JAN. 20, 2004

FILM
'Passion' plays out locally

STATE BY STATE
• The Anti-Defamation League lists contact information for 30 regional offices.
• The American Jewish Congress lists regional offices.
• The American Jewish Committee lists local offices.
• The National Conference for Community and Justice, an interfaith relations group formerly known as the National Conference of Christians and Jews, has offices across the country.

IN THE NORTHEAST
• Dudley Rose is the assistant dean for ministerial studies at Harvard Divinity School. His teaching and research interests include congregational and institutional leadership, theological reflection, the practice of ministry and ministry supervision. Contact 617-496-1600, Dudley_Rose@harvard.edu.
• Harvey Cox is the Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School and is a renowned author and commentator on religious issues, especially Christian-Jewish relations. He is at work on a book dealing with "contemporary literary, artistic and poetic interpretations of Jesus." Contact 617-496-6004, Harvey_Cox@harvard.edu.
• The Rev. Leland Witting is a Congregationalist pastor of the Union Street Brick Church in Bangor, Maine, which this year is putting on a Passion play for the third year. In 2003, Witting and his wife, Charlene, wrote a new script based on the Gospel of John; this year the couple is using the Gospel of Luke as the basis for their drama. Because Witting's church is small, he enlisted local Catholic, Methodist and evangelical Christian churches to make it a joint production. "We have some wonderful theological discussions," Witting says. He writes about the experience of drafting a play that is true to the Gospel and not anti-Semitic. Contact 207-945-9798, congchurch@hypernet.com.

IN THE EAST
• The Rev. Lawrence Frizzell is a Catholic priest and director of the Institute of Judeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. He is a longtime participant in Catholic-Jewish dialogues and an expert on the history of Christian attitudes toward Jews. Contact 973-761-9751, frizzela@shu.edu.
• Dr. Bjorn Krondorfer is an associate professor of religious studies at St. Mary's College of Maryland. He has written widely on the legacy of the Holocaust, on drama and on the Bible. Contact 240-895-4219, bhkrondorfer@smcm.edu.
• Diane Apostolos-Cappadona is an adjunct professor of religious art and cultural history at Georgetown University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in Washington, D.C., and the author of Dictionary of Christian Art (Continuum, 1998). She is an expert on images of Christ in art and in dramas such as Passion plays. Apostolos-Cappadona is on leave but regularly checks email at apostold@georgetown.edu and voicemail at 202-687-0289.
• The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies in Baltimore is an excellent resource for experts on Christian-Jewish relations. Contact 410-523-7227, Info@icjs.org.
• Bethel Baptist Church in Cherry Hill, N.J., will present The Promise, its annual Easter extravaganza. Contact 856-424-7814.

IN THE SOUTHEAST
• James M. Barrens is executive director of the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies at St. Leo University in Florida. He is a veteran in the field of interrelations and civic affairs, with deep roots in both the Catholic and Jewish communities, and he has been recognized by the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Hadassah and Leadership Florida. Contact 352-588-8597, james.barrens@saintleo.edu.
• Rabbi Marc Howard Wilson of Greenville, S.C., is founder of Jewish Chaplaincy of the Upstate. He is an essayist who has written frequently about Gibson's movie. He has a blog. Contact marcwilson1216@aol.com.
• Charles L. Campbell is an associate professor of homiletics at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Ga. He has written widely on modern ways of presenting the Gospels, including a 1994 article in Journal for Preachers, "Performing the Scriptures: Preaching and Jesus' Third Way." Contact 404-378-8821, CampbellC@CTSnet.edu.
• NarroWay Productions puts on a series of Bible dramas throughout the year at its amphitheater in Fort Mill, S.C. Among the productions is a recreation of Jesus' trial and death, called Two Thieves and a Savior. Contact 803-802-2300 or toll-free 888-HE'S RISEN.
• In Atlanta, First Baptist Church has presented a highly realistic Easter drama for 27 years. John Glover is the director/producer of the Atlanta Passion Play. Contact 770-234-8450, info@atlantapassionplay.org.
• The sprawling Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, Fla., presents an Easter drama titled Behold the Lamb. The park's web site has information on contacting the park's directors, Marvin and David Rosenthal, or call 407-872-2272.
• The Life of Christ Passion Play is performed in Lake Wales, Fla. The play, by Jimmy Baker, dramatizes the life of Christ. Contact 863- 676-9300.

IN THE SOUTH
• Thomas Smith is associate professor of historical theology and head of the religious studies department at Loyola University in New Orleans. He is an Episcopalian at the Jesuit university and can discuss various aspects of church history and teachings regarding Judaism. Contact 504-865-3224, tsmith@loyno.edu.
• Amy-Jill Levine is professor of New Testament studies and director of the Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender and Sexuality at of Vanderbilt University's Divinity School. She saw an early version of the Mel Gibson script and can comment on Christian-Jewish dynamics and representations of Jews by Christians throughout the centuries. Contact 615-343-3967, Amy-Jill.Levine@vanderbilt.edu.
• The Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, Ark., is reportedly the largest Easter drama in the country and draws hundreds of thousands of people every year. "Under the Ozarks skies, from comfortable seating with back rests, you'll be inspired as the story of the Man who changed the world forever unfolds before your eyes," reads its web site. The cast of 250 claims to have played to some 6 million spectators in 34 years. Contact 866-566-3565.
• Close behind is Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., which has a sanctuary that seats 9,100 and a "Broadway-style musical" Easter pageant with a budget of $200,000. Southeast Christian officials say that in their cast, "the only paid actors are the animals." More than 1,500 volunteers - among them 400 cast members - put on the show that has been seen by more than 500,000 people in the last nine years. According to a news release, the drama opens March 12 and runs for two weeks. Contact 502-253-8020.

IN THE MIDWEST
• Gordon R. Mork of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., has edited or written for several collections, including Representations of Jews Throughout the Ages (Creighton University Press, 1996). Contact 765-494-4122, gmork@purdue.edu.
• The Rev. Stanley Davis Jr. is the executive director of the Chicago and northern Illinois region of the National Conference for Community and Justice. The conference was formerly known as the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Contact 312-236-9272, sdavisjr@nccj.org.
• David Blewett is executive director of the Ecumenical Institute for Jewish-Christian Studies in Southfield, Mich. The center is dedicated to fostering better relations between Christians and Jews. Contact 248-557-4522, j-cinstitute@msn.com.
• Rabbi Michael J. Cook teaches at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati and is author of the collection Images of Jesus in Medieval Art: Influence of the Middle Ages on Contemporary Passion Plays (University of St. Thomas Press, 1995). He is an expert on Christian-Jewish relations. Rabbi Cook prefers to correspond by email, cookmj@aol.com.
• The Black Hills Passion Play in Spearfish, S.D., is in its 65th season and is considered one of the premier representations in the country. It is based on one of Europe's oldest theatrical presentations, authored by Josef Meier. The original version was first performed in the United States in 1932. It continued as a touring production for several years until 1939, when the company settled in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Contact 605-642-2646.
• The Living Word Outdoor Drama in Cambridge, Ohio, is billed as Ohio's only Passion play. It takes place "under the heavens" on what is called "America's most authentically re-created set of Old Jerusalem." Contact 740-439-2761.
• The Zion Passion Play in Zion, Ill., has been performed since 1935 by Christ Community Church, an evangelical Protestant church. It began as a simple Easter pageant but has become one of the best-known Passion plays in America. Contact 847-746-2221.

IN THE SOUTHWEST
• John C. Holbert is a professor of homiletics at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and an expert in literature and preaching. He is familiar with church drama: Last Christmas, he helped stage a production of Jill's War, a dramatized version of the true story of a Canadian aid worker who was killed in Iraq. Contact 214-768-3287, jholbert@smu.edu.
• Dr. Randy Lumpp is a professor of religious studies at Regis University, a Jesuit school in Denver, Col. He can speak about Catholic history and theology, and how they relate to the "Passion." Contact 303-458-3511 or rlumpp@regis.edu.
• At a huge amphitheater in Glen Rose, Texas, a Christian company presents The Promise, which features a Greco-Roman set with 42-foot arches and a six-story archway. As the promotional information says, "What began as a Passion play has become an exciting, live musical drama, a Texas tourist attraction, and a powerful testimony to the entire world." Playwright Jan Dargatz and Gary Rhodes, musical arranger, tell the story through the eyes of a grandfather and his grandchildren. Contact 254-897-3926.
• The Timberline Church in Fort Collins, Colo., tells the Easter story in an annual Passion play. Contact 970-482-4387.
• The Solid Rock Worship Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, puts on a Holy Week Passion play titled The Whip, the Hammer and the Cross. Church officials say it is their most successful outreach program of the year, and it continues to grow in popularity, attracting more than 5,000 people. Contact 361-887-6465.

IN THE WEST/NORTHWEST
• Donald A. Hagner is a professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., and an expert on Jewish-Christian relations and the history of the two communities. Contact 626-584-5247, dhagner@fuller.edu.
• Lucky Altman is executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice, formerly known as the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Contact 213-250-8787 ext. 209, laltman@nccj.org.
• Jesus of Nazareth, The Great Northwest Passion Play is 2 1/2 hours long and is performed every summer outdoors in the Puyallup Amphitheatre in Puyallup, Wash. The religious drama portrays Jesus' life, miracles, betrayal and trial before Pilate, and the crucifixion and resurrection. Contact 253-475-6454.
• The Crystal Cathedral in California has a large-scale Passion play using a cast of more than 100 volunteer actors, plus professionals in the lead roles of Jesus, Pilate, Mary Magdalene, Herod and Mary. It also uses the latest in high-tech theatrical effects. Contact 714-544-5679.
• In Bothell, Wash., the Cedar Park Assembly of God will once again produce its Passion play, titled The Victor: Raised, which Pastor Mark Reinhardt wrote based on the Gospel of John. The performances begin the week of Palm Sunday and run through Easter. Contact Sue Timpe, 425-488-1153.