The Promise (Passion Play)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Original Glen Rose Poster
The Promise (Passion Play)

Music	Gary Rhodes and various
Lyrics	Various
Book	Jan Dargatz and Travis Tyze
Based upon	Christian Bible
Productions	1989 Glen Rose, Texas

The Promise is a musical drama with a book by Jan Dargatz (with additional dialogue by Travis Tyze) and lyrics and music by various songwriters (several arranged by Gary Rhodes) based on biblical texts. The musical follows the life of Jesus Christ, including his birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.

The piece is performed outdoors and originated in 1989 in Glen Rose, Texas, where it is still performed on a large scale each summer. The work has enjoyed a number of other productions in the United States and elsewhere.

1 Background
2 Synopsis
3 Musical numbers
4 Other productions
5 Notes
6 External links

[edit] Background

Outdoor religious dramas have a long tradition. In 1633, the residents of Oberammergau, Germany vowed to continue presenting their local passion play every ten years as a vow to God in return for being spared from the plague. The Oberammergau passion play will be performed next in 2010.^[1] The United States has had passion plays for over three quarters of a century. These have included The Black Hills Passion Play in Spearfish, South Dakota and The Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.^[2] The Promise is a musical, which distinguishes it from the other American passion plays.

In 1984, Dargatz and Rhodes began to develop The Promise in cooperation with Word Music, Inc. and Kingdom Development Company. This version of The Promise opened in November of 1989. Designed by Peter Wolf of Dallas, Texas, to take advantage of the rolling hills near Glen Rose, Texas as a backdrop, the musical is produced outdoors on a large scale each summer at the Texas Amphitheatre. It features a Greco-Roman set with 42-foot arches and a six-story archway towering over a 65 x 100 square foot tri-level stage. Travis Tyze directed the 2007 production of the musical, and Feleceia Benton choreographed.

[edit] Synopsis

(Based on the 2007 Glen Rose production)

Act I

A grandfather and his grandchildren, Billy and Lisa, explore the banks of the Paluxy River in Glen Rose, Texas, looking for dinosaur tracks. When the topic of conversation turns to the upcoming birth of the grandchildren's youngest sibling, they are reminded that every life is special to God. The grandfather begins to relate the story of one baby who was so special that God gave Him as a promise.

Mary and Joseph singing "Magnify"

The characters soon find themselves among the prophets of the Old Testament, who are foretelling the coming of Christ ("A Promise Is a Promise"). As Grandfather begins to tell the story of Jesus' birth, the family meets Mary and Joseph as they journey to Bethlehem ("Magnify"). The Archangel Gabriel announces the birth of baby Jesus, and shepherds and three Magi travel to Bethleham to worship Him ("Glory to God"). Herod decrees that all male babies in Bethlehem under the age of two must be massacred, and soldiers reach Bethlehem. Just in time, an angel warns Joseph to flee to Egypt with baby Jesus. After Herod dies, the angel directs them back to Nazareth, where Jesus grows up in Joseph's carpenter shop. Jesus learns His earthly father Joseph's business, but Joseph reminds Him that he is God's son ("Little Yeshua").

Jesus grows up, and his cousin, John the Baptist, calls for sinners to repent and be baptized in the Jordan River ("The Kingdom of Heaven/One Voice"§). Jesus comes to John to be baptized, and though John bows before Jesus and insists that it is not right for him to baptize Jesus, Jesus asks him to permit it so they may do what is right in God's eyes. John baptizes Jesus, and the Spirit of God descends on him. Satan leads Jesus out into the wilderness and tempts him, but Jesus does not succomb to his temptation ("It is Written"§). Back in Galilee, Jesus calls four fishermen – Peter, James, John, and Andrew – to be his disciples. Amazed by a miraculous catch of fish, they declare that he must be the coming king ("I See the Kingdom Coming").

Jesus calls twelve disciples and begins teaching the common people the Beatitudes, explaining his love for them ("Closer Than a Heartbeat"§). The apostles sing and dance, telling the crowds "He Is Jehovah". Jesus heals the blind, lame, sick, and leperous, and a woman in the marketplace declares that he comes "In the Name of the Lord". The disciples wonder amongst themselves how Jesus will become king, especially since He says He will die by crucifixion. Jesus even raises his friend Lazarus, who had been dead four days, back to life ("In the Name of the Lord" (reprise)).

Act II

Jesus and his disciples make his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as the crowds celebrate and lay palm branches before him ("We Cry Hosanna, Lord"). When Jesus arrives at the Temple, he finds money changers selling animals for temple sacrifices, turning the Temple into a place of business. He angrily overturns their tables and confronts Caiaphas, the High priest ("My Father's Temple"§).

Jesus and His disciples, from the 2007 Litchfield, Illinois production

Jesus and His disciples meet in an upper room to celebrate the Passover, and he gives them some of his final teachings, assuring them that His spirit and His peace will always be with them ("Shalom"). Judas leaves the table to betray Jesus to the priests and Pharisees. Jesus predicts that all his disciples will fall away, but Peter insists tha he will never leave Jesus. Jesus warns him that before the rooster crows, he will deny Jesus three times. Jesus and the rest of His disciples go into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray ("He Is Jehovah" (reprise)). The disciples fall asleep. Jesus begs God to take away the suffering he will endure, but then asks that God's will be done so that God may be glorified ("Glorify Your Son"§). The disciples awaken as Judas returns with some Roman soldiers. Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss, and the soldiers arrest him and lead him away.

As Jesus is awaiting His trial, three people recognize Peter as one of Jesus' followers. Peter repeatedly denies even knowing Jesus, and a rooster crows. Peter is overcome by his guilt and asks God for forgiveness, dedicating his life to God ("Peter's Song"§). Jesus is put on trial before Herod and then Pontius Pilate, who initially refuses to condemn Him, since He had committed no crime. However, an angry mob insists that Pilate "Let Him Be Crucified", and Pilate turns him over to the rioters and the Roman soldiers. During His mock trials, Jesus is whipped, and a crown of thorns is placed on his head. The soldiers lead him along the "Via Dolorosa" to Calvary, a hill outside the city, to be crucified. The soldiers beat and mock Jesus as he carries his cross, while his followers mourn. Jesus is nailed to the cross, and the soldiers cast lots for his robe ("Cross of Calvary"). Jesus tells his mother, Mary, that the apostle John is now her son. He cries out to God, "Abba, Father, why have you forsaken me?" and then gasps, "it is finished."

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, religious leaders and secret followers of Jesus, take his body down from the cross and bury it in the tomb that Joseph had purchased for himself. Pilate posts Roman guards at the tomb so Jesus' apostles will not be able to steal Jesus' body and claim that He rose from the dead. On Sunday, the Angel Gabriel appears at the tomb, echoing God's command for Jesus to "Arise". Three women arrive at the tomb to mourn and find Jesus there, risen from the dead! They bring the apostles to Him, and all the people come to worship Jesus.

Grandfather explains to Billy and Lisa that Jesus is still alive today and urges them to go forth to fulfill His Great Commission. Everyone joins in singing "Glory to God" and "Magnify".

Note: Songs labelled with § have been added to the Glen Rose production since the original production.

[edit] Musical numbers

Act I

A Promise Is a Promise (music & lyrics by Walt Harrah) – Grandfather, Lisa, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Micah, Zechariah
Magnify (music & lyrics by Luke Garrett) – Young Mary, Joseph, Lisa
Glory to God (music & lyrics by Harrah, arr. by David T. Clydesdale) – Angel Gabriel, Chorus
Little Yeshua (music & lyrics by Gary Rhodes, arr. by Mark Hayes) – Joseph, Twelve-year-old Jesus
The Kingdom of Heaven/One Voice (music and lyrics by Robert Sterling) - John the Baptist, Chorus §
It Is Written (music & lyrics by Steve Amerson and Clydesdale) - Jesus, Satan §
I See the Kingdom Coming (music & lyrics by Don Marsh) – Peter, James, John, Apostles
Closer Than a Heartbeat (music & lyrics by Claire Cloninger and Don Marsh) – Jesus §
He Is Jehovah (music & lyrics by Betty Jean Robinson, arr. by Rhodes) – Apostles, Chorus
In the Name of the Lord (music by Sandi Patti Helvering, lyrics by Phill McHugh, Gloria Gaither and Helvering, arr. by Marsh) – Soloist and Chorus
In the Name of the Lord (reprise) (music by Helvering, lyrics by McHugh, Gaither and Helvering, arr. by Marsh) – Soloist and Chorus

Act 2

We Cry Hosanna, Lord (music by Mimi Farra, lyrics by Ferra and Cloninger, arr. by Rhodes) – Chorus
My Father's Temple (music & lyrics by Jan Easterline and Clydesdale) - Jesus §
Shalom (music by Marsh and Cloninger, lyrics by Cloninger) – Jesus, Chorus
He Is Jehovah (reprise) (music & lyrics by Robinson, arr. by Rhodes) – Apostles
Glorify Your Son (music & lyrics by Steve Amerson and Clydesdale) – Jesus, Chorus §
Peter's Song (music & lyrics by Rodger Strader) – Peter §
Crucifixion Medley: Let Him Be Crucified (music & lyrics by Clydesdale) – Pilate, Chorus
Via Dolorosa (music & lyrics by Billy Sprague and Niles Borop, arr. by Ken Barker) – Grampa, Chorus
Cross of Calvary (music by Don and Lorie Marsh, lyrics by Cloninger, arr. by Rhodes) – Old Mary, John, Chorus
Arise (music by Kathy Frizzell, lyrics by Cloninger, arr. by Rhodes) - Angel Gabriel, Chorus
Finale (arr. Rhodes) – Chorus

Note: Songs labelled with § have been added to the Glen Rose production since the original production.

[edit] Other productions

This section needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2008)

Word Music, Inc. published the piece in 1989. In 1993, The Promise became the first Christian production to be allowed into the former Soviet Union. In 1994, The Promise returned to the Kremlin State Palace for a tour of encore performances. The Promise was also performed for 11 years in the small rural community of Forest, Ontario, Canada, in southwestern Ontario. That production played on three weekends in each July/August from 1995 to 2005, produced by Forest Community Theatre. Since 1992, The Promise has been performed annually in Litchfield, Illinois at Zion Lutheran Church and School. The production is performed on the two weekends before Palm Sunday every spring.^[3] In 1996, The Promise played at the Will Rogers Theatre in Branson, Missouri. That production continued seasonally through 2002. As of 2008, The Promise is being performed at The Masnsion Theatre in Branson. ^[4]The Promise has been produced internationally in Seoul, Korea, at the Olympic Stadium, and in South Africa, as well as other countries around the world. Other productions in the U.S. include one in New York City.