At The Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, a Victorian Town Crier can be heard inviting visitors to step back in time to go “Beyond Dickens”.Stationed at the Great Wall on The Great Passion Play grounds, the Town Crier, in the midst of a Dickens era Victorian street scene with Victorian Carolers and Christmas decorations, greets visitors and is their first look at this new Christmas Experience being offered in the midst of the Ozarks hills.
As the city of Eureka Springs celebrates “It’s A Dickens of a Christmas”, The Great Passion Play is participating by producing an interactive live nativity experience called, “Beyond Dickens.”The “town crier” encourages visitors to travel back “beyond the ghost of Christmas Past, Beyond Dickens, to the very first Christmas, to the town of Bethlehem.”Here visitors join the travelers from throughout Judea to register for the census decreed by Caesar Augustus.Visitors find themselves intermingling with the Roman soldiers, camels, donkeys, horses, the Three Kings, the shepherds, the citizens of Bethlehem and Mary & Joseph to create the first live interactive Nativity experience in the Ozarks.
“This unique concept was the brainchild of our creative team.We wanted to participate in offering something special for Christmas and thought what fun it would be to let our visitors actually become a part of the show.This is going to be an tremendous experience for them, as well as for us,” says Joe Gies, CEO of The Great Passion Play.”All of our actors have special characters designed to create an authentic atmosphere for the visitors to mingle and become part of this magnificent event.”The Roman soldiers, Messala, Quintus, Arrius, Cato, Brutus, Flavius, Antony, & Justus, help keep order for the census takers, Ezra & Obadiah.Money Changers such as Elihu & Bildad help visitors exchange their money for special Great Passion Play “denary” as the Shepherds, Abinadad, Shammah, and Jesse try to share the joy of seeing angels with the skeptical townspeople of Bethlehem.As the Three Kings, Gaspar, Melchior, & Balthasar along with their weary entourage, lead the way to the manger, the innkeepers, Samuel & Leah, try to explain their lack of rooms.Gies says, “It’s been an exciting project and we are especially pleased that Lorenzo and Felicia Green have helped to make this extraordinary vision come true with their special attention to the design and creation of the town of Bethlehem in coordination with our staff.”
“Beyond Dickens” at The Great Passion Play will operate from November 7 through
Included in the entire experience is a display of Christmas nativities from around the world, interactive events for children, as well as choirs and soloists bringing special Christmas music.There are special exhibits in the Sacred Arts Center, the Smith Memorial Chapel, the Bible Museum, and spectacular lighting of the entire Great Passion Play grounds.
For additional information or to purchase tickets either on line or via phone, through Ozark Ticket and Travel, click here or call 1-888-493-1222.