Weekly journal-miner., 1921-07-20
PASS|ON PLAYS PARTS IN DEMAND
(By the Associated Press)

J H-(By Mail.) - Thirty perform ances of the Passion play have been scheduled for 1922 by the committee of 21 which is directing the spec tacle, but this number will be in creased if the attendance demands, as was the case both in 1900 and i1olO.
 It will require an outlay of l,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 decennially, 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 slight re- sources.
 Most of the burghers are wood carvers, potters, painters, scuiptors, farmers, merchants and small shop keepers. Only the descendants of tLa ,,;11anare ,,,bo ,rara eo,,ad fror, the plague in 1883 take part in the Passion play and assume responsi- bility for its production.
 Next October will be a fateful month for then the names of the villagers who are to have the lead ing roles in the spectacle will be an- nounced.
 To be selected to enact the role of Jesus Christ or one of the apostles is far greater honor to an Ober- ammergau man than election to the presidency of Germany or any other office within the gift of the entire German people.
 And any woman of Oberammer- gau would far rather be chosen to play the role of Mary or Martha or Mary Magdalene than to be ill 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 play was last produced in 1910. An 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 aspirants are not likely to displace him.
 Ottilie 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 eagerly trying to qualify for the highly important part. Paula Rendl, daughter of Peter Rendl, the sculp- tor, who was Joseph of Arimathea in the play of 1910 and enacted the role of St. John 21 years ago, is one of the most promising candi- dates for the role of Mary. Frau ein Rendl has shown great ability n minor religious plays which are produced constantly by the Oberam- f nergau folk as means of training actors for the Passion play. Marie Mayr, who played the role , ,f Mary Magdalene in the 1910 pro i luction, has also married and is liv- z ng in Chicago. Marie Schmid, who , vas the Veronica in the last produc- f ion, has also married. C Eighty-two of the Oberammergau nen died during the war and many s # the older actors of the last pro- 6 uction will 'be disqualified by age V or important roles. Consequently C here are scores of places in the cast q 0 which young men with ability as ctors may aspire. They have begun s 9 let their hair grow. Wigs and d lakeup are not permitted by the h irectors of the Passion play. fl Practically all the older men who b ad important parts in the last pro uction have never cut their hair. F Iany of them have retained their cI 'ng boards and pride themselves on " leir resemblance to the biblical SC laracters they have depicted. er