It’s another big year for the Badlands Passion Play. Crews have been busy expanding the theatre and constructing the new forum in anticipation of the 2012 Passion Play production.
The first thing visitors will notice at the site is the Passion Play using the old ski quonset as a stage shop. The Passion Play has been renovating the lodge basement and will be using it as office space and a green room for its volunteers.
The use of the quonset and lodge basement were made possible after the ski hill closed.
“For us, to have secured it and now use it, that’s fantastic,” said Passion Play president Vance Neudorf. “It’s facilitated our expansion.”
The Passion Play co-owned the area at the base of the hill, which included the lift station, quonset, and a considerable amount of parking. The Passion Play bought the ski hill’s share of the land earlier this year.
When walking towards the theatre, visitors will see an entirely brand new structure; the forum.
The forum is a small theatre space and could be used throughout the year. Neudorf indicated the forum could be used for a number of events such as concerts or plays.
Plans are to eventually put a roof over the forum and its seating, making it usable rain or shine.
“We want to continue to expand and enlarge to accommodate a more constant stream of visitors,” said Neudorf.
Between the forum and the main stage, there will be a marketplace.
The main theatre has undergone a few big changes as well. The size stage has been tripled, in particular the grassy area on stage right has been extended and raised, allowing actors to move to different parts of the stage unseen.
Using a larger stage is made possible though the sound system installed in the theatre.
The improvements have been made possible through the Rural Alberta Development Fund Grant and donations.
“It’s very much a community effort,” said Neudorf. “The support we have received has been overwhelming.”
One of the ways people have been donating is by helping to purchase the concrete blocks that make up the retaining walls in the forum and in the new backstage area.
The blocks are made by LPR Concrete using recycled or excess material. The Passion Play ran a program whereby community members could buy blocks for the construction.
Roughly 270 blocks were donated.
It is the community that Neudorf credits for making the play possible.
“Community goodwill is the support that keeps us going,” said Neudorf. “We couldn’t survive without the people, because it’s such a massive undertaking.
The 2012 Passion Play begins on July 13. For tickets and information, visit www.canadianpassionplay.com.
