The discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 transfixed the world. A wave of “Egyptomania” inspired Egyptian-themed products, art, film, and theater. Fraternal organizations led by Freemasonry were similarly impacted. The appeal of their degrees and histories, already believed to be inspired by ancient lore or inherited from a distant civilization, increased during this period.

These photographs are evidence of this cultural trend, showing the Egyptian/Biblically-themed play, “Pharaoh’s Daughter,” performed at the Oakland Scottish Rite Auditorium on January 13, 1936. This play featured several local community actors, such as UC Berkeley actress Alice Dickie; Fremont High School dramatic director Beatrice Burnett; and Dorothy Bonar, dramatics director for the Oakland Recreation Department.

These were properly scanned so we can finally regard the fantastic details and the faces of the cast for the first time! Here are some highlights. The originals are 8 x 10, so much fine detail was lost to the naked eye.

There are several photos in this slideshow, so be sure to click the arrow on the right of each to advance!

Photos courtesy of the Valley of Oakland/Harry G. Yetter Masonic Research Library, 2024. All Rights Reserved.