Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Passion for the play
Throughout the year, Randall Marksberry delivers mail for the U.S. Postal Service. During Lent, he steps into the lights to deliver the message he considers most important: the gospel of God's love for humanity.
Marksberry, 56, of Springdale has played the role of Jesus in the historic St. John Passion Play for nine years.
"I know my savior delivered, and in a way he was the best mailman of all," Marksberry said. "He paid all the postage due."
Marksberry will reprise the role this weekend in the 90th annual edition of the St. John play.
"It's different for me every year," said Marksberry, who had no acting experience before joining the St. John cast. "A play's a play, people clap, they say 'good job.' But for me to internalize the part, I have to be humble, be obedient to what the Lord wants me to do. It's a ministry, so I have to feel the compassion of Jesus.
"What's important is that people don't see me in the part.
"For example, I'm short (5-foot-6). If people look at me and say 'Jesus wasn't short, he was tall,' they miss the whole picture.
"I'm kind of monotoned, soft-speaking, people tell me they can't hear me when I talk. But somehow, when I'm in the play, that changes. Jesus can be anybody."
Judy Hughes, the play's producer, agrees that Marksberry's disposition is key.
"Having been with the Passion play for many years now, I have seen several Jesuses come and go," Hughes said. "We use several criteria when choosing the heir for this important role, one of which is to choose someone who is more than an 'actor.' We look for heart experience, and Randy certainly fills this criteria. He himself states that he could not say the words of the script effectively without having the words embedded in his heart."
Janet Cavanaugh of Monfort Heights has seen Marksberry play Jesus about 25 times.
"Randy as Jesus was put on this Earth to play that role," she said.
Another admirer is Paul Moon, who has played Jesus for 19 years, the first 17 of them at Springdale Nazarene Church, the last two at Landmark Baptist Temple in
Evendale.
"I like how he pays special attention to details of Jesus' words and being true to Scripture," Moon said. "I have had many heart-to-heart talks with Randy and shared our own personal struggles with the pressure and expectations of this role, and he handles it well. Randy is my friend and we have a special brotherhood from playing this role that only a few people could possibly share. Not to mention the fact that Randy is also a great actor."
For Marksberry, playing God isn't a casting call, but a calling.
"I've been a Christian since I was 12 years old," he said. "I always felt a calling. I didn't know whether it was to be a missionary or what. But I felt that one day I would grow a beard and play the role of Jesus. I didn't know when or how."
When and how was a long time coming. After graduating from Reading High School in 1970, Marksberry went to Vietnam as an M-16 machine gunner guarding boats on the Mekong River. After that, he spent several years working for the Food and Drug Administration in procurement and as an equipment operator.
In civilian life, Marksberry played Christian music on his guitar at churches and in nursing homes. He was working for the Postal Service in 1986 when his boss, Bernie Boyd, approached him about the play.
"Bernie was playing Nicodemus," Marksberry recalled. "He wanted me to try out for a part. I said 'No, I'm not going to be in it.' "
But Marksberry changed his mind after Boyd persuaded him to see the play.
He tried out the next year, landing the double role of Judas and the good thief, both of whom he played until 1998, when he was cast as Jesus.
Today, his family is involved. Marksberry's wife, Kathleen, is the play's treasurer and backstage manager. Their daughter, Kristen Beckhold, 27, an English and drama teacher at Colerain High School, plays Herodias, wife of King Herod.
"People take to messages differently," Marksberry said. "Some people don't want to hear the truth in church, so this is another way to reach them. This is a ministry, and ministries are all good.
"What we want to do is to show people that their burden isn't too big for the Lord to carry," he said. "That's the message: the Lord loves us."
Marksberry, 56, of Springdale has played the role of Jesus in the historic St. John Passion Play for nine years.
"I know my savior delivered, and in a way he was the best mailman of all," Marksberry said. "He paid all the postage due."
Marksberry will reprise the role this weekend in the 90th annual edition of the St. John play.
"It's different for me every year," said Marksberry, who had no acting experience before joining the St. John cast. "A play's a play, people clap, they say 'good job.' But for me to internalize the part, I have to be humble, be obedient to what the Lord wants me to do. It's a ministry, so I have to feel the compassion of Jesus.
"What's important is that people don't see me in the part.
"For example, I'm short (5-foot-6). If people look at me and say 'Jesus wasn't short, he was tall,' they miss the whole picture.
"I'm kind of monotoned, soft-speaking, people tell me they can't hear me when I talk. But somehow, when I'm in the play, that changes. Jesus can be anybody."
Judy Hughes, the play's producer, agrees that Marksberry's disposition is key.
"Having been with the Passion play for many years now, I have seen several Jesuses come and go," Hughes said. "We use several criteria when choosing the heir for this important role, one of which is to choose someone who is more than an 'actor.' We look for heart experience, and Randy certainly fills this criteria. He himself states that he could not say the words of the script effectively without having the words embedded in his heart."
Janet Cavanaugh of Monfort Heights has seen Marksberry play Jesus about 25 times.
"Randy as Jesus was put on this Earth to play that role," she said.
Another admirer is Paul Moon, who has played Jesus for 19 years, the first 17 of them at Springdale Nazarene Church, the last two at Landmark Baptist Temple in
Evendale.
"I like how he pays special attention to details of Jesus' words and being true to Scripture," Moon said. "I have had many heart-to-heart talks with Randy and shared our own personal struggles with the pressure and expectations of this role, and he handles it well. Randy is my friend and we have a special brotherhood from playing this role that only a few people could possibly share. Not to mention the fact that Randy is also a great actor."
For Marksberry, playing God isn't a casting call, but a calling.
"I've been a Christian since I was 12 years old," he said. "I always felt a calling. I didn't know whether it was to be a missionary or what. But I felt that one day I would grow a beard and play the role of Jesus. I didn't know when or how."
When and how was a long time coming. After graduating from Reading High School in 1970, Marksberry went to Vietnam as an M-16 machine gunner guarding boats on the Mekong River. After that, he spent several years working for the Food and Drug Administration in procurement and as an equipment operator.
In civilian life, Marksberry played Christian music on his guitar at churches and in nursing homes. He was working for the Postal Service in 1986 when his boss, Bernie Boyd, approached him about the play.
"Bernie was playing Nicodemus," Marksberry recalled. "He wanted me to try out for a part. I said 'No, I'm not going to be in it.' "
But Marksberry changed his mind after Boyd persuaded him to see the play.
He tried out the next year, landing the double role of Judas and the good thief, both of whom he played until 1998, when he was cast as Jesus.
Today, his family is involved. Marksberry's wife, Kathleen, is the play's treasurer and backstage manager. Their daughter, Kristen Beckhold, 27, an English and drama teacher at Colerain High School, plays Herodias, wife of King Herod.
"People take to messages differently," Marksberry said. "Some people don't want to hear the truth in church, so this is another way to reach them. This is a ministry, and ministries are all good.
"What we want to do is to show people that their burden isn't too big for the Lord to carry," he said. "That's the message: the Lord loves us."
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