Passion Play to start 46th season

Officials for The Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs are expecting the largest opening-weekend crowd in at least 10 years next week.

The start of the play’s 46th season is a turnaround from the fall of 2012, when the play was not expected to reopen this spring.

The first performances of the outdoor drama will take place next Friday and May 4. Kent Butler, assistant executive director, said the play has at least 1,600 reservations.

“There’s a lot of people that didn’t give up hope,” Butler said. “They continued to pray.”

The Great Passion Play depicts the last week in the life of Jesus Christ in 1 hour and 45 minutes. It features175 actors, live animals and special effects.

After the play’s Oct. 27 performance, operators locked the gates, sold the animals and turned off the floodlights for the seven-story Christ of the Ozarks statue, which had been lit every night since 1967.

The Elna M. Smith Foundation, which has produced the play since its beginning, announced in early December that it would be unable to continue the production in 2013.

Later that month, Randall Christy, president and founder of The Gospel Station Network of Ada, Okla., began an effort to raise $75,000 in 10 days to stop Cornerstone Bank of Eureka Springs from taking over the 700-acre Passion Play property through a deed in lieu of foreclosure. The payment allowed thePassion Play to continue operating.

Christy on Friday said he had a heavy heart and a lump in his throat when he learned the Passion Play would close.

“The play itself has been a mainstay in Christian culture,” Christy said. “I just was amazed that it would be allowed to close. We needed to do anything that we had to do to make sure it remains open and thrives.”

Efforts to continue the Passion Play involve ongoing fundraising by The GospelStation Network, a volunteer effort to spruce up the Passion Play grounds and facilities, and the new Friends of the Passion Play organization, Christy said.

He serves as chief executive officer for the play and is now president of the Elna M. Smith Foundation’s board.

The Passion Play has received more than $150,000 through fundraising efforts, Christy said.

More than 200 people have volunteered their time at the Passion Play, cleaning up the property and rebuilding structures. A Camperson Mission organization replaced the play’s roof and Christy estimates that volunteers have contributed more than $175,000 worth of labor.

“All of the buildings have been painted inside and out,” Christy said. “People that have been coming to the Passion Play are going to immediately notice a vast improvement.”

The Friends of the Passion Play organization has set three goals: to ensure a successful 2013 season, to raise $2.5 million to pay off debt and to raise $10 million over the next several years to secure the future of the Passion Play, Christy said.

Changes to the board and procedures have streamlinedthe decision-making process and provided more control over spending, Butler said. The Passion Play this year employs 250 people and will stage 80 performances, Butler said.

Butler was 16 years old when he joined the cast, he said. His wife has performed in the play since she was 5.

“We’re excited to see it back,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of volunteers that have stepped up.”

The first rehearsal for the new season took place on Monday, Christy said.

“It was just emotionally overwhelming to think that we almost allowed the Passion Play to go away forever,” he said.

This season, the production has been revamped to combine elements from former productions, including Jesus appearing before King Herod, with new scenes. The production this year also includes the miracles of Jesus, such as the resurrection of Lazarus.

Tickets for the performance are $24.85 for adults and $12.85 for children ages 6 through 16. Children under 6 are free. “Total experience” passes are $39.85 for adults and $24.85 for children and include the play and admission to the Bible Museum, Arts Center and the new Holy Land.

More information is available at www.greatpassionplay.org or by calling (800) 882-7529.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 04/27/2013

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