Read the Summer Issue of California Freemason: The Performance
The Masonic ritual is a play with an audience of one, Tony Gilbert writes in the cover feature for the latest issue of California Freemason Magazine. And that one person is also the star of the show. Within that performance, there is high drama, powerful poetry, and profound life lessons. People who have seen it call it one of the most memorable events of their lives. When the players leave the darkened room, they’ll say they feel transformed. And they’ll mean it.
In the most elemental way, this private show is Freemasonry; it’s the what and the why and the how of the entire enterprise. So it’s no surprise that Masons devote so much time and energy to performing it well. Because if you’re putting on a show that promises all that, you’d better make it great.
In this issue of California Freemason Magazine, we’re taking a deep dive into the many ways that Masonry and performance collide. Most notably, that’s through the performance of the ritual. But there’s so much more: An interview with a theater scholar investigating the connections between the Masonic ritual and 18th century French theater; an illuminating photo essay taking us behind the scenes as the Pasadena Scottish Rite stages its annual performance of The Spirit of Hiram; and a trio of profiles of California Masons who double as performers outside of lodge.
The Masonic degree is, of course, elemental to Freemasonry. It’s the highlight of any candidate’s experience. But it’s just the start—a first step on the journey of a lifetime. The ritual is the moment at which the curtains are raised. But it’s everything that happens next that constitutes the real drama.
Read the Summer Issue of California Freemason: The Performance