NET Playhouse; 181; Jesus: A Passion Play for Americans; Act II
- Transcript
You know. It. You. The high priest then questioned Jesus and His disciples about his doctrines. Jesus answered.
I spoke openly to the world I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple and in secret have I said nothing. Why ask me ask them which hurt me what I have said. But they know the answer is God the high priest so. If if I have spoken evil. Bear witness to that evil. But if well why smite it got me. I had joined the by the living God that thou tell us whether that be is the Christ the Son of God. Just said.
Nevertheless I say unto you you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of God and coming on the clouds of heaven. He had spoken blasphemy. What further need have we of witnesses. Behold now you have heard the blasphemy. What think you is guilty of death. Crucify him. Crucify him. Save those still save myself crucified. Saved myself crucified save myself kill him guilty crucify him. Who. He's guilty he's guilty. Guilty. Daoist also with Jesus of Galilee. I know not what I was saying it's just that it was also a Jesus of
Nazareth. I do not know the man. Surely there are also one of them for thy speech betray a thief I know not the man. Oh. Then Judas would have betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned. Went again to the chief priests and elders and said unto them I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. What is that to us. She is out for that. And he threw down the thirty pieces of silver in the temple. And the chief priest took up the thirty pieces saying it is not lawful for us to put them in the treasury for they are the price of blood. And they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field to bury strangers in.
Wherefore that field was called The Field of Blood. To this day then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet saying. And they took the thirty pieces for the price of Him who was valued whom they of the children of Israel did value and gave them for the potter's field. As the Lord appointed me and Judas went and hanged himself. Think not the time come to send peace on earth. I come not to send peace but a short. For I am come to set a man. At variance against his
father. And the daughter against her mother. And the daughter in law against her mother. And demands for should be they of his own house. Why don't you there shivering against us man. We found this fellow perverting the nation. And for bidding to give tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ a king. If he were not a malefactor we would not have brought him onto you. Take human judgement according to the laws. It is not lawful for us to kill any man. I thought I was a king of the Jews. So yes that is thing that I said.
To the others. Do you. Mind you. Finding Nations chief priests have delivered the UN to me. One of them done. My kingdom is not of this. If my kingdom were of this world soon with myself and such. But my kingdom is not from him but going to King. Well say that I am. About to descend was. In for this cause was I brought into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth. What is truth. Truth is of if. Is that not true. She is told they would speak the truth and judge you.
I find. The people. Teaching through our own jury from them to this place. When pilot heard of Galilee he asked. Whether the man was a Galilean. And as soon as he heard that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction. Sent him to Harris who himself was also a jurist at that time. Why don't you.
Sure. Why don't you. And then I did. How. And a new. One. Why do I. Have nothing to do that just. For I have suffered many things and stay in a dream
because of him. You have brought this man on to me as one of the votes of people. And behold I having examined him before you. I found no fault in this man touching those things where all of you accuse him. A lot of sand you want to hear. And nothing worthy of death has been done by him I will therefore chastise him. And release him. Will you here I show release unto you the
king of the Jews. Now that feast you released onto them one prisoner or whomsoever they desired and there was one name or rabbits which lay bound with them that made insurrection with him who had committed murder in the insurrection. But the chief priest moved the people that he should rather release but rob us on to them and they all cried out at once saying oh away with this man and release unto after Rafa's What will you then that I shall do unto him who is called the king of the Jews. And they cried out crucified him. Why do you all have it done. And they cried out the more exceedingly crucify him. I am innocent of the blood of this just person. Behold
I bring him forth on to you that you may know that I find no fault in him. You hold a mine. When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him they cried out saying Away with him crucify him take ye him and crucify him. For I find no fault in him. We have a law and by our law he ought to die for he has made himself the Son of God. Whence art thou. Speaking style not known to me nor a stone not but I have power to crucify the I have power to least. Couldst have no power at all over me except it would
given the from above. Therefore he that hath delivered me hath a great o see. If thou let us this merry go. Then thou art not Caesar's friend. Whosoever make it themself a King speak a thing against Caesar. Behold your kidding. But they cried out away with him crucify him crucify your kidding. We have no king but Caesar. Daughters of Jerusalem. Not for me but to yourself
and for your children. For behold the days are coming when the which they shall say lessen the barren the wombs that never appear. And the paps that never keeps up. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains and to the hills Cover us. What if they didn't seize the green tree. What shall be done in the draw. Father forgive them. For they know not what they do. The song was alright. All of us who love Stalin knew they. Couldn't read. MLF now you will be
Jesus of Nazareth. He. Writes not the king of the Jews but that he said I am king of the Jews. What I have written. I have written. Saved by self and us. God.
Knowledge in the same condemnation. And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man has done nothing. Lord. Remember me when the calmest into the kingdom. I say unto you. Today there should be with me. Right. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother. And his mother's sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by him. He saith under her. Womb. Then say a disciple. Behold dynamite and from that hour that disciple took her into his own home. Oh.
My God. My God. Why hast thou forsaken. A. Way. Why
why. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 men. Why don't we. Take a. Woman. Why don't we. Give them a home where they marry. Do not touch me for I have not yet ascended to my father
but go out to my brother and say I stand to my father and to you. And I'm to my God and your God. I am with you always. Even unto the end.
Of the world. Sure.
Oh. Oh. Read through. The.
Speech. It's at. Home. This isn't any cheap public television network. To me.
- Series
- NET Playhouse
- Episode Number
- 181
- Segment
- Act II
- Producing Organization
- WGBH Educational Foundation
- National Educational Television and Radio Center
- Contributing Organization
- WGBH (Boston, Massachusetts)
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip-15-11kh1hrw
- NOLA Code
- GLEV
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip-15-11kh1hrw).
- Description
- Episode Description
- This passion play, based on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John depicts events in the life of Christ, including the crucifixion and the resurrection. The play written and directed by Tim Mayer, draws most of its dialogue from the King James Bible, but is performed in causal modern dress, accompanied by blues music, and set in the ghostly corridors of an abandoned warehouse in Boston to achieve special effects. Much of Peter Ivers' music and lyrics is recorded on a disc titled "Knight of the Blue Commission" on the Epic label. The performers are young professional actors and drama students. The role of Christ is played by Andreas Teuber "a young actor with a strong, sensitive face and rich voice who ... brought intelligence and sensitivity to the role," according to the New York Times. Other important parts are played by Laura Esterman as Mary Magdalene, Steve Kaplan as Lazarus, and Asha Puthil, a young actress from India, as Salome. NET Playhouse - "Jesus, A Passion Play for Americans" is an NET production, produced through the facilities of WGBH, Boston. This aired as NET Playhouse episode 181 as part 5 of the A Generation of Leaves sub-series on March 19, 1970, as NET Playhouse episode 234 on April 8, 1971, and on March 3, 1972. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche)
- Series Description
- This is an eight-part sub-series of plays titled A Generation of Leaves. It was announced by Jac Vanza, executive producer of NET Playhouse. The weekly series includes original commissions, presentations by such distinguished American authors as Marya Mannes and Thornton Wilder, productions from NET affiliate stations, and the pick of foreign television programs focusing on this theme. "There is a consistency of theme in these dramas from a wide variety of sources," says Venza. "The younger generation questions its inheritance, the older generation questions the values of the younger generation and herein lies the communications gap. Which is, by the way, nothing new." Its central theme is the seemingly world-wide breach between youth and elders. The title is derived from Homers Iliad, Book VI: "A generation of men is like a generation of leaves: the wind scatters some leaves upon the ground, while others the burgeoning wood brings forth and the season of spring comes on. So of men one generation ceases and another springs forth." A Generation of Leaves opens February 19th with America, Inc., an NET-commissioned work produced at WGBH-TV, Boston, with a highly experimental format; includes two one-act plays by Thornton Wilder, dramas from the Canadian Broadcasting corporation, the British Broadcasting Corporation, north German Television and WQED, Pittsburgh; and concludes in April with NETs production of They, a TV adaptation by Marya Mannes of her novel dramatizing a near future ruled by the young. Some of the plays in this series can be described as off-beat or experimental while other are conventional dramas. The sub-series aired under the NET Playhouse series as episode numbers 177-184. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche)
- Broadcast Date
- 1971-04-08
- Broadcast Date
- 1970-03-19
- Broadcast Date
- 1972-03-03
- Asset type
- Episode
- Genres
- Drama
- Media type
- Moving Image
- Duration
- 00:34:10
- Credits
-
-
Actor:
Puthli, Asha
Actor: Teuber, Andreas
Actor: Kaplan, Steve
Actor: Esterman, Laura
Composer: Ivers, Peter
Director: Mayer, Tim
Executive Producer: Venza, Jac
Producer: Sarson, Christopher
Producing Organization: WGBH Educational Foundation
Producing Organization: National Educational Television and Radio Center
Writer: Mayer, Tim
- AAPB Contributor Holdings
-
WGBH
Identifier: cpb-aacip-fa82f106b91 (Filename)
Format: Betacam
Generation: Master
If you have a copy of this asset and would like us to add it to our catalog, please contact us.
- Citations
- Chicago: “NET Playhouse; 181; Jesus: A Passion Play for Americans; Act II,” 1971-04-08, WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed June 4, 2026, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-11kh1hrw.
- MLA: “NET Playhouse; 181; Jesus: A Passion Play for Americans; Act II.” 1971-04-08. WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. June 4, 2026. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-11kh1hrw>.
- APA: NET Playhouse; 181; Jesus: A Passion Play for Americans; Act II. Boston, MA: WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-11kh1hrw