SE Passion gets underway this evening

It's 7:30 p.m. nightly (except Saturdays) through March 27.

If you haven't seen it yet, I'd highly recommend it. It's a bit pricey, but Broadway quality.

Here's an overview from Chris Otts in the C-J...

It's one thing to read the story of Jesus' life in the Bible, said Southeast Christian Church member Margarita Long.

"But when you put it in a play and act it out, it becomes alive," said Long, who plays a town baker in the church's annual Easter [Passion] that begins tonight.

Long has driven from her house in Pleasure Ridge Park to the church near Middletown almost every evening for the last month to rehearse, even though she doesn't have a speaking part. She is one of a small army of volunteers forming the backbone of one of the most elaborate Easter productions in the country.

The Broadway-style show, which will run for 14 nights, is in the second year of its revamped format, which includes video scenes projected on two IMAX-size screens interspersed with dialogue, singing and dancing on stage.

The play tells the story of Jesus' life, crucifixion and resurrection. The scenes and stories are drawn from the four gospels, but with a modern-language screen play written by the show's producers.

Southeast started the production in 1995, but it took a year off in 2007 to overhaul the show, which organizers thought had become too static....

Almost 1,000 people are needed to pull off the production. That includes 274 cast members, 308 crew members, a choir of 150 that provides supporting vocals (although they are out of view in a back room), a 40-person orchestra and about 150 people who assembled the four-story-tall set in January....

And that's only the humans. The cast also has 16 animals, including sheep, camels, donkeys and a dove that is trained to fly from the top of the 9,000-seat auditorium into Jesus' hand....

Tickets are $12 to $17, and Southeast estimates more than 70,000 people saw the show last year. Still, the church does not make money from the show, senior minister Dave Stone said. In fact, the show loses about $100,000 a year, he said....