Passion play ready for 100th performance

Times Reporter

 

The Canadian Badlands Passion Play will show their 100th performance on July 15 at 6 p.m. The play takes place in Drumheller in the Canadian Badlands Amphitheatre. Passion plays have been going on all over the world for hundreds of years. 

“Basically what it is, is over different places and times, and cultures will get together and they’ll put together usually the last seven days of Christ’s life. Ours is different in that we do more of the whole life, not emphasizing just the last seven days, so we’re a bit different,” said Vance Neudorf, executive director.

“It’s more kind of like a gospel story of who was this person, what were they up to and then seen, usually through the eyes of a narrator, who kind of leads people through and tells them what he saw of the story happening before his eyes”

The outdoor amphitheatre is a natural bowl in the valley which seats 2,700 and features a custom set, built to make guests feel as though they are in Jerusalem. If it begins to rain Neudorf said the show still goes on, but if it becomes a storm then they will cancel that day’s performance and give the guests tickets for another day.   

“We’ve only lost one show to rain in 99 performances,” said Neudorf. 

The final week to see the performance is coming up, and though this weekend isn’t sold out yet, some of the dates are getting close. Tickets are $32 for an adult at the back to $44 for at the front but Neudorf doesn’t think there are any tickets left for the front rows.  

“They can buy them right up until the last day of performance as long as there’s still some available at the gate. I don’t always recommend that route because often they aren’t,” said Neudorf. 

The final dates to see the Passion play are July 15, 16, 21 and 22 at 6 p.m. or July 17, 23 and 24 at 3 p.m. 

The show runs approximately three hours, with a half hour intermission. More information can be found at canadianpassionplay.com.