Universe

The DeMolay Degree is in the form of a multi-sectional dramatic performance, the First Section of which is in the form of a one act Play. The script of this play is set, and must be followed within the choices of format described in the Ritual, either “Stage setup” or “Lodge Setup”.

The First Section begins with a monolog lecture by the Orator, and includes the words ”Whether this scene is considered approximately accurate from a historical standpoint, or merely as a symbolic scene, inculcating the virtues of Fidelity and Toleration...”.

From this arises the “license” that is understood to interpret the performance as either an attempt to portray a perhaps fictional historical reality, or to take the license given to add either aspects or a total performance in the realm of the “Symbolic”.

Although I can not possibly document every variation of the Degree here, I shall attempt to document the main interpretations I am conversant with and as many variations and details as may be practical to commit to print.

The Classic DeMolay Degree, aka the “historical” interpretation.

The Classic Degree plays the script as a historical drama without overt symbolic additions. There exists a wide range of character interpretation available within this mode.

The “Plain Vanilla” DeMolay Degree

The Script is acted out, with as much dramatic effect as possible, but without giving much thought to character development or interplay. The Inquisitors and all their staff are the obvious “bad guys” as is the King and his henchman, the Lord Constable. DeMolay and his Preceptors are the victims, but only DeMolay and to a lesser extent Guy of Auvergne, actively resist the evil the King and Church here represent. The other prisoners are worn down by torture or terror, and ‘resist not’.

The “Louisiana” Interpretation DeMolay Degree

In this, the Plain vanilla Degree is enhanced by character development and any number of additional mimed interactions resulting from the assumptions.

Prime Assumption: The Junior Inquisitor is the King’s “stooge” on the Inquisition, and this accounts for his getting DeMolay before the Senior Inquisitor, and for his outrageous actions, flaunting the Master Inquisitors authority. It also allows him to leave and return bringing the LC with him. The LC’s entrance is otherwise without obvious cause.

Secondary Assumption: The JI is therefore an “outsider” to the other Inquisitors and is despised and rejected by them, leading to mimed conflicts at any number of points during the play.

Variations on the Theme:

• The Lord Constable and / or the King appear at the beginning and give scroll(s) and money to the JI. They may or may not remain during the early part of the Trial.

• The JI may make “pay offs” to the Marshal of the Commission, and perhaps the Senior Guard, before the other Inquisitors arrive.

• The JI uses his “King’s Man” status to intervene and take over the Inquisition of DeMolay before the MI is finished with him, then send him to the Torture chamber in a snit. The MI then takes DeMolay away from the JI and gives him to the SI, whereupon the JI leaves and returns with the Lord Constable.

• If manpower is not a problem, “the Torturer” can return with DeMolay from the rack, and get blessed and paid by the JI, and leave counting his money.

• If the scene includes exits of all characters, the JI and LC may return and carry off the “treasure” which was offered DeMolay as a bribe during the trial. DeMolay.

Possible Enhancements to any Historical Degree

The Bribe. The Inquisitors offer a Treasure Chest full of loot to DeMolay when attempting to buy his cooperation. If it is desired to throw a bag of gold at the Inquisitors, this can come from the Treasure Chest.

Refreshment. While DeMolay is out on the rack, before Guy speaks, the Inquisitors retire to enjoy some “wine and cakes”, located on a side table. Guy makes his speech while they continue to “imbibe” and the MI, perhaps, throws the last of his ‘white wine’ into Guy’s face at the end of his speech.

To Exit or Not to Exit: Many Degrees end in some form of a “Freeze Frame” and then the Orator comes in and delivers the Closing Oration while walking about among the characters. Sometimes it is only DeMolay and Guy who remain in Freeze Frame for the Orator to speak to them “...through the centuries that have gone.”



The purely Symbolic Degree will be dealt with later. The next Interpretations can be considered “hybrids” in that they combine some version of the Historical Degree performance with some type of “symbolic” imagery.

The “Stained Glass” DeMolay Degree

Requiring the use of special lighting to achieve the effect, the performance area is illuminated under “black light”. The characters have their hands and faces pained in ‘panes’ of fluorescent body paint, as if made up of pieces of colored glass, and act out the degree as if a “stained glass window” had come to life.

Otherwise, acted out as any historical degree desired. Difficult to use in Competition.

The “West Side Story” DeMolay Degree

Dispensing with traditional costuming, the entire Degree Team is dressed in blue jeans and tee shirts and tennis shoes. The “bad guys” have black shirts, and the “good guys” have white or grey shirts (but all must be alike). Beyond acting a bit more like modern “gang” members on the part of the Inquisition and the King’s men, the Degree is otherwise acted out historically, and may include the Orator crossing DeMolay’s legs, right over left, if a freeze frame exit is used. This crossed legs was only allowed to actual Crusaders who fought in the Holy Land, not to those who went about wearing the Cross, who “talked the talk, but never walked the walk”.

Totally Symbolic Interpretation, aka the Surrealist DeMolay Degree

The hybrid degrees above all maintain a link to the classic historical Degree in spite of using one or more highly symbolic elements.

The Surrealist Interpretation abandons the historical context and wanders into the totally symbolic arena of dreams and surrealistic art forms. It is probably not a good choice to perform for candidates, who have to learn the lessons the degree should teach. However it is a great arena for Ritualists to demonstrate their skills.

Primary Assumption: There are no human beings in this Degree except the Prisoners, and there is a caveat on the non-speaking prisoners.

Secondary Assumption: All Other characters are symbolic figures of Evil, reminiscent of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Orcs (the guards) or Gargoyles off a Cathedral come to life (The Inquisitors). When the Non-Speaking prisoners fail to join the cause of rejecting the evil, they are dragged to the feet of the inquisitors, where they are shown to have a dual face makeup and on this now exposed side they are “little Orcs”.

The scene is set under a sickly green illumination, making the audience vaguely nauseous before anyone even appears.

The Inquisitors do not sit upon seats, but rather perch on broken columns of varying height showing their relative status.

All scribes, the LC, etc., are all hideous deformed monsters out of a medieval vision of hell.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dale Dietzman,

Okay... just to show how much of a dork I am, and pretty much have always been...

If ever the budget for the props and costumes were to be available; I always thought it'd have been pretty cool to do a Star Wars themed degree...

Lord Constipated would, of course, be Darth Vader, complete with lightsaber. Maybe he could even force-choke any guards who remained loyal to the MI and SI on his way in. Maybe he goes ahead and cuts down the inquisitors (ALL of them...) at the end anyway.

Guards would be clad in Stormtrooper uniforms.

Marshall of Commission could be a 3P0-series protocol droid.

Inquisitors could be Imperial officers, MI with the rank insignia of Grand Moff, SI with Moff, and JI with... I dunno... plain old Admrial or Captain or something.

And of course, the prisoners would be rebels; maybe with DeMolay and Guy dressed as Han Solo and Chewbacca...


cya,
john

Dale,
I like how you explained these different interpretations. I may just print this off and show it around my chapter, after all as you once said: "The sincerest form of flattery is outright theft."

S&F

Bro. Cody,

By all means. I wanted to stir up discussion in Chapters about possible different ways to do the Degree.

Nothing says that you guys can't develop something entirely different from anything mentioned here.

There are more or less "Discussion points" based on actual performances I have personally seen done, not just "ideas" I have heard discussed.

Dad Gene Martino would be the contact person for the "West Side Story" DD, and Dad Dan Mehn for the Surrealist DD.

Fraternally,

Dale

Can you elaborate on why you feel the DeMolay degree is not "understandable" to the average person?

S&F,
Dad Blaze
Floor-a-dee

We had a 12 year old join who had no clue what half the phrases meant. Many of the other guys just learn the phrase without understanding the meaning behind them. Switching it into contemporary English would help with those problems greatly.

Veritas:

I think more of the problem is updating language of the Initiatory Degree........not DeMolay Degree. Possibly update the Orator's part - which will make more sense to the young men joining - and maybe he'd understand the play better.

quote:

Originally posted by Veritas:
We had a 12 year old join who had no clue what half the phrases meant. Many of the other guys just learn the phrase without understanding the meaning behind them. Switching it into contemporary English would help with those problems greatly.

Brother, I would dare say, that if the Brothers are learning lines, without understanding the context, then maybe your ritual advisor needs to do some more work in that area. I have always found it important, whether in DeMolay or Masonry, to ensure that those I am helping to learn work (whether ritual, or catechism) understood what they were saying.

Now, as for the 12-year-old new Brother, I guess I would need to better understand him, and his personal situation. Yes, I have seen young men who have ADHD who have had problems, but with some good "mentorship" by the older members, they were able to fit right in.

Does your Chapter have a "mentor" or "big brother" program?

And, I can understand what Dad Haney is saying. The Initiatory Degree is a bit more "complex".

S&F,
Dad Blaze

Veritas:

I hate to break it to you, but I am in love with the DeMolay ritual. I find it sad that there is not a Knighthood Priory anywhere near me where I could delve deeper into DeMolay.

I would not dare to put on any of the above "Out-of-Normal" Degrees such as the Surrealist, Matrix, WSS, and so on in front of a Candidate. But as Dad Dietzman has stated, these different methods can be ways to have fun with the ritual and by doing it a different way, possibly enhance your ability to learn the part.

This is something that can, also as Dad D said, be done to impress your members by showing off your skills and abilities to get into any part, whether it be a stone faced Gargoyle or a slick-tongued Agent. Plus, if you can show newly introduced members what you can do with the ritual, you can get them more interested in it.

To ruin the first experience with the ritual when it comes to candidates is a Sin in my opinion. I had a very poor initiatory degree and I've sworn to never let it happen to any candidate whose presence I am honored to be in.

So Veritas, if you believe I like these ideas for the first timers, you're a tad bit wrong. But nice try, my good sir. Perhaps we can discuss this another time and I could explain further what I mean.

S&F

Dad D???
"Westside Story" DeMolay Degree? Hmmm, never used that term for our new spin. We think of it as the "Effigy Degree" is we have to call it something. Be glad to share the Director's notes in detail for anyone interested...

I am not afraid to do a stylized DeMolay (or Initiatory Degree) for real live candidates. As long as the "paramout purpose" is not overshadowed with the performance. AND it must be done well. Good vanilla is better than BAD flashy! All the "acting bits" should serve to compliment the lessons of the degree or they have no place in the degree, for candidates or otherwise.

As far as the language goes, I, like some other gray hairs around here, have enjoyed spending the last 30+ years constantly learning the meaning of the intricate phrases and poetic language. The Ritual was NEVER intended to be an elemantary school primer. I love the Mentor/Big Brother idea. We used to do a session in the old LTC Program where Conferees asked the meaning of anything in the ritual they did no understand and would discuss it openly, sometime disagreeing, sometimes even OLD dogs learning a new meaning, like the students at Socrates feet. I, for one am not infavor of watering down, simplifying, or Readers Digesting our Rituals or Ceremonies. I think we will always meet the standards that are set before us. I just think they should be raised, NOT lowered!

Well this thread is certainly a surprise to me! In 1970, our chapter set the Demolay degree to music and started using much more in the way of props and make up. We also used a scrim for the scene where JD was burned at the stake. We performed this degree for Masonic lodges all over the Northern Va area. We felt like we were on the cutting edge back then but what you have listed here is light years ahead of what we were doing! Good work! I still have the only copy of the original music track that we used but cant find a reel to reel recorder to play it nowadays!

Hey Steve,
ALways curious about music. If you ever get you list let me know (PS I have a reel to reel in storage!)

Sounds like you guys were doing the right stuff. Do you have a chapter near you that you can pass that legacy on to???

Background music is very usable, either just during the entrance sequence, or more extensively.

My home chapter used to use an instrumental version of the Theme song from "Exodus", which set the mood very well, contrasting the heroic elements of the Degree with the wistful minor sub-theme of DeMolay's "lost cause".

On a different note, pun unintentional for a change, a good friend of mine scripted our Opening and Closing Orations to background music very effectively.

This was our "Invisible Orator" who delivers his lines unseen over the sound system. We also ran the Second and Third sections together, by combining the lighted tableau of DeMolay at the Stake, with the Closing Oration, and its background music.

He chose two pieces of music from the same CD, compositions by Chip Davis and performed by Mannheim Steamroller on "Fresh Aire IV".

For the Opening Oration, he used the eerie work "Crystal" which works VERY well, IMO.

For the closing Oration he chose the piece, entitled, ironically enough, "Embers".

These are still my two preferred musical approaches to the Degree, though many others are possible.

I always used Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral by Wagner during the 3rd Section. I started it about 3:15 into the piece (really depends on the recording you use, as tempos could vary between groups who perform it), and had the part timed out well with strong points in the speech and strong parts in the piece matching up.

Martino, my local chapter that I was the Dad Advisor for, went dark about 5 years ago. When we put together the sound track, we had a former asst. producer for the Twilight Zone TV show helping us. He was a Mason and advisor for our chapter. The most dramatic part of the score was the burning at the stake scene. We used a Gregorian Chant for backgorund music for that. Totally cool!. DeMolay was in a scrim. If you dont know what that is, heres a breif description.
The scene opened with Demolay already tied to the stake and simulated fire at his feet. The entire scene is in a large black box with very thin black fabric across the front that you could see through. The box is more like a large picture frame facing the audience.

Hard to describe but the result is that it looks alot like a living oil painting. Very surreal effect. The box has to have proper lighting from the correct angles to achieve the best effects.
We also opened with the theme song to 2001, a space odyssey. Back then you could do that, nowadays the lawyers would be knocking on the chapters door for admission!

Actually, as long as you are using a legally purchased recording of the music, I don't think even the most rapacious of lawyers will try to bother you, since they hate to waste their time.

Since you are not selling the music, (as in selling tickets to a concert without paying royalties) once you have legally purchased the music, you can use it for your private enjoyment as you wish. Just as you could play your legal recording in your living room for friends at a party, you can play it in a Lodge room as background for a Degree. The point is that you possess a legal copy of the music, not a pirated copy.

The Degree does not require the music, so the music is not a part of the Degree, and is not being sold or profited on.

It's the same issue as makeup, for example.

If you stole the makeup and used it in the Degree, you could be prosecuted for the theft. If you bought the makeup, then no one can tell you where you can, or can not, use the product you have legally purchased.

Another Idea, in MN we used to do "The water trick" After DeMolay came back the JI would go "now that you have sipped..." and give DeMolay some water. after the JI finished the line DeMolay would spit the water back in his face. Its a good idea but the JI would have to be OK with the fact of getting spit in the face with water.

How many use live music, rather than recorded? If a Brother can play the piano or organ, do you have him do so, rather than use a recording?

THE DeMOLAY DEGREE IN OUR RITUAL CANNOT BE DISCUSSED IN THIS FORUM. THIS TOPIC IS NOT FOR THE UNINITIATED. SO, IT IS BETTER FOR ME NOT TO PARTICIPATE.

quote:

Originally posted by DONPONCHING1753:
THE DeMOLAY DEGREE IN OUR RITUAL CANNOT BE DISCUSSED IN THIS FORUM. THIS TOPIC IS NOT FOR THE UNINITIATED. SO, IT IS BETTER FOR ME NOT TO PARTICIPATE.

DONPONCHING1753, I suppose all that is being discussed here are in good faith and with one aim in view, that is for the good of the Order.

Why, what do you want us DeMolays from all over the world, discuss in here, the weather?, the Oscar Awards?, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's new child?