From the playwright The New York Times calls “one of the brightest new talents to emerge in theater,” comes a light-spirited story about three sets of amateur performers in three different eras grappling with the personal effects of staging the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At its core, it’s a playful and profound perspective on the dysfunctional family of the theater and how that relates to the larger world outside of it. From Queen Elizabeth’s England to Hitler’s Germany to Reagan’s America, two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee and Tony Award winner Sarah Ruhl’s play is bold, magical, poetic, sexy, smart, profound and epic. It’s truly not to be missed.
From Trevor Biship, the director that brought you the Ovation Award-winning Jerry Springer: The Opera, and a cast that includes Chance co-founder Casey Long, resident artists Alex Bueno, Karen Webster, and Jackson Tobiska, as well as returning actors Camryn Zelinger, Rob Foran, and Karen O’Hanlon, plus Ben Moroski, Katelyn Schiller, Andrew Eiden, and Lee Kociela making their Chance debuts.
“Under Biship’s inspired direction, a cast of eleven… simply could not be better.” — StageSceneLA
Trailer:
Behind the Scenes
Director Trevor Biship talks about what excites him about Passion Play.
Dramaturg Carla Neuss gives a historical perspective to the show.
Scenic Designer Fred Kinney discusses his approach to the show.
Costume Designer Sara Ryung Clement shows what she has in mind for the characters.
Lighting Designer Brandon Baruch talks about the texture of the production.
Alex Bueno as the Village Idiot in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Katelyn Schiller as Mary 2 and Camryn Zelinger as Mary 1 in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Karen Webster as Queen Elizabeth I in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Andrew Eiden as Carpenter 1 and Lee Kociela as Carpenter 2 in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Alex Bueno as Village Idiot/Violet in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Ben Moroski as Eric in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Jackson Tobiska as German Officer in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Katelynn Schiller as Mary 2 in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Ben Moroski as J and Camryn Zelinger as Mary 1 in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Karen Webster as Queen Elizabeth I in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Casey Long as P and Camryn Zelinger as Mary 1 in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Camryn Zelinger as Mary 1 and Ben Moroski as J in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Casey Long as P in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Karen O’Hanlon as VA Psychiatrist in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
Robert Foran as the Director in Sarah Ruhl’s “Passion Play.” Photography by Thamer Bajjali of Petra Calling Photography PetraCalling.com
The Passion Play was creatively written, professionally acted and profoundly moving. The contextualization of the religious story within the context of the actor’s lives stimulated reflection both on the original story of Christ and upon the theological implications of the reality in which the actors lived. Naturally it led me to reflect upon the way the passion story is reflected within our history and illuminates our own time. Thank you for a stimulating evening at the theater!
— Ron Baesler
I thought that Sara Ruhl’s Passion Play was a great play to have at the Chance. It was witty, serious and wonderfully performed; all of the artists surprised me with their ability to create and live in different characters so smoothly. My favorite part of the production was the Scenic Design. I loved that it was simple and natural. What surprised me the most was that the stage separated into four pieces to create an interesting space for the artists.
— Anonymous
Once again outstanding production.
Alex Bueno and Casey Long once again were terrific.
Ensemble was top notched.
The play was very different than what I had anticipated with its many layers to ponder upon.
Once again I say to The Chance well done.
— Anonymous
A very powerful play. Well acted, well directed and staged fantastically. A moving experience from beginning to end.
— Joe Ferro
I (we) LOVED it. I must say, I had a few reservations before we went (length of play mostly), but I will tell you
that ceased to be a problem once the play began. I loved every episode and the manner in which it was presented.
My personal favorite was the first but they were all so wonderfully acted that it’s really hard to choose.
Love that Casey! And Karen playing all those parts as Queen, Hitler and Reagan was masterfully done. Kudos to all
the cast and production crew!!
Turns out that 3 1/2 hours wasn’t nearly long enough!!
— Jean Abdalla
what a wonderful and moving play. riveting performances. a must see production.
— deb marsteller
A remarkable production on every level – directing, acting and scenic, costume, lighting & sound design. This play is about how actors deal with their feelings and the changing world around them while portraying characters from the Passion Play in 3 historic eras. Despite its length, director Trevor Biship makes it engaging, moving, thought-provoking, and, at times, funny. All the actors are wonderful and memorable, but Casey Long particularly brings his characters to life with his own passion. Go see this play at least once, but you might want to see it twice!
— Laura Young
A phenomenal performance of a superbly written play. Casey Long was outstanding for his theatricality, body language and physicality in a seriously demanding role. Others in the cast, including Alex Bueno, Camryn Zelinger, Katelyn Schiller and Karen Webster contributed mightily to our appreciation of this well written play. Among the unique aspects of this performance was observing Masako Tobaru single handedly moving sections of the stage at the end. WOW!
The Passion Play was creatively written, professionally acted and profoundly moving. The contextualization of the religious story within the context of the actor’s lives stimulated reflection both on the original story of Christ and upon the theological implications of the reality in which the actors lived. Naturally it led me to reflect upon the way the passion story is reflected within our history and illuminates our own time. Thank you for a stimulating evening at the theater!
I thought that Sara Ruhl’s Passion Play was a great play to have at the Chance. It was witty, serious and wonderfully performed; all of the artists surprised me with their ability to create and live in different characters so smoothly. My favorite part of the production was the Scenic Design. I loved that it was simple and natural. What surprised me the most was that the stage separated into four pieces to create an interesting space for the artists.
Once again outstanding production.
Alex Bueno and Casey Long once again were terrific.
Ensemble was top notched.
The play was very different than what I had anticipated with its many layers to ponder upon.
Once again I say to The Chance well done.
A very powerful play. Well acted, well directed and staged fantastically. A moving experience from beginning to end.
I (we) LOVED it. I must say, I had a few reservations before we went (length of play mostly), but I will tell you
that ceased to be a problem once the play began. I loved every episode and the manner in which it was presented.
My personal favorite was the first but they were all so wonderfully acted that it’s really hard to choose.
Love that Casey! And Karen playing all those parts as Queen, Hitler and Reagan was masterfully done. Kudos to all
the cast and production crew!!
Turns out that 3 1/2 hours wasn’t nearly long enough!!
what a wonderful and moving play. riveting performances. a must see production.
A remarkable production on every level – directing, acting and scenic, costume, lighting & sound design. This play is about how actors deal with their feelings and the changing world around them while portraying characters from the Passion Play in 3 historic eras. Despite its length, director Trevor Biship makes it engaging, moving, thought-provoking, and, at times, funny. All the actors are wonderful and memorable, but Casey Long particularly brings his characters to life with his own passion. Go see this play at least once, but you might want to see it twice!
A phenomenal performance of a superbly written play. Casey Long was outstanding for his theatricality, body language and physicality in a seriously demanding role. Others in the cast, including Alex Bueno, Camryn Zelinger, Katelyn Schiller and Karen Webster contributed mightily to our appreciation of this well written play. Among the unique aspects of this performance was observing Masako Tobaru single handedly moving sections of the stage at the end. WOW!