Passion project: Every 10 years, German town stages play about Jesus’ suffering

In 2020, the play will include about 2,350 people, including about 500 children, said Frederik Mayet, an Oberammergau native who will play Jesus in 2020. The cast will span from newborns to a 95-year-old, he said, as well as donkeys, sheep and a camel.

A year before the play, residents gather in front of the theater to watch as cast members’ names are revealed on large boards. On Ash Wednesday, male actors stop cutting their hair and shaving their beards to prepare for their roles.

Even in off years, the Passion Play’s influence can be felt, Mayet said. If a child wants to learn an instrument, the town will pay up to half of the cost of music lessons so they’re trained to join the play’s orchestra. The amphitheater, which lay vacant for years, now hosts other theatrical productions, from biblical-inspired plays to Shakespeare.

Article source: https://www.dallasnews.com/life/travel/2019/04/17/passion-project-every-10-years-german-town-stages-play-jesus-suffering