Northeast Florida church actors, musicians mount Passion Play for Easter

Courtesy photo

Luke Whitmire, the son of music minister Jim Whitmire, will reprise his role as Jesus in the First Baptist Church, Jacksonville Passion Play March 14-16.

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—After only six months as minister of music at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Jim Whitmire is heading up an Easter pageant involving hundreds of musicians, actors and crewmembers. The Passion Play will be staged in the church's 10,000-seat worship center March 14-16.

Whitmire began his ministry in Jacksonville in August after 30 years with Bellevue Baptist Church near Memphis. Bellevue's Christmas, Easter and patriotic pageants drew thousands to the church. Over his 30-year tenure, the church counted 104,000 professions of faith from those who attended, he said.

"I would like to see that pattern continue," Whitmire said.

While serving at Bellevue and after retirement as interim minister of music at Germantown (Tenn.) Baptist Church, he took a "scaled-down" Easter passion play to Uruguay. After four years, the Tennesseans left the sets, props and costumes, and native Uruguayans mounted the production in 2006 with a production team of four from the United States.

Whitmire's son, Luke, who headed the cast as Jesus in some of the performances in Uruguay, will reprise his role in the Jacksonville production. Luke Whitmire works for Fox News in New York City as a cameraman.

Along with his son, Whitmire said he has found "wonderful talent" among the members of First Baptist Jacksonville and looks forward to seeing how a pageant will be received in north Florida.

"If 15 people show up on Friday night, it will not depress me," Whitmire said. "It still will be worth it. You learn by doing it more than one time."

First Baptist, along with every other church preparing Easter musicals, has been challenged by an early Easter this year, Whitmire said.

In fact, Lent began this year on Feb. 6 and Easter is on March 23. That's the earliest Easter since 1913, when it fell on the same date. In 1913, however, Ash Wednesday came on Feb. 5, a day earlier than this year because 2008 is a leap year, adding an extra day in the middle of the Lenten season.

First Baptist musicians got a head start on Easter by performing the Easter pageant's finale for the church's annual Pastor's Conference in February. The finale includes the blowing of shofars, narration and three musical numbers: "Agnus Dei," "Praise You," and "Crown Him With Many Crowns." White-robed actors in the sanctuary aisles will represent the redeemed in heaven, and Jesus will ascend from the baptistry.

The drama cast of 45 will join the 300-member choir and 50 instrumentalists for three free performances: Fri., March 14, 7 p.m.; Sat., March 15, 2 p.m. and Sun. March 16, 6 p.m. The production is not recommended for children under six. The church is in downtown Jacksonville at 124 W. Ashley St.