flyers. 🙂

Singing, I think the song was By the Light of the Silvery Moon.

Mr. Davenport is beginning to get concerned about the stock market and the world’s financial situation.

She irritated him by reading over his shoulder.

Another parental discussion concerning the young lovers.

The newspaper photographer (on the bench) wanted to get a photo of the argument.

Discovering the mill was on fire changed everything.

There was a somber discussion at the Spurlin home because the mill was destroyed, meaning the men were without jobs.

Mrs. Davenport was upset because her daughter damaged her dress when she went to check on the fire.

The conversation became even more serious when Randolph Davenport came home with the news that the mill was destroyed.

By now Sister Prudence was so distraught, that she asked the newsboy to go to Shark for some liquor. She said it was for her stomach’s sake. 🙂

I was laughing so hard that I forgot to get a picture of her when she was “drunk.”

She got arrested for being drunk and he got arrested for selling liquor to a young boy.

The Newsies announcing the destruction of the mill while Mr. Spurlin and Mr. Davenport sit in the background worrying about their future.

The attitudes at Wednesday evening’s Prayer Meeting were much different than when they were at Sunday worship a few days earlier – when everyone was feeling rich or poor. By now everyone was feeling poor with repentant hearts. Shark even sneaked into church and sat on the back bench.

Several repented of their sinful attitudes.

Singing – Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Almighty Father/The Prayer

Attitudes changed even more when Bradley Spurlin (girl’s boyfriend) had an idea to build back business by using some of the old equipment that was stored in another building.

Everyone was back to singing High Cotton.

The cast, orchestra and many of the behind the scenes’ people posing for the final photo. This was the last presentation of High Cotton.

That was a great play. Good job everyone.

The Promise Players will be presenting The One You Need by Janette Frankford-Book from November 3-12, 2023