The board of directors of the Redlands Shakespeare Festival is pleased to announce that the classical theater organization will expand its annual theatrical offerings to include the presentation of a traditional Passion play Easter weekend. “The Passion of Easter” will be presented April 2-4, 2010 at the Redlands Bowl. The full-scale production will be fashioned after the Passion plays of historical tradition, and will feature a large cast of more than 50 people.

“We are so excited about this fantastic project,” said William Arsenault, president of the board.

Arsenault said that the presentation will be a nondenominational secular production designed to capture the essence of the historical importance of the Passion play and the last days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

“We have the ability to present this magnificent story in this incredible venue, and we believe that it has the potential to become a grand new tradition for the festival and the community,” Arsenault said.

Passion plays are an important part of theater history. Their origins date back several centuries, and they have been presented in countries throughout the world. There are several very famous Passion plays presented in the United States, some dating back almost 100 years. Many of them find their origins in ritual and religious ceremony, but most of them are now secular productions.

“The Passion of Easter” will be based on and adapted from the books of Mathew and John in the King James Bible. One of history’s most important pieces of English literature, the King James Bible was produced and printed during Shakespearean times. Many schools of thought theorize that Shakespeare himself must have had a hand in the translation, compilation, or editing of the text. The Shakespearean canon is filled with countless references to the earlier Geneva Bible, which provides nearly 90 percent of the source material for the King James version.

“Wherever possible the script draws word-for-word from the original text,” said Steven Sabel, artistic director of the festival.

Sabel is composing the adaptation, and will direct the production for the stage. Open call auditions will be held in January, with rehearsals beginning in February.

“This is going to be a major production, and we invite members of the community to come and be a part of it all,” Sabel said.

Performances will be held at 8 p.m. April 2 through April 4. There will be no charge for admission, but a free-will offering will be collected at intermission.

Regular performances of the Redlands Shakespeare Festival are presented the last three weekends in May at the Redlands Bowl. Presenting sponsors include the Redlands Cultural Arts Commission and County of San Bernardino, with contributions from A Storage Place Redlands, Alta Vista Credit Union, Arsenault Consulting, Paul Barich and Associates, Good Nite Inn, McIntyre Law Group, and Studio 33 Productions.

The sixth annual festival 2010 Season of Remembrance will feature encore productions of “Romeo and Juliet,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “Hamlet” presented May 13 through May 30. For additional information visit www.redlandsshakespearefestival.com, or call (909) 335-7377.