Passion Play Opens

After months of preliminary work and rehearsals the stage is now set for the grand opening of “The Triumph of Calvary” at the Holy Cross Friary on tomorrow night at 8.30pm. In the early part of the last decade Sligo Drama Circle held a Passion Play, also at the Friary, and it was such an overwhelming success that the format has now been modelled on the world famous Oberammagau passion play which is held in Germany every ten years. Coincidentally, this year’s Sligo performance coincides with the Oberammagau play. The society have chosen the work “Seven Last Words” for the passion and crucifixation and this has already proven top be a successful piece for the Choral Society.

The Musical Director this year is well known to the people of Sligo, Mrs. Maura Butler, who is making her return after a brief absence. Another well known and experienced personality in Sligo dramatic circles, Walter Mc Donagh, will direct. Mr. Mc Donagh was also involved in the first Passion Play at the Friary. An example of the type of work which has gone into producing the play can be gauged from the fact that guest organist, Martin White, has been travelling regularly from Armagh to take part in the rehearsals. Mr. White, who trained in music at the Royal Academy and London University and has also performed in England and on the continent, has been present at every rehearsal and has made his way to Sligo each night and returned home again afterwards.

The last Passion Play in Sligo was to mark the closing of the Friary in 1971 and this performance is to herald the coming of the eighties. An interesting feature is that it is a joint collaboration between the Sligo Drama Circle and Sligo Choral Society which is heartening, in view of the fact that the general trend recently has been for individual groups to split apart. The show opens at 8.30pm tomorrow night and will be performed at the same time on Friday night and will close on the Sunday night.

from The Western Journal, March 28th, 1980