In a game room on the side of Christ the King Catholic Church, about 50 University students sat in a solemn circle, singing and praying to get focused for the premiere of their depiction of the way of the cross.
The Passion Play, put on entirely by University students and Christ the King, gives a meaningful look at Jesus’ moments leading up to and during his crucifiction and resurrection — events which are focused on during Lent and Easter.
Jill Huckabee, a biological sciences freshman and the play’s narrator, opened with, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, and all those who believe in Him shall not perish.”
Under a spotlight and a room of watchful eyes, the actors and actresses became their characters while a group sang and played music to the emotions.
Tim Hedrick, an ISDS junior and director of the play, said he told the students to not only pray to know their lines but also to know their characters.
“I think the people in [the play] are getting more out of it than the people coming to see it,” Hedrick said. “I tried to pick people that most exemplified how their characters would be.”
Gregg Eldridge, a mechanical engineering senior, said playing Jesus gave him a sense of what it was like to be him.
“Tim can’t tell everyone how to do their part,” Eldridge said. “You have to put yourself in that part. I think when you witness it, you get the full effect of what [Jesus] went through, who was there and what he felt.”
Joe Haughten, a biological sciences junior, said being Judas may not be an indication of the kind of person he is, but playing the traitorous character gave him insight into Judas as a person.
“I think there’s a little bit of Judas in all of us,” Haughten said. “He thought he was right and that he was doing God’s will. I think we can get caught up in our own ideas of what’s right and wrong, and I just tried to portray him as a human.”
He said being involved in the play and having others see it is important because it is different than reading the story of Jesus.
“It suddenly becomes real,” Haughten said. “In a normal week, we pray and go to mass, but doing other things makes you more present in your faith.”
Hedrick said he likes having the play run by students because it shows how University students come together and put more emphasis on worship at a top party school.
“I think LSU should be the No. 1 spirit school,” Hedrick said. “Students can get involved to be an example so the focus won’t be ‘party, party, party.'”
Christ the King will be showing another performance of the Passion Play Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the church.