The Redlands Shakespeare Festival is seeking a company of 50 actors to perform in its new Easter Passion Play. Auditions will be conducted 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, and 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24, at the Joslyn Senior Center, 21 Grant St., Redlands. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. All roles are open.

“We very excited about this new project, and we look forward to sharing the inaugural production with our community,” said Steven Sabel, artistic director.

Rehearsals for the production will begin Feb.1. Performances are scheduled for April 2-4 at the Redlands Bowl. “The Passion of Easter” will be a full-scale production fashioned after the Passion plays of historical tradition.

“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,” said William Arsenault, president of the festival board of directors.

Arsenault describes the production as a nondenominational secular presentation designed to capture the essence of the historical importance of the Passion play and the last days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. “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 might 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.

“It truly is the greatest story ever told, and we look forward to sharing this story with others in grand fashion on the stage of the Redlands Bowl,” said Sabel.

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.

“Wherever possible our script draws word-for-word from the original text. We have included the most important moment in the final week of the life of Christ,” Sabel said.

The performances will be offered with no admission charge. Free-will offerings will be collected at intermission.

“The Bowl’s earliest tradition was always ‘music for everyone.’ We continued that with providing Shakespeare for everyone. Now we will open up the Passion for everyone, regardless of their ability to pay,” Sabel said.

“The Passion of Easter” will serve as an early addition to the festival’s regular season. Regular performances of the Redlands Shakespeare Festival are presented the last three weekends in May. Presenting sponsors of the festival 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 about auditions or the festival schedule, visit www.redlandsshakespearefestival.com, or call (909) 335-7377.