We're holding our annual Voices for Easter event from 7.30pm on 20 March 2024 - but it's like you've never seen it before! Instead of being presented as a one-man show, each of the characters portrayed will be played by a different actor - the cast list is below. Several veterans of the Hornchurch Passion Play are either reprising roles they have played before or offering a fresh insight into a character new to them while Kevin directs.
Hi Everyone,
It's been a long time since I've posted any news on here but, be assured, much has been going on behind the scenes! The committee has continued to meet and I'm sure you have all read the message from our Chairman. 2022 seems a long time away so how do we keep engaged and maintain our fellowship as we wait for the shadow of Covid to fade from our horizons? Well Advent approaches and a scheme is afoot to make this Advent a very special time for the Hornchurch Passion Play community! Simon will be in touch very shortly to give you all the information on our latest enterprise which I am sure you will find an exciting way to prepare for this Christmas. So, watch out! Check the website and the Facebook page, and be assured that our thoughts and prayers are with every member of our Passion Play company and their families in these difficult times. God bless, Kevin.x Advent this year is doubly exciting, heralding as it does both the coming of The Lord and the imminent commencement of the fellowship of the Passion Play 2020! The play is now cast and I must thank everybody for their co-operation and commitment in accepting casting decisions and willingness to take up the mantle of their roles.
Those of you who volunteered as choir or musicians please keep a lookout for notification of your first meeting, which Mac will be organising shortly. Backstage the committee are tirelessly arranging all the licences, insurances etc. as well as all the technical production paraphernalia that seems to appear by magic but takes months of meticulous planning and organisation. Fundraising continues and our next event is “Voices for Christmas” – downloadable posters and details may be found on the website – and this will also be the perfect opportunity for those of you who have purchased tickets for “Burns Night” to exchange cash or cheques for the tickets ordered. That event sold out within days of the tickets being available but if you still wish to support the evening, we are looking for sponsors for the 5 “Chieftain” haggises to be consumed and for the “Neeps n’ Tatties”. A generous donor has already sponsored the “wee dram” for everybody. Pre-publicity will shortly be available for people to start sticking up in their homes and workplaces and car windows etc. as we set about the task of making sure that our message reaches as wide an audience as is possible. And if anyone has missed the casting process so far, but still wishes to be involved, please bring them along or invite them to join us for the first read-through on Sunday January 5th. In the meantime, may I wish you all a very happy and Holy Christmastide. God bless, Kevin.x A quick reminder that "Voices for Easter" will be performed again this year, next Thursday, April 11th at 8pm in the North St. halls, Hornchurch RM11 1QX.
Tickets are available on the door or online, via the website, remain at just £6 including refreshments. In this lead-up year to our next Passion Play its a perfect opportunity to get re-acquainted with some of the main characters from the story, as well as re-establish fellowship with other members of our Passion Play community. This year why not try to bring someone who, perhaps, is less familiar with the real reason for celebrating Easter? I hope to see many of you there. God bless, Kevin.xx
In just over a year, the green beside the Queen’s theatre once more becomes Jerusalem! Yes, the time has flown, and the Hornchurch Passion Play is only twelve short months from being in full swing of rehearsal and production! So now is the opportunity to consider how each of us may prosper this endeavour. For those who have been involved before, a reminder call to gird one's loins for another Biblical adventure and for those who may have thought of taking part but, for whatever reason, have not come forward in the past, to ask themselves if this opportunity to witness to their faith in their local community is just the challenge for which they have been waiting.
In September, we will be calling for volunteers to visit church services across the borough to talk about and publicise The Play. In this age of technology, we will be asking for people to visit our website and register their sphere of interest for although most people only see the performers of our end-product, there are a myriad of ways to contribute to the production: Actors, singers and musicians certainly; but also, stage crew, prayer-supporters, stewards, first-aiders, rehearsal tea-and-coffee makers, props and costume gatherers and makers, scene-builders and painters, publicity spreaders, copiers and printers etc. etc. Join the mailing list if you'd like to stay updated on the plans or express an interest in any of the above roles. Jesus said “Many are called, and few are chosen” but for the Hornchurch Passion Play, many are called and ALL are chosen. Wherever a volunteer’s talents lie we can utilise those skills to tell, as vividly as we may, the greatest story ever told. In October, there will be a big meeting for anyone interested in any aspect of the event, followed by several Sundays of auditions for actors. By mid-December, the cast will be finalised and announced and on the first Sunday of January 2020 the first read-through of the whole play will kick-off rehearsals proper. In September 2018, Hornchurch hosted the national Passion Trust Conference where we were held up as an example for other Passion Plays up and down the country to emulate. Our first performances were in 1995 and we have been raising our standards five-yearly since then. Easter 2020 will be the sixth incarnation of the Play and, after 25 years at the helm, will be the last that I will direct. I hope to make it the biggest and best yet so entreat you to consider seriously whether this time you will join us too. God bless, Kevin Walsh HPP Director Thank you to every body who contributed to our wonderful celebration of "Burns Night" yesterday evening. Many people have said that they felt it was the best yet! It was great to welcome back Fiona to lead us in our Scottish dancing; she reckons we get better at it each year. Last night's "Dashing White Sergeant" was certainly a sight to behold!
Thanks to all who sponsored the Haggises:
I can also pass on the thanks of our young waiters and waitresses who much appreciated their generous gratuity. Of course, these events take much preparation and I would like to personally thank Jackie and Alan, Mike and Jane, Debbie and Nigel and Pat who all assisted in the setting up, and of course Mike and Jane Swift and their family and friends who provided all the catering and all the waiting-on staff and without whom the event itself simply couldn't happen. I had a wonderful time myself and love to see the social fellowship that is generated in fundraising events to support our Passion Play. Please keep checking the website for future events and opportunities to contribute. God bless, Kevin.x What a fabulous night!
I'm overwhelmed with fantastic feedback from all the participants in last nights festivities. From the solemnity of our Remembrance, with the Last Post movingly played by lance corporal Eddie Griffin of the Brentwood Imperial Youth Band, to the rousing singalong, entertainingly led by Jane Keane and her Fairlytes singers, the evening gave us all a memorable experience of mixed emotions. The meal was incomparable and a triumph of culinary skill! We have grown accustomed to the quality of the "Swift Family Caterers" but Jane and Mike surpassed themselves last night. As ever, their youthful brigade of waiting staff served us with courtesy and efficiency in equal measure and entertained everyone with their dance moves at the end of the evening! Special thanks to Hannah for ensuring the evening ran as planned and keeping an eye on timings. As always the members of the committee and other generous souls spent much time in the preparation of the hall contributing to its wonderful look and atmosphere and then stepped up to run the highly profitable raffle, distribute the tot of rum and clear up after all was done! A fabulous team effort by everyone involved! Quite apart from the fundraising generated by these events, the fellowship and camaraderie engendered by working together to achieve a common goal continues to foster the very qualities that will characterise our rapidly approaching Passion Play 2020. My personal thanks to all who contributed and supported our wonderful Armistice Supper. God bless, Kevin.x Massive thanks to all involved in Saturday's conference. Especial thanks are due to all who generously hosted guests overnight and welcomed them so hospitably. Many delegates pointed this out as a highlight of their experience and those who travelled on the day felt they had missed out.
Thanks also to the wonderful Jane and Mike Swift and their family who not only provided their usual refreshments after Friday night's "Voices" but then laid on the most sumptuous lunchtime meal for over 70 people on Saturday. Thanks to Barry and the St. Andrew's team of stalwarts who provided, hospitality, guidance and refreshment throughout the day at HQ. And of course to all the experts who led the workshops, notably to Rob Summers who came up from Somerset to lend his unique skill with all things "techie" on our behalf, to Pat and Peter for their financial and legal acumen and Freddie, Trevor and Bruce and their new helpers at the crucifixion workshop. To Alan for his work with the pyrotechnics and Laurie for his ingenious Spear technology. Lewis obviously must be mentioned too as he joins the growing list of those sacrificing their all for the Passion Play - crucified six times so far and counting...(still a long way to go to catch up with Simon!) To the cast of "The Last Supper"; a fabulous rendition which was loved by all who saw it. We received many lovely comments often remarking on how the inclusion of "wives" and children enhanced the scene tremendously. Thank you Jack and Lily! The whole event would have been impossible without the relentless hard work of the crew and the many members of the company that pitched in to help them as required under the magnificent leadership of our new Production Manager Hannah Swift. A masterpiece of organisation and efficiency. I know many others too numerous to name contributed in many unseen or unsung ways, doing things like helping with the microphones to facilitate the panel sessions (Adam) and sorting the costumes (Sue, Jane and MIke) and simply being around and available and chatting to visitors. We gave them a conference like no other and can be justifiably proud of our Passion Play community. God bless, Kevin. Hi everyone,
Just a reminder that a one-off performance of "Voices for Easter" will be taking place next Friday 28th September at 8 pm in North Street Halls, Hornchurch. Many of the delegates for the next day's conference will be in attendance and it would be great to give them a warm welcome and a feeling of the fellowship that the Hornchurch Passion Play has engendered in our community. Tickets are £6 on the door and will include a complimentary glass of wine or soft drink and a hot-cross bun (if we can source any at this time of year!) This will also be a great opportunity for those of you who have purchased tickets for our Armistice Supper on the 27th of October to exchange money for tickets or to buy them if you have not yet got any ordered. Merchandise for 2020 will also be available to purchase or order, including the new high-quality embroidered polo tops. I hope to see many of you there, God bless, Kevin.x Hi Everybody,
First, may I thank all of you who responded to our shout out for more "conference" hosts. We have now satisfied all those requesting accommodation and have several more billets available to cover further guests. The conference is a one-day event on Saturday 29th September but as a "curtain-raiser" to the big day, a special one-off performance of "Voices for Easter" will be presented on Friday 28th in the North St. Halls at 8pm. Tickets are available on the door @ £6, including the customary complimentary glass of wine and cake, and free entry will be granted to conference guests and their hosts. I would like to think that we will generate a large audience for this event and provide a great welcome to Hornchurch for our visitors. Their experience of the way in which our fundraising events also provide a wonderful opportunity for ongoing fellowship is one of the things that I hope will contribute to the whole informative nature of the conference. I have already had some enquiries about tickets for our "Armistice Supper"on Saturday October 27th. This event will be similar in format to our "Burns" and "St. George's" suppers, 3-course meal, entertainment, dancing etc. Tickets @ £20 are strictly limited to 125 and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis, officially going on sale from 09.00 on Monday September 3rd. They are available as usual by telephone from me on 01708 226117. Though obviously reverent to the memory of the fallen, this will be a joyous affair celebrating the end of conflict and the dawn of peace. The dress code will be black-tie or suitable military or period costume and after the dinner there will be a singalong of the old wartime songs before we dance the night away! So please check your diaries. I hope you have had a pleasant and relaxing Summer and look forward to seeing you at these forthcoming events. God bless, Kevin.x |
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