The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-26
WILL PRESENT
PASSION PLAY
THIRTY TIMES
Committee Makes Plans for Re-
yiyaI of Religious Spectacle
Mt Oberammergau.

Oberammergau, Bavaria--Thirty
performances of the Passion Play
nave been scheduled for 1922 by the
committee of 81 which is directing
the spectacle, but this number will
be increased if the attendance de-
mands, as was the case both in
1900 and 1910.
1t will require an outlay of l.
100000 marks to stage the Oberam-
mergau play and the villagers are
extremely anxious about the Ger
man political situation, lest condi-
tons be such that foreigners will
not attend.
The $50 burghers, who const1-
tute the descendants of the orig
inal peasants who made the VOW
to produce the play decenniaiiy'
personally assume the responslDh-
ity for this expenditure, and the
failure to attract sufficient vlsltors
to meet the cost would result IN the
bankruptcy of practically the en-
tire village, as the Oberammergau
folk have slight resources
Most of the burghers are wooo-
carvers, potters, painters, sculptors'
farmers, merchants and small snop-
keepers. Only the descendants Oh
the villagers who were saved Iron
the plague in 1888 take part In the
Passion Play and assume response
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
announced
To be selected to enact the role
of Jesus Christ or one OF the apos-
ties is a far greater honor to an
Oberammergau 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-
eau 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.
Lang to Be in Cast.
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.
81
of Jesus Christ in 1900 and 1910,
probably will 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. Twink, who played the
role of Mary in 1910, has married
since that time No married wom-
an can play a role. Consequently
all the young women of Oberam-
mergau with ability and experience
as actors are eagerly trying to
qualify for the highly important
part. Paula Rendl, daughter Of
Peter Rendl, the sculptor, who was
Joseph of Arimathea in the play
of 1910 and enacted the role of st.
John 81 years ago, is one of the
most promising candidates for the
role of Mary. Fraulein Rendl has
shown great ability in minor relig-
ious plays which are produced con-
stantly by the Oberammerga folk
as a means of training actors for
the Passion Play.
Marie Mayr, who played the role
Oh mary MaSudIcho III tHS INV
production, has also married and
is living in Chicago. Marie Schmid,
who was the Veronica in the last
production, has also married
Eighty-two of the Oberammergau
men died during the war and many
of the older actors of the last pro-
duction will be disqualified by age
for important roles. Consequently
there are scores of places in the
cast to which young men with abil-
ity as actors may aspire. They
have begun to let their hair grow.
Wigs and makeup are not permit
ted by the directors of the Passion
Play.
Practically all the older men who
had important parts in the last pro-
duction have never cut their hair.
Many of them have retained their
long boards and pride themselves
on their resemblance to the bibli-
cal characters they have depicted.