For the past 30 years, the Badlands Passion Play has been one of Alberta’s top tourist attractions. Over these three decades, more than 300,000 people have seen this live reenactment of the final days in the life of Christ, staged in the largest outdoor theatre in Canada near Drumheller.
International Appeal and Local Cast
“Although most of our guests from outside Alberta come from across Canada, we have had visitors from Germany, Ireland, the United States and India,” says Alyssa Neudorf, the artistic director of The Badlands Passion Play. This year, the cast numbers 80 members: 65 performers, seven musicians and 20 production people. Half are volunteers, the rest professionals and semi-professionals. The production also includes a donkey, two horses and pigeons.
“After more than six years in the play, our donkey doesn’t need handlers anymore. She knows what is expected of her and just does it. The pigeons we release come back in the evening expecting to be fed, so they are as well trained,” Neudorf adds.
Final Year of Matthew’s Gospel
This will be the last year the play follows the Gospel of Matthew. The apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke and John each gave their version of Christ’s ministry, from baptism to crucifixion and resurrection. Matthew, initially vilified as a tax collector, understood the plight of Mary Magdalene. Christ welcomed both Matthew (also known as Levi) and Mary into his inner circle as symbols of universal love and acceptance.
Nathan Schmidt plays Matthew, Kelsey Krogman portrays Mary, and Calgarian Connor Suart takes on the role of Christ for his second year. Neudorf explains, “The first actor to play Jesus was Hunter Barnes in 1994. Connor is the 16th actor to play the lead. It is a challenging role, both in the approach to exploring the character and in its physicality. The actor needs to be prepared to move around our large outdoor stage, up and down the hills. There is an emotional weight as they explore the themes of love and suffering, and ultimately hope. And then we put them in rigging to raise them up the cross. It is a challenging role to cast, but our actors have risen to the challenge.”
Athletic Demands and Year-Round Expansion
It is not just the actor playing Christ who needs athleticism. The actors playing angels also must climb the hills at the back of the natural amphitheatre for the play’s big finale. Though the Passion Play has been a staple of the Badlands Theatre, the new Arts Centre at the Badlands Amphitheatre will allow the site to operate year-round. According to Neudorf, “we have been able to expand our programming into the fall and winter months. This year, we will be producing Journey to Bethlehem, an interactive Nativity story, which will be on sale soon. While we explore the life of Jesus in the summer, we will have the opportunity to tell the story of his birth this winter, in November.”
Performance Schedule
The Badlands Passion Play runs weekends from July 3 through July 19. The first Friday, July 3, is already sold out. Friday and Saturday shows are at 6 p.m., with Sunday shows at 4 p.m. The show runs 150 minutes with a 20-minute intermission.
