VALDOSTA – Being titled “The Promise” seems more appropriate this year than ever.

While the passion play production has a decades-long Easter tradition in South Georgia, it’s been three years since it last played. Park Avenue United Methodist Church members were preparing for the spring 2020 production when the COVID-19 pandemic closed everything, Kathy Wright, show director and church director of music, said. “The Promise” didn’t return in 2021, also because of the pandemic.

But the church knew “The Promise” would be back.

Now, it is here.

“The Promise” opens this weekend in the sanctuary of Park Avenue United Methodist Church. Wright, Senior Pastor Jimmy Towson and Associate Pastor Jamie Bone sat down in the sanctuary to discuss “The Promise.”

Audiences can expect to see some of the traditions of past productions continue with new songs and some different perspectives, but as they all noted, the essence of the “Greatest Story Ever Told” does not change.

In many cases, the cast represents generations within the church. Some of the current adult cast members played children cast members years ago. For many years, Terry Hiers played the young disciple Peter; now, he plays the older Peter who narrates “The Promise.”

Hiers is also charged with set construction and set-up; during the interview about the show, he arrived in the sanctuary to check on a set detail.

As it has for several years, “The Promise” centers on an older Peter in jail where he shares the story of Jesus with a jailer.

“The idea is that Peter is in jail but it is the jailer who is in prison,” Bone said in a previous interview, referring to the jailer learning of Christ, forgiveness and redemption from Peter.

Bone penned the scene several years ago. And while she has shaped the majority of the script through the years, she has left certain parts untouched.

“The Promise” also has elements established by past directors, such as Reese Nelson and the late Jim Perry.

Perry created “God Hath Provided the Lamb,” the precursor of “The Promise.” When Perry died, the annual production could have stalled but it didn’t. It continued.

Dane Boruff is a fairly recent addition in the starring role. Boruff started playing the key role of Jesus in “The Promise” in 2018.

He returns this year to Jesus for the third time, Wright said.

“The Promise” is scheduled to play 2 p.m. Saturday, March 26; 7 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, March 27-29, Park Avenue United Methodist Church, 100 E. Park Ave.

No admission charge, open seating. More information: Call (229) 242-3562; or visit www.paumc.com.

THE CAST: Terry Hiers, Robert Hatton, Mary Oliver Brantley, Lizzie Day, Andrea Brantley, Katie Beth Day, Brady Brantley, Daniel Day, Jim Rinehart, Todd Clements, Andy Harrison, Randy Hicks, Roger Mullican, Wayne Veal, Dane Boruff, Rex Dorsey, Raymond Greer, Grant Barry, Marty Rodgers, Ben Mackey, Michael Sumner, Ben Parten, Matt Dorsey, Mark Perry, Adam Cowart, William Whitesell, Josh Hatton, Amanda DeCesare, Emery Garrett, Drew Covington, Reese DeCesare, Logan Rodgers, Dalton Drocea, Scott Dowse, Brooks Mooneyham, Sarah Parten, Shannon Hicks, Abby Waller, Verna Looney, Jennifer Sumner, Jimmy Towson, Darrel Presley, Jake Dorsey, Brice Dazey, Jason Dove, Noah Drocea, Chris Thigpen, Wesley Veal, Kevin Moore, Tom Brown, Sawyer Moore, Tony Phillips, Beth Veal, Kaye Hunt.

Chancel Choir: Dawn Brown, Megan Halter, Joi Payne, Tom Brown, Wanda Halter, Sarah Parten, Debbie Cowart, Kim Hatton, Darel Rayburn, Heather Croft, Shannon Hicks, Jim Rinehart, Devin Daugherty, Alfred Hiers, Bob Rutland, Amanda DeCesare, Kaye Hunt, Jonathan Sumner, Cary Dowse, Laura Jones, Sarah Talley, Charles Eidson, Rusty Jones, Debbie Tubbs, Janice Evans, Emily Mortonson, Abby Waller, Brenda Freeman, Becky Mullican, Cindy Waller, Lynn Hall, Carole Nelson, Dave Young, Erin Halter, Reese Nelson, Mary Young, Heather Halter. Angels: Anna Beth Barry, Heather Dorsey, Medley Perry, Lena Sumner, Mae Cook, Mary Grace Fricks, Sadie Rickert, Addyson Dorsey, Margaret Perry, Caroline Smothers. Children of Jerusalem: Smith Barnes, Liam Dazey, Sawyer Moore, Claire Barry, Olivia DeCesare, Riley Parten, Leah Barry, Finley Dove, Austin Rodgers, Maggie Barry, Brooklyn Garrett, Logan Rodgers, Ellie Cowart, Kaimon Greer, Dawson Talley, Hansen Cowart, David Lincoln, Carson Tillman, Julia Cowart, Mae Lincoln, Jackson Weathers, Luke Cowart, Paxton Mooneyham, Maci Weathers, Zach Cowart, Davis Moore.

Ministry Team: Kathy Wright, Jamie Bone, Jessie Dorsey, Jennier Eidson, Pati Ruane, Laine Bellinger, Gunner Chancey, Brooks Mooneyham, Eddy Castellanos, Heather Dorsey, Patrick Carlson, Lynn Yost, Lindsey Garrett, Aarti Covington, Heather Halter, Mary Scott Lincoln, Debbie Towson, Debbie Towson, Melody Belflower, Brooke Boruff, Jack Cook, Tommy McNeal, Kevin Ruane, Kenneth Strickland, Beth Owens, Elton Cowart, Victoria Mooneyham, Lindsey Moore, Sylvia Tart, Rick Bellinger, Bobby Scott, Brad Folsom, Terry Hiers, Matt Dorsey, Jessie Dorsey, Morgan Croft, John Halter, Victoria Mooneyham.