Washington, DC: Light upon Light

Tim, with ginkgo leaves

ah! It's been incredible--filming in Washington, DC.  We ended our last night with shooting ginko leaves falling against golden boughs under a warm-colored street lamp, until around 2 am.

We went to many of the sites visited by 'Abdu'l-Baha, with some costumed scenes.  Little sleep, much work, some play. Incredible.

A small cast/crew--but quite an incredible one!  The blessings cascade around us. . . .

We stayed with our dear friend Margaret Mattinson, at 8 Logan Circle. Within minutes of arrival, we began taking up the living room with costumes. . . .

Some new fez acquisitions

Margaret & Anne, looking at hats

Mona Khademi and Lex Musta 

Lex Musta served as our guide and research companion throughout. Mona Khademi, who is writing a book on Laura Dreyfus Barney, played a character and also served as consultant, guide, companion.

Transforming into characters . . . 

Filming on Logan Circle

Mona took the part of Laura, I as Alice Pike Barney (her eccentric mother and arts enthusiast) and Margaret Agnes Parsons--so pivotal to the activities of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Washington, DC and in Dublin, NH. Lex then declared he was Joseph Hannen--so there we were, pretending to be these illustrious early believers, coming to a home in DC and being greeted by Persians of the entourage (played by Saam Youssefi-Rad and Anis Ragland--whose middle name is Saichiro, after Fugita).          

 

                                         

at the DAR building

DAR building 

From there we filmed at the DAR building, where the Master had addressed a woman Suffragist Meeting. He shared the platform with Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor and Mrs. Monogan of the Bureau of Education (Equal Rights for Women). 

Then we made what was for Mona and myself a sort of pilgrimage to "Studio House," now the Latvian Embassy, where Alice Pike Barney had hosted the Master.  I actually kissed the gate--and Mona was visibly touched, just being there. She, of course, has been all through the house / studio--I wish I could have done that.

"Laura" and "Alice"

in the spirit of Alice 

with dear "Agnes"

ah! the stalwart "Laura" 

three "graces"?

evoking the days of 1912

In the park, across from Studio House

From there, to Margaret's to change personas (hadn't we been impostors for long enough?)

And then, to Howard University, where 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke at the Rankin Chapel to a mixed race audience, giving a message of hope
regarding race unity. . . .

Calvin FINALLY got to play
a character role after being a
production assistant so long

Howard University

Margaret, Calvin, Erika, Lex

through the monitor . . . 

    A lovely young woman joined us--Erika Carroll, the grand-daughter of the Hannens, who did so much to promote race unity in DC in 1912 era.

Erika with Christian, one of her friends
and a fellow student at Howard

Portraying an inspired young couple

1336 Harvard St. 

 At Howard, we met an interesting couple who had seen us filming that morning at Logan Circle (what are the odds?) and knew something about the Faith.  Such connections kept on. . . .

From there we went by one of the houses where 'Abdu'l-Bahá stayed--1336 Harvard Street (now apartments).

And then, to dear Anita Chapman's home, where she entertained us for "tea."  
I got to see  an old friend and poet, Donna Dennize. 

Anita's daughter Jennifer was there, but not in this photo: 

Calvin, Tim, Anne, Lex
Donna, Anita, Mona

Arlington National Cemetery

The next morning we had the opportunity to go with Mona to the Arlington National Cemetery, first to visit the grave of one of her Baha'i friends and then to the grave to Agnes Parsons' parents, the Royalls, where the Master had taken some white roses.

filming in a subtle way--no tripod

Filming the shadows of roses

Union Station

Then, to go to Union Station, where Calvin would meet us. Of course, Union Station is significant in its own right--so we both got some footage there, I using the small flip camera without a tripod.

From there, Tim and Calvin went to the Washington mall to shoot monuments--and I got to go to the Library of Congress Jefferson building, the most beautiful building in DC.

There, I took many photos and video with the little flip camera, astonished at the beauty the Master, too, got to see. . . .

Library of Congress, Jefferson Building

"Art is long, and time is fleeting." 

entrance to the famed reading room
(no photos allowed)

Bill Collins 

 I  had a delightful meeting with my dear friend Bill Collins, who works at the Library of Congress in another building.

and then took photos of a fountain at sunset

1901 18th Street

Agnes Parsons' home

In addition to shots of monuments, Tim (on an early-morning expedition with Lex) had taken footage of  190118th Street (another place the Master stayed) and of Agnes Parsons' home, where so much took place. 

This shot conclusively proves we were in DC. What a trip!