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Saturday, April 7, 2007
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Easter story told anew
Staff Writer The role of Jesus Christ only comes around once every three years at Zion Lutheran Church in Brainerd, and on Good Friday, all eyes were on 15-year-old Chris Gropper, who played the Son of God, dying on the cross.
"It's nerve-wracking," Gropper said of playing Jesus, "because everybody's looking at you."
For the past 18 years, Zion Lutheran's confirmation students in grades sixth- through eighth have performed "The Passion of Our Lord," a play written by Bruce Thompson, a longtime active church member who also serves as play director. The play is performed every three years during the one-hour Good Friday worship services and then concludes with the resurrection of Christ at the beginning of the 6 a.m. Sunrise Worship Service on Easter Sunday.
About 50-60 church members participate in the passion play, including about 20-30 students, the church choir, soloists and other volunteers.
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Chris Gropper, 15, who portrayed Jesus Christ, was surrounded by Roman soldiers as he hung lifeless on the cross during Zion Lutheran Church's youth play, "The Passion of Our Lord." Brainerd Dispatch/Nels Norquist
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Thompson, a hog farmer, had no theatrical experience before he wrote the play, a composite of four gospels from the New International Bible.
"I played Scrooge in fifth grade," Thompson said with a laugh. "That was it."
He was single at the time and teaching Sunday school when he decided to write the play, thinking that it would help his teenage students better understand and remember what happened during the crucifixion of Christ if they acted it out themselves. He also built and designed all the sets. The play was performed each year for the first three years and then was changed to performances every three years. The play includes songs sung by the choir and other performances. The play concluded on Friday with Jesus being buried in the tomb. The entire congregation leaves the church in silence following the service.
A few years after he wrote the play, Thompson married his wife Terri, who has also helped with most of the performances. This is the first year that their children, son Stafford, 12, and daughter, Ellie, 11, performed in their father's play. Stafford played the high priest Caiaphas while Ellie was a temple guard.
The students only rehearse the play for about six or seven hours before the performance. They rely heavily on cue cards placed strategically around the stage. Even a Roman soldier's aluminum shield has the actor's lines written on the back.
Perry Zierke, 12, played Peter, one of Jesus' disciples. He said he learned more about the events leading to Jesus' death on the cross by portraying Peter.
"I never knew he cut anybody's ear off," Zierke said of Peter.
A dramatic part of the passion play is when Jesus is nailed to the cross. The church is eerily silent as only the sound of a hammer is heard striking a piece of wood five times for each of Jesus' hands and legs.
"There's something there that is so completely unique," Thompson said of that moment. "That tension, you can just reach out and grab it."
"It's very touching when you do see it, to hear the pounding of the nails," said Julie Kletscher, a play volunteer, "especially coming from teenagers."
The teens themselves enjoy performing for their congregation.
"It's just fun. It's cool," Kyria Kleckner, 12, the daughter of Zion Lutheran Pastor Mark Kleckner, said of the play. "It makes adults cry. It's awesome. It's pretty emotional for them. But if I were there (at the crucifixion), I'd be crying too."
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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