The Great Passion Play

What The Great Passion Play does

The Great Passion Play is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 71-0387411) that has operated an outdoor Christian theatrical drama on a 667-acre campus in Eureka Springs, Arkansas since 1968. Its core production is an annual staging of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, featuring 150+ biblically costumed actors, live animals, multi-level sets, and dramatic lighting and sound effects in an open-air amphitheater in the Ozark Mountains. The organization is recognized by the Institute of Outdoor Theatre as America's #1 Attended Outdoor Drama. For the 2026 season, the production has been refreshed with a new original musical score recorded with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra in immersive surround sound, composed by John Stanley.

The organization monetizes through a diversified set of revenue streams: ticket sales for the main play (70 performances per season from Easter weekend through early November) and the Holy Land Tour, plus ancillary on-site operations including a dinner buffet, gift shop (physical and Shopify-based online), camping/RV facilities, and programs such as youth camps, mission trips, and summer internships. Donation campaigns (Save A Seat, Planned Giving, general giving via GivingFuel) are a material component given its nonprofit status. The supporting attraction portfolio includes the 67-foot Christ of the Ozarks statue (open 365 days/year), a full-scale Jerusalem Eastern Gate and Tabernacle replica, Bible Museum, Sacred Arts Museum, Noah's Ark petting zoo, 20 miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, a Berlin Wall section, and a Christmas light display. Digital extensions include Vimeo on-demand streaming, a Virtual Tour of the Holy Land, and a DistroKid-distributed original soundtrack.

The customer base consists primarily of church organizations and religious groups (group bookings, mission trips, youth camps) and individual families and general tourists seeking faith-based or family entertainment in the Ozark region. Marketing is conducted through the company's website, email newsletter, church community networks, regional tourism partnerships (OzTrails NWA, NorthwestArkansas.org, Gospel Station radio), seasonal event promotions, and Vimeo video content. CEO Randall Christy leads the organization, which reports 251-500 employees and is actively operating with 2026 season tickets on sale and international Passion Play productions announced for Italy (2027) and Germany (2030).

Name

The Great Passion Play

Legal name

The Great Passion Play

Website

https://GreatPassionPlay.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Great Passion Play is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating since 1968 an outdoor Christian drama in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, recognized as America's #1 attended outdoor drama, serving church groups, families, and tourists across a 667-acre campus of attractions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Religious Drama & Faith-Based Attractions

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Amusement Parks & Theme Parks (THAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Outdoor drama theater
• Religious attractions
• Faith-based tourism
• Biblical theater productions
• Christian nonprofit ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Eureka Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Performance Tickets: Ticket sales for the Great Passion Play performances (70 shows per season from Easter through early November) and Holy Land Tours. Tickets available through their website with pricing not publicly disclosed.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 71-0387411), the organization accepts tax-deductible donations through various campaigns including Save A Seat Campaign, Planned Giving, and general donations. Light the Christ of the Ozarks memorial program available.
3. Gift Shop and Retail: On-site gift shop open 9:00am-5:00pm daily except Sunday, extended to 8:00pm on performance days. Online gift shop accessible through Shopify at greatpassionplay.myshopify.com. Art sales from Jack Dawson also available.
4. Food Service and Buffet: On-site dinner buffet serving guests before performances and during attractions visits.
5. Accommodations: Camping and RV facilities on the 667-acre property for overnight stays.
6. Special Programs: Revenue from summer internship programs, mission trips, backstage tours, and special events including weddings, car shows, trail runs, and youth camps.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Great Passion Play operates an outdoor amphitheater drama depicting the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, performed by 150+ costumed actors across 70 shows per season (Easter through early November) on a 667-acre Ozark Mountain campus in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The organization supplements the main theatrical production with a portfolio of complementary attractions including the Christ of the Ozarks statue, Holy Land Tour replica, Bible Museum, Sacred Arts Museum, Living Art Experience, Noah's Ark Park, hiking and biking trails, dinner buffet, camping/RV facilities, youth camps, mission trips, and gift shop retail.

Product overview

The Great Passion Play is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a portfolio of theatrical productions, religious attractions, and educational experiences centered on Christian storytelling. The core offering is the outdoor drama performance of The Great Passion Play, America's #1 attended outdoor drama featuring 150+ actors in a 667-acre Ozark Mountain complex. Supporting attractions include the Holy Land Tour (immersive marketplace and Tabernacle replica), Christ of the Ozarks statue, Bible Museum, Sacred Arts Museum, Living Art Experience, Noah's Ark Park, and 20 miles of trails. Additional offerings include back-stage tours, dinner buffet, camping facilities, youth camps, mission trips, and internship programs. The organization also produces international Passion Plays (Italy 2027, Germany 2030) and offers an original theatrical soundtrack. Many attractions operate year-round, with the main play season running from Easter through early November. Online integration through Vimeo (streaming), Shopify (e-commerce), TicketSpice (ticketing), and DistroKid (music) extends the visitor experience digitally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Great Passion Play (Main Performance) America's #1 attended outdoor drama, performed by 150+ biblically costumed actors with live animals, multi-level sets, dramatic lighting and sound effects in an outdoor amphitheater setting; runs 70 shows per season from Easter through early November.
• Holy Land Tour Immersive guided tour through a life-sized replica of Jerusalem's Eastern Gate, an authentic marketplace, cisterns, sheep pens, guard towers, and a full-scale replica of the Tabernacle.
• Christ of the Ozarks Statue
• Tabernacle in the Wilderness
• Bible Museum
• Sacred Arts Museum
• Living Art Experience
• Noah's Ark Park Petting Zoo
• Mountain Bike & Hiking Trails
• Christmas Light Display
• Church in the Grove (Wedding Venue)
• Backstage Tour
• Dinner Buffet
• Camping and RV Facilities
• Gift Shop (On-Site and Online)
• Youth Camps
• Mission Trips
• Summer Internship Program
• International Passion Plays (Italy 2027 / Germany 2030) International productions of the Passion Play story, including the 2027 Italy Passion Play and the 2030 German Passion Play.
• The Original Theatrical Soundtrack Original musical soundtrack composed by John Stanley and performed by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra, available on digital music distribution platforms.
• Church Groups Programs
• Special Events

Quantifiable outcome

• America's #1 Attended Outdoor Drama recognition

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Budapest Scoring OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Recording partnership for the 2026 original theatrical musical score. Budapest Scoring Orchestra recorded the new soundtrack in immersive surround sound for the updated production.
• Gospel StationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio station partner promoting the Great Passion Play through broadcast media and community outreach to religious audiences.
• OzTrails NWAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional trail organization partnership promoting mountain biking and hiking opportunities at the 20-mile trail system on the Passion Play property.
• NorthwestArkansas.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism website partnership promoting the Great Passion Play as a destination attraction in Northwest Arkansas.
• John StanleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComposer of the new original musical score for The Great Passion Play 2026 production, working with Budapest Scoring Orchestra.
• Octagon ProjectminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization facilitating trips to Israel, connected to the Holy Land Tour experience at the Great Passion Play.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Dollywood: Major regional theme park in Pigeon Forge, TN combining theatrical performances, crafts, and themed attractions. Overlaps with Great Passion Play on ticketed live entertainment, family destination positioning, and themed seasonal programming.
• Silver Dollar City: Large regional theme park in Branson, MO featuring theatrical shows, festivals, and themed attractions at substantially greater scale. Comparable as a destination attraction competing for regional tourism dollars in the same general geography.
• Busch Gardens Williamsburg: Large-scale themed destination park combining theatrical shows, themed lands, and live entertainment. Relevant as a broader incumbent demonstrating the operating model of integrating scripted theatrical productions within a multi-attraction destination campus.

Direct peers

• Answers in Genesis: The 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates both the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter, providing a structural peer for governance, donation mechanics, and faith-based destination operating model.
• Creation Museum: A religious-themed educational attraction in Petersburg, KY featuring biblical history exhibits, gardens, and specialty experiences. Comparable to The Great Passion Play's Bible Museum and Sacred Arts Museum as a ticketed, faith-based museum destination.
• Ark Encounter: A religious-themed destination attraction in Williamstown, KY featuring a full-scale Noah's Ark replica plus biblical exhibits. Operates as a ticketed, multi-attraction faith-based campus with comparable thematic positioning to Great Passion Play's Holy Land Tour and Bible Museum.
• Sight & Sound Theatres: Produces large-scale, Bible-themed theatrical productions in Lancaster, PA and Branson, MO with 2,000+ seat venues, cast of dozens, and multi-day run times — the closest direct analogue to The Great Passion Play in scale, format, and faith-based audience.

Others

• Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art: Major art museum located in Bentonville, AR within the same Northwest Arkansas tourism region. Competes indirectly for cultural-tourism visitors and lodging nights in the Eureka Springs/NWA corridor, though its mission and programming are unrelated.
• Thorncrown Chapel: Iconic glass-and-wood chapel located in Eureka Springs, AR, immediately adjacent to The Great Passion Play. An architectural landmark that draws the same religious-tourism foot traffic but does not directly compete for ticket revenue.

Regional players

• Oberammergau Passion Play: Historic decennial Passion Play performed in Oberammergau, Germany since 1634. The most internationally recognized Passion Play production and the conceptual reference point for the Great Passion Play's core offering, though it operates on a very different cadence (every 10 years).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Gr8PassionPlay
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreatPassionPlay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-great-passion-play

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Great Passion Play