Belton, Texas – On Wednesday, March 23, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will host its 77th Annual Easter Pageant. There will be three performances in front of the Luther Memorial arches on Vann Circle Drive at 12:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. Each of these performances is free and open to the public.
UMHB’s Easter Pageant has become a tradition for many Central Texas families. Hundreds of UMHB students and children from the community will participate in the pageant.
Each year Dr. Randy O’Rear, president of UMHB, selects one outstanding student for the honor of portraying Jesus. This casting is based not on acting ability but on a strong Christian faith and attitude. This year Quinton Payton of Tomball, will play Christ. O’Rear also decides which female student will play the role of Mary, mother of Christ. This year, the role went to Brianna Helmer of Harker Heights. The final position selected by O’Rear was that of the pageant’s director, Carissa Araujo of Waxahachie.
Araujo knew that one key to success would be choosing the right assistant directors.
“I knew my first step,” Araujo said. “I spent the whole summer praying about it and thinking about it.”
After much consideration, Araujo offered the positions to Lauren Ribera and Ryan Mitchell of Hurst.
“I didn’t have anyone in mind,” Araujo said. “but when I came back to school, I saw Lauren, and God really just laid her name on my heart.”
“I had thought about [Mitchell] at the beginning, and his name just kept popping up in casual conversations,” Araujo said. “We never crossed paths, but I just kept thinking of him.”
Araujo encouraged Payton and Helmer to cast their own disciples and mourners, respectively. When it came time to fill out the rest of the cast, she held open rehearsals to watch which roles performers might gravitate towards.
Her greatest challenge has been putting the Pageant’s story in a greater context for the cast.
“We always pray that we don’t take the roles that we have lightly,” Araujo said. “We know that this is a big story, and it is not our story. We’re just helping.”
“I want the people who see the Easter Pageant to just see Jesus through it,” Araujo said. “I don’t them to see Quinton playing Jesus or [Brianna] playing Mary. I just want the whole thing to show Jesus.”
The production features many moments from the life and ministry of Christ, including His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, His trial by Pontius Pilate, crucifixion, death, and resurrection. The production will also include musical performances.
The tradition of the annual Easter Pageant at UMHB began in 1940, when it was held during the afternoon on Easter Day. At that time, Mary Hardin-Baylor was an all-female campus, so all of the roles were played by women. Over time, the production expanded to include male students and additional performances during the day.
