The Great Passion Play Shuts Down

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The gates are locked at the Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs after 45 years of showcasing the last days of Jesus Christ’s life with 130 actors and live animals.

Cornerstone Bank in Eureka Springs will soon own the property and intends to sell it.

A decline in attendance in the last few years led to the play’s shutdown, after its producers worked unsuccessfully to keep the long-time tradition open.

“Whether it be gas prices [or] the recession in 2008, attendance hasn’t been that great in the last 5 years. We have had a slow decline in attendance for the last 20 years, and we really thought we would be able to turn it around,” said Kent Butler, spokesperson with Elna M. Smith Foundation.

Since its inception, the Passion Play has been run by the Elna M. Smith Foundation, a non-profit organization.

The play opened in 1968 with 7.6…