Miracle

   The spectacular pantomimic drama created by Austrian director Max Reinhardt premiered in London in 1911 and was staged in 16 other European cities before World War I. After the war, a New York production was arranged by American arts philanthropist Otto Kahn and impresario Morris Gest. With scene designs and costumes by Norman Bel Geddes, it opened at the Century Theatre on 15 January 1924 and ran for 298 performances. The city of Cleveland arranged for it to transfer there over Christmas of that year. During the next five years, The Miracle was performed in 12 American cities that could raise a guarantee of a quarter of a million dollars for a minimum run of three weeks. In each city, a public auditorium would be virtually transformed into a cathedral. The spectacle required 40 boxcars of scenery, a touring company of 400, in addition to 200 local extras.