The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-07-15
ARE TO GIVE PASSION PLAY
 THIRTY TIMES

oberammergau, Bavaria, July 15.- Thirty performances of the Passon Play have been scheduled for 1922 by the committee of 2f which Is dl- recting the spectacle, but this mum Der will be increased if the attend ance demands, as was the case in both 1900 and 1s10-
 It will require an outlay of 1,5oo,- 900 marks to stage the Oberammer- gau play and the villagers are ex- tremely anxious about the German political situation, lest conditions be such that foreigners will not attend
 The 36O burghers, who constitute the descendants of the original peas ants who made the VOW to produce the play decennfa1ly, personally as- sume the responsibility for this ex- penditure, and the failure to attract sufficient visitors to meet the cost would result in the bankruptcy of practically the entire village, as the Oberammergau folk have but slight
 Most of the burghers are woodcar- vers, potters, painters, sculptors. far mers, merchants and small shopkeep- CTS. Only the descendants of the villagers who were saved from the plague in 1883 take part in the Pas sion Play and assume responsibility for it's production
 Next October will be a fateful month for then the names of the will lagers who are to have the leading roles in the spectacle will be an nounced.
 To be selected to enact the role of Jesus Christ or one of the apostles is a far greater honor to an Oberam- mergau man than election to the pre- Sidency of Germany or any other of flee within the gift of the entire Ger man people.
 And any woman of Oberammergau would far rather be chosen to play the role of Mary or Martha or Mary Magdalene than to be in the position of Frau Ebert as mistress of the Presidents palace in Berlin.
 Many of the actors in the Passion Play next year will doubtless be the same as those in the cast when the ton Lang, who enacted the role of Jesus Christ in 1900 and 1910, will probably be chosen for the part again, as he is still young enough to undertake the arduous task and looks the part so well that younger aSpir- ants are not likely to displace him.
 Ottilfe Zwink, who played the role of Mary in 1910, has married since ? that time. No married woman can play a role Consequently all the young women of Oberammergau with ability and experience as actors are eaSerly trying to qualify for the highly important part Paula Dendl, daughter of Peter Dend1, the sculptor, who was Joseph of Arimathea in the play of 1910 and enacted the role of St. John 21 years ago, is one of the HlOSI promising Cdnd1ateS Tor the role of Mary Fraulein Rendl has shown great ability in minor religious plays which are produced constantly by the Oberammergau folk as a means of training actors for the Passion Play
 Marie Mayr, who played the role of Mary Magda1ene in the 1910 pro- ! duction has also married and is liv- ing in Chicago. Marie Schmid, wne was the Veronica in the last produc. uCn. has also married.
 Eighty-two of the Oberammergar men died during the war and many ot the older actors of the last proouc. ton will be disqualified by age fo1 i'm portant roles. Consequently there are scores of places in the cast to which young men of ability as actors ma1 aspire. They have begun to let thei1 hair grow. Wigs and makeup are not permitted by the directors of the Passion Play.
 Practically all the older men whC had important parts in the last pro duction have never cut their hair Many of them have retained theil long boards and pride themselves or their resemblance to the biblica characters they have depicted.