Posted by Sandy Zhang
"Passion Play," written by award-winning contemporary writer Sarah Ruhl, will premiere in the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater on Nov. 18. The play takes the audience to three communities, each living in different places and time periods, which attempt to stage the death of Jesus Christ.
"Passion Play" explores themes of spirituality and questions the values inherent in political systems and religion. The play features three acts, each in a different place in the world in a different era of time. The first act features villagers living in Elizabethan England. The second act depicts Germans living under Adolf Hitler's new regime and the third, South Dakotans visited by a campaigning Ronald Reagan.
"I am drawn to this work because of Sarah Ruhl's unique poetic voice and her ability to plunge into complex and controversial issues with simplicity, biting humor and poignancy. The actors have embraced the complexity of this epic work with a commitment to an ongoing exploration of the vast landscape Sarah Ruhl puts before us," Director Carolyn Anderson said.
Performances are Nov. 18, 19 and 20 and Dec. 1, 2, 3 and 4. All shows are in the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater at 7:30 p.m. except Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 general admission and $8 for students and senior citizens. For reservations, call the Skidmore Theater Box Office at (518) 580-5439 or email boxoffice@skidmore.edu.