Wat era iva 8p en ee te Fee Ler, 2 cate et 6. Ne, eO * H oh tat * IS ee etaturg at 3th ee, Mae? 4 > aS a 2 A ol Be - Ef Fn c : $ oe Hee sm ese 3 Bi Pen eae par a \ Saar re ata T el sth sy ats ANA saint Pa ey hae # Ph MONTE THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY 8l2 M452¢ OAK ST. HDSF | ‘ ah tae hy) Wace a) tA ee t rad 4 vi i Be aN oie aed ‘y THE FIREBRAND Watt sade Pal pss a Lay pag THE FIREBRAND A Comedy in the Romantic Spirit BY EDWIN JUSTUS MAYER BONI anno LIVERIGHT PUBLISHERS os ss New YorkK Copyright, 1924, by Boni & Liveright, Inc. First Printing, December, 1924 Second Printing, February, 1925 All rights reserved including that of translation into foreign languages. All acting rights, both professional and amateur, including motion picture rights, are re- served in the United States, Great Britain, and all countries of the Copyright Union by the author. No performance may be given without special ar- rangement with the axthor. To Ry wae f MY MOTHER Ne ‘ ~ yt Md LP als a Ais 5 Ny i His Ba ih NOTE Although I have endeavored to retain the spirit of Cellini and of his times, as revealed in his autobiog- raphy, “The Firebrand” is inspirational rather than documental. I am indebted to Miss Marion Spitzer for her original suggestion to me that a play should be written about Cellini based on his love affair with one Angelica—whom I have called Angela and made his model in the comedy. In his rendition of this incident, Cellini relates that he fell in love with Angelica and that Beatrice, her mother, learning of his intention to steal the girl, fled with her. Some months later the artist heard from Angelica that she was in Sicily. “By that time I had beeen giving myself up to all the pleasures imaginable, and I had taken another love, but only to extinguish this earlier flame.” Soon after, a murderous brawl made Cellint flee Rome; he sought refuge in Naples, and found Angela, “whose endearments to me were warmer than I can describe.” Cellini struck a bargain with Beatrice, by which she surrendered her daughter. “Angelica begged me to buy her a gown of black velvet, which was very cheap in Naples. I did all they asked me willingly; sent for the velvet, bargained for and paid it; but the old woman, who thought me fatuously in love, demanded a gown of fine cloth for herself, would have had me lay out a great deal on her sons, and begged for more money than I had offered her. At this I turned to her good-naturedly and said. ‘My dear Beatrice, didn’t I offer you enough?’ ‘No,’ she said. So TI replied that what was not enough for her would suffice for me, and having kissed my Angelica, we parted, she with tears, I with a laugh... .” jp obia mt P AP THE FIREBRAND As presented at the Morosco Theatre, New York, on October 15, 1924 pit Ea Cuartes McCartuy 8 a ea Hortense ALDEN BrenvENvuTO CELLINI........ JOSEPH SCHILDKRAUT™ MUEBETOA ssn g's vale sae e's baie ded ioe ee EpEN Gray 0S ha Se Littian KIncsspurry OS ns GrorcE Drury Harr ALrEssanpro, Duke of Florence. ...Franx Morcan- Otrraviano, the Duke’s Cousin....E. G. Rosrnson - DMEM i i gis sf). ewes be Be ates ALLYN JOSLYN RPEIIIOUIERS (6 0 y . ok as by Helene Nana Bryant 0S Se ne Wauace Fortune ss Ee a Epwarp QuInn DorotHuy BICKNELL LADIES OF THE CoURT EvLEanor Ewine Kenneth Dana Robert Ploomer GENTLEMEN OF THE CouRT Scott Hirschberg AND SOLDIERS OF THE Roland Winters Doucuy or FLoRENCE Philip Niblette Oliver Hulton Calvin Vollmer THE FIREBRAND —_ : we ew ib — ~~ = a ae % Sen 4 Pan, CHARACTERS Ascanio, Cellini’s apprentice. Emini, A servant. BENVENUTO CELLINI. ANGELA, Cellini’s model. Beatrice, Her mother. Prer Lannt, Cellini’s friend. ALEssANDRO DE Menic1, Duke of Florence. OTTAVIANO DE MEpIct1. PoLvERINO. Tue Ducuess or FLORENCE. A Soupvier. A Haneman. Courtiers, several ladies of the Duchess, Soldiers, a Page. ACT I Scene: Crxutni’s workshop. Afternoon. Pp ACT II Scene I: The garden of the Summer Palace, out- side of Florence. Night. Scene II: The balcony of the Palace. A few minutes later. ACT III Scene: Crus workshop. Late next morning. Time: 1535. Puace: Florence. THE FIREBRAND ACT I Ceiuinir’s workshop in Florence. At the ex- treme right rear is the entrance from the street; the door is guarded by a heavy iron bolt, and several steps below it lead into the shop. To the left front is the large and ornamental door which leads into Cr.utni’s house. Opposite thts, right front, is a small door which leads into an adjunct of the shop. To the left rear is a small furnace with an anvil beside it. Behind the furnace and anvil ts a Renaissance window, which floods the room with light. The ceiling is open above several beams, as though a little-used attic might be above. The shop itself is a hodge-podge of beauty made and in the making. Statues, both ancient and con- temporary—the latter often unfinished—are littered about the room with various vases and exquisite curios. A table stands near the right front exit, with several chairs about tt. Ascanio, a lad of perhaps seventeen, is busy hammering a mass of glowing metal on the anvil. He hums a tune in rhythm with his 15 16 THE FIREBRAND swinging arm.