As I sat watching my younger sister’s passion play last night, it brought back a myriad of memories from my childhood. I remember sitting in the church afternoon after afternoon for the last three weeks leading up until the performance. Playing one of the apostles ironically was one of the easier parts in the play. The dancers had it rough as they had to continually rehearse their routines to them just perfectly. There was no small detail that was not scrutinized by our amazing director, Mrs. Dormer. There was no scene that wasn’t drilled into our heads. It had to be perfect; there were no excuses. We worked hard for that one shining moment, and when the time came, we pass the challenge with flying colors. The result were four shining performances of one of my grade schools oldest traditions; the 8th Grade Passion Play.
Of course with these memories brought with it a heavy sadness. Our legendary director, Mrs. Linda Dormer, is sad to say, no longer with us. She was diagnosed with cancer shortly after we graduated and passed away just about a year later. Our show was the last full show that she helped to produce. When the next show came around, she was too ill to participate as much as she did the previous years. I remember our brief conversation behind the scenes of the play performed the year after ours. Little did I know that our conversation that night would be the last time I ever would see her.
I remember attending her funeral in a packed church; all of whom had come to say goodbye to a great women. I’ll admit that I may not have been mature enough during that year to fully understand everything she helped teach me, but looking back now, it all makes perfect sense. She was truly one of the most influential and inspiring teachers that I have ever had in my lifetime. She was taken much too young and I know she looks down now and watches over all her former students whom she helped to develop into young men and women. R.I.P Mrs. Dormer.
It has been six years since I last saw and a Passion play and this year was officially my last show with my sister graduating this year. Boy had the show changed. I honestly do not know if I can accurately judge it since I have a serious bias. No director could possibly replace the one they lost nearly 6 years ago. In all, I was shocked at how much was cut out of the play itself. Small, vitals scenes that took my classmates and me rehearsal after rehearsal to get down just right were pulled right out of the play. It felt rushed to me and the removal of those scenes did not help to gain it my good review.
My sister was great in the play, but I was just disappointed in how the play has gone from a 90 minute, relaxing, and smooth flowing tale of Christ’s passion and death to a 55 minute, sped up performance that did not give the audience enough time to relish any of the scenes. Maybe it’s the sign of the times, as the classes shrink at my former grade school, so does their attempt to keep a strong tradition alive. The performers all did a fantastic job, don’t get me wrong, I just wish they didn’t change so much of the overall play so much. One wonders if the director just didn’t want to put in as much time, effort, and dedication as was needed to do a terrific performance like the ones from the past.
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