I extend my sincerest gratitude and congratulations to the cast and crew who staged the 2026 incarnation of the Badlands Passion Play near Drumheller, Alta., in mid-July.

My parents and I were present for the July 12 evening performance, and the immersive reenactment about the ministry, sacrificial death and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ lingered with us long after we departed the prehistorically scenic Canadian Badlands.

Since 1994, well over 300,000 people have beheld this epic true account presented on Canada’s largest outdoor theatre stage, including many individuals and groups from outside of Canada.

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What the Badlands Amphitheatre Society has accomplished 31 times is a feat that marries grandeur and intimacy.

On the one hand, there are staggering statistics such as the 400-acre set, the $110 million-plus in economic impact it has generated for the region, the thousands of actors who have graced the stage, and the hundreds of professionals who have built props, crafted costumes and contributed key yeoman’s work. Just as striking are the heartening stories of families and couples who cherish volunteering with the play as an annual tradition.

The attention to detail, the scale and the evident love and care each member of the company exhibited towards the source material – the Gospel of Matthew – was impressive to these eyes.

I also laud the playwright and lead director, Ryan Sproule. His representation of this Gospel, told from the perspective of the tax collector who would become Jesus’ disciple, was thoughtfully constructed. He compellingly presented the choice Levi had to make between succumbing to conformity and privileged trappings or choosing to leave that all behind to become reborn as Matthew, a man whom Christ called by name.

There is also an enthralling dramatic arc for Mary Madgelene, and I also valued Sproule expertly planting seeds throughout the production as to why Judas Iscariot ultimately betrayed God the Son.

As for the acting, Connor Suart's portrayal of Jesus was most impressive. A special kudos is also owed to Kelsey Krogman as Mary Magdalene. I, my parents and I’m sure many other spectators took notice of her pacing and curious movements around one of the bentonite clay hills to the right of the stage 15 minutes before the opening fanfare. With method acting that would make Daniel Day-Lewis proud, she effectively portrayed Mary being possessed by seven demons.

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My waxing poetic about this handsomely mounted and poignantly performed Badlands Passion Play is for a purpose.

All who attended one of the weekend performances throughout July were informed about the COVID-19-wrought tough-to-surmount damage to this cultural institution.

For two years, pandemic restrictions shut down an event that attracted 20,000 guests per season. The road to recovery has been fraught with complications as production, insurance, utility, staffing and artist expenses have all significantly soared. So many costs have been cut, and now each member of the troupe is having to carry much bigger workloads to keep this tradition afloat.

Such a situation is untenable in the long term. Executive Director Vance Neudorf put it frankly in the official program: “Through every challenge, a very small and dedicated team has persevered. But we cannot keep going on heart alone. Ticket sales do not cover the full scale of this production.”

An appeal was made to raise $250,000 by Fall 2026. Over $30,000 of the total to keep the Badlands Passion Play alive for a 32nd rendition and beyond has been raised.

My prayers, thoughts and a donation will go towards this worthy endeavour, and I hope Catholic Register readers can join me if they feel called. They might not ever get to personally experience this powerful story of faith, hope and love, but I hope they hear the call to offer support, nonetheless.

Canadian Catholics should band together and safeguard these precious faith-driven landmarks. God watches each of us to see if we are up to the task of commemorating and upholding the things of this world that promote goodness, beauty and transcendence.

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Whether the trial before us involves economic challenges, laws curbing religious expression, and, unfortunately, too much militant anti-Christian sentiment in mainstream culture, we must persevere and not be passive. We honour Jesus that way. His road to Calvary and death on the Cross, in addition to being the ultimate act of love, is also the shining exemplar of perseverance.

Visit badlandsamp.com to learn more.