Passion Plays in the United States: the Contemporary Outdoor Tradition
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1998 Passion Plays in the United States: The Contemporary Outdoor Tradition. Charlene Faye Monk Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Monk, Charlene Faye, "Passion Plays in the United States: The onC temporary Outdoor Tradition." (1998). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 6691. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/6691 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. 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PASSION PLAYS IN THE UNITED STATES: THE CONTEMPORARY OUTDOOR TRADITION A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Theatre by Charlene Faye Monk B.S., Bob Jones University, 1973 M.A., Bob Jones University, 1975 May 1998 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 9836892 UMI Microform 9836892 Copyright 1998, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS From the beginning of my studies in Louisiana State University's Department of Theatre, I have appreciated the unwavering support from my professors: Dr. Billy J. Harbin who introduced me to the graduate theatre program, Dr. Gresdna A. Doty who guided the opening stages of my research and dissertation, and Dr. Leslie A. Wade who assumed the responsibility as major professor directing the dissertation to its completion. To Dr. Wade I owe many thanks. Researching the development of the eight outdoor passion plays in the United States required the cooperation of personnel from each of the productions. To those individuals who granted interviews, answered phone calls, and responded to letters, I am most grateful. Special thanks goes to Mark Pedro; by allowing access to his personal archive of passion play materials, his assistance proved invaluable. To Mrs. Evelyn tenPas who unknowingly first instilled in me the love for theatre history that inspired me to pursue this field of study, I also owe a debt of gratitude. I am especially appreciative to my employer, Dr. Arlin Horton, president and founder of Pensacola Christian College, for giving me the opportunity to serve on the ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. faculty, and for providing the financial assistance to complete this degree. Also, without the prayers and encouragement of my family, friends, and colleagues at the college, I would never have completed this project. To them I am eternally grateful. Finally, my utmost thanks goes to the Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior, whose life, death, and resurrection is the theme of the passion plays. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................... ii ABSTRACT .......................................... v CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION: PASSION PLAYS IN AMERICA . 1 II. DEVELOPMENT AND MAJOR FOCUS OF THE EIGHT CURRENT OUTDOOR PASSION PLAYS IN THE UNITED STATES .................................... 42 III. COMPARISON OF THE CURRENT OUTDOOR PASSION PLAYS WITH THE EUROPEAN, CONTINENTAL TRADITION.................................. 103 IV. TREATMENT OF THE STORY AND MODIFICATIONS MADE FOR MODERN AMERICAN AUDIENCES ............... 148 V. CONCLUSION: FUTURE OF OUTDOOR PASSION PLAYS IN THE UNITED ST A T E S ....................... 207 WORKS CONSULTED.................................... 219 APPENDIXES ........................................ 228 VITA .............................................. 245 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT The purpose of this dissertation is to trace the development of the outdoor passion plays in the United States, comparing their content and approach with the continental medieval tradition and analyzing how effectively the current American plays are modifying their presentations to meet the expectations of today's modem society. This study documents the historical development and physical plants for the eight passion play productions in the United States that maintained membership in the Institute of Outdoor Drama and played during the summer seasons of the research period from 1992-1996: The Black Hills Passion Play (1939, Spearfish, South Dakota), The Great Passion Play (1968, Eureka Springs, Arkansas), The Living Word (1974, Cambridge, Ohio), Jesus of Nazareth (1981, Puyallup, Washington), The Louisiana Passion Play (1984, Ruston, Louisiana), The witness (1985, Hot Springs, Arkansas), Worthy Is the Lamb (1988, Swansboro, North Carolina), and The Promise (1989, Glen Rose, Texas). Based on an overview of medieval passion plays, the St. Gall play emerged as the model play for comparison, prompting observations concerning the opening scenes, primary content, character development, Roman Catholic v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. influence, and concluding passages. Applying Horace's dictum that drama to be effective needs to teach and please allows for an examination of how these plays are maintaining that balance or are shifting more toward entertainment-oriented methods and strategies that appeal to modern American audiences. The outdoor passion plays today face some major questions regarding the lack of professionalism, poor dramatic quality, and anti-Semitic scenes. The plays also compete with adverse weather conditions, television, cinema, and an entertainment industry that thrives on complex technology. While The Black Hills Passion Plav remains true to its medieval heritage, other plays are adapting their presentations to attract larger audiences and to stay solvent. As the plays move further into the area of entertainment, will the educational value be lost? vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION: PASSION PLAYS IN AMERICA Oh ye Children of God, Ye, who live and breathe in His infinite love, Open your hearts, and receive with childlike confidence His great message. That which you will experience today, Oh People Treasure well within your hearts; Let it be the Light to lead you — Until your last day.1 With the notes of the organ fading into the cool, summer evening, the words of the prologue resound through the Black Hills of South Dakota as the actor portraying the role of the Christus (Christ) introduces the oldest American outdoor passion play. A hush falls over the audience, and for the next two hours and fifteen minutes scenes from the life of Christ unfold before the eyes of onlookers. In 1932 Josef Meier, founder of The Black Hills Passion Play, penned these words that convey the drama’s universal message of hope and light in a dark world. That giver of light Jesus Christ and the New Testament story of his passion— the events occurring in the last week of his life on earth— are known by anyone who has received religious instruction in Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, or Judaism. The figure of Christ, who walked on earth