"Why Must He Die?" ...A Passion Play!

FINAL YEAR OF PERFORMANCES OF "WHY MUST HE DIE?"

              Yes,
you read that correctly, this is the final
year of 28 years in total of presenting "Why Must He Die?"!  Over those years, including those when it was
presented by the 8th grade class at St. James School in Sewickley, the Teen
Chorale of Sewickley Choir Institute and the Village Singers of TriCounty Choir
Institute, we have performed in 160 different schools, retirement homes,
including 143 churches of all
denominations.  This year on Good Friday
as we do our last performance at 7pm at St. Patrick's Church in Canonsburg, it
will be the 416th performance!

              In
case you aren't familiar with Why Must He
Die?, it is written, directed and produced by Linda Wallace from Sewickley
Hills.  It is a meditation through music,
drama and liturgical dance on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This
is a unique passion play written as a play within a play.  Throughout the trial of Jesus by Pilate and
the Accusers, the action is repeatedly frozen. 
The disciples and apostles are then seen reflecting on Jesus’ life and
reacting to what led to Jesus’ impending death. 
They share their thoughts with the audience as if they too,
hypothetically, have been allowed to observe Jesus' trial.

               The trial of Jesus(Adam Mazza-Washington)
takes place between Pilate(Bill Davis-Cranberry) and the Accusers(Dale
Turner-New Castle, Karen Galehan-Imperial, and Rachel Mitchell- Irwin).  Some of the feature soloists include: Mary
Magdalene( TerriLynn Cheponis-Kilbuck), who sings I Don’t Know How to Love Him; Peter(Kurtis Charlton-Moon) and
Jesus, who sing Upon This Rock;  John (Matthew Brind'Amour-Brighton Hts.), who
sings Take My Mother Home, and
Judas(Michael Goessler-Ross), who sings Was
It I Lord?   The play concludes with
Jesus’ death and resurrection depicted through the songs  Jesus,
Remember Me, Take My Mother Home, Who Was That Man, Why Did He Die?,  To Buy My Pardon, Rise Again,  and 
Lamb of God from the Gospel
Mass of Robert Ray. 

              Others
in the cast include: Bride of Cana(Bekah Manganaro-Verona),  Canaanite Woman(Kim Householder- Leetsdale);
Elizabeth(Amanda Leight-Allison Park); Guard(Jason Vogel-McKees Rocks); Jairus'
Daughter/ Liturgical Dancer (Gabrielle Toppetta-Moon); Joanna(Taylor Modro-Beaver
Falls); Mark(Jimmy Manganaro-Verona); Mary(Liz Manganaro of Verona);  Martha(Gina Manganaro-Verona);Mary Mother of
God(Carole Dundes-Oakdale); Mother of Children(Leslie Toppetta- Moon),
Children(Angel Palladini- Sewickley and Lexi Manganaro-Verona); Pilate's
Wife(Emily Semich-Aliquippa), Salome(Leah Saloio- Wexford); Samaritan
Woman(Karie Jarvis-Moon), Veronica(Brianna Spilsbury- Upper St. Clair); Woman
in Crowd(Rachelle O'Connell- Pittsburgh);and Woman of Blood(Catherine Wheatley-
Imperial). Those Village Singers not in the cast are the back-up choir at the
shows.   The Backstage Director is
Bernadette Cheponis -Kilbuck. The Technical Director is Rocky Lewis-Swissvale
and the accompanist is Kathy Kelso- Wexford. For more
information, please call director Linda Wallace at 412-741-3463,  lindaswallace@comcast.net.  Visit our website www.tricountychoirs.com . No tickets required, but a free will offering will be taken.

Dates and locations of performances for
final year of 2014

1 Fri. March 28 at 7:30pm   St. Richard's Church- 3841 Dickey Road,
Gibsonia, 15044

2. Sun. March 30 2pm St. Irenaeus
Parish- 387 Maryland Ave. Oakmont, 15139

3. Sun. March 30 at 7pm  St. John Neumann Church-2230 Rochester Road,
Franklin Park, 15237

4. Fri. April 4 at 7pm  Holy Martyrs Church -353 W. 9th Ave.,
Tarentum, 15084

5. Sun. April 6 at 2pm  North American Martyrs Church-2526 Haymaker
Road, Monroeville, 15146

6. Sun. April 6 at 6:30pm  Holy Spirit Parish-608 Farragut Street ,
Millvale, 15209

7. Fri. April 11 at 7pm  St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church- 1 Grove
Place, Pleasant Hills, 15236

8. Sun. April 13 at 2pm  Good Shepherd Parish- 1101 Braddock Avenue,
Braddock, 5104

9. Sun. April 13 at 7pm  First UMC of McKeesport 1406 Cornell Street,
McKeesport, 15132

10. Good Fri. April 18 at 12 noon  St. John of God Church 1011 Church Ave.,
McKees Rocks. 15136

11. Good Friday, April 18 at 7pm St.
Patrick Church- 317 West Pike St., Canonsburg, 15317