Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1921-08-12
PASSION ION PLAY
TO Be REVIVED
Oberammergau Committee Plans
to Put on Thirty Performances
Of Great Spectacle.
MANY PARTS TO Be GIVEN OUT
Seine Who Played Leading Roles In
Last Production ArsI Disqualified
by Age or fer Other Reasono-
Lang 20 30 Christ

Oberammergau, Baveria. - Thirty
performances Of the Passion Play have
been scheduled for 1922 by the com
mittee Of twenty.one which ID direct
Ing the spectacle, but this number viii
be Increased IL the attendance de-
mands, as was the case both In 1906
and 1910.
It will require an outlay of 1900, 900
marks to stage the Oberammergau
play and the villagers are extremely
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 peasants
who made the vow to produce the play
decennially, personally assume the re-
sponsibility for this expenditure, 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 slight resources.
Most of the burghers are wood
carvers, potters, painters, sculptors,
farmers, merchants and small shop
keepers. Only the descendants of the
villagers who were saved from the
plague in 1888 take part In the Passion
Play and assume responsibility for its
production.
Cast Announced In October.
Next October will be fateful month
for then the names Of the villagers
who are to have the leading roles in
the spectacle will be announced.
To be selected to enact the role OF
Jesus Christ or one of the apostles Is
a far greater honor to an Oberammer-
gau man than election to the Presl-
dency Of Germany or any other office
within the gift Of the entire German
people.
And any woman Of Oherammergau
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 Presi-
dents 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
play was last produced in 1910 Anton
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 aspirants are not likely
to displace him.
Candidates for MARY"
Ottilie Wv ink, 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 actresses are eagerly
trying to qualify for the highly impor-
tant part. Paula Rendl. daughter Of |
Peter Rendl, the sculptor, who was 10
seph OF ArImathea In the play of 1910 |
and enacted the role of st. John |
twenty-one years ago is one Of the
most promising candidates for the role |
Of Mary. Fraulein Redl has shown
great ability in minor religious plays,
which are produced constantly by the
Oberammergau folk as means OF
training actors for the Passion Play.
Marie Mayr, who played the role Of
Mary Magdalene In the 1910 produc-
ton, also has married and is living in
Chicago. Marie Schmid, who was the
Veronica in the last production, also
has married
Eighty-tw0 Of the Oberammergau
men died during the war. and many Of
the older actors Of the last production
will be disqualified by age for i'm
oortant roles. Consequently there are
scores Of places in the cast to which
Young men with ability as actors may
aspire. They have begun to let hair
grow. Wigs and makeup are not per-
nitted by the directors Of the Passion
Play.
Practically all the older men who
lad important parts In the last pro-
luction have never cut their hair.
iany Of them have retained their long
'eardS and pride themselves on their
resemblance to the biblical characters
hey have depicted.