Last Supper Drama to be presented March 28 at Detroit Lakes' Trinity Lutheran Church

DETROIT LAKES

— On Thursday, March 28 — the day known by Christians around the world as Maundy Thursday — the congregation of Trinity Lutheran Church in Detroit Lakes will be bringing to life the events depicted in one of the most famous paintings of all time — Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.”

Since its beginnings in the early 1990s, the Last Supper Drama has been a triennial event for the Trinity congregation — until 2021, when COVID-19 restrictions led to its cancellation.

“We used to do it every three years,” says the play’s production manager, Vicki Welke. “But we haven’t had one since 2018.”

Da Vinci’s mural painting, which can be found in the refectory of the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, is based on a Biblical verse, John 13:21. In that verse, Jesus announced that one of his 12 disciples would betray him; the painting specifically portrays the reaction given by each apostle immediately after Jesus’ unexpected statement.

All 12 apostles have different reactions to the news, each displaying varying degrees of anger and shock. In the Trinity Lutheran interpretation, the action unfolds with each of the 12 walking into the church sanctuary and taking their place at the table, forming the exact poses depicted in the painting.

After taking their places, the actors “freeze,” mimicking the poses shown in da Vinci’s painting as closely as possible. The action progresses as each of those 12 apostles is briefly given the spotlight, to discuss their reactions to Jesus’ declaration. When the spotlight lands on one apostle, the other 11 must hold their positions until it is their turn to speak, then resume their pose when they are finished.

“The apostles speak their minds, to themselves, to each other, and to their Lord,” says David Anderson, who plays the role of narrator for this year’s production.

After the sixth apostle speaks, there is an interlude where the audience is treated to a musical performance. This year’s musical interlude will be provided by Anderson as well.

“I’ll be singing ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’” he said.

“He has a wonderful voice,” Welke said, adding that the break between the two acts has traditionally also included communion, for both the apostles and those members of the audience who choose to participate.

“The bread is always fresh-baked,” she said, “and I’ve already purchased the smoked fish (specifically, herring purchased from Morey’s in Motley).”

Of course, there will also be wine served, she added. Following this interlude, the remaining six apostles will each have their individual moment in the spotlight.

Besides Anderson, actors in this year’s production include Tim Hagen (Andrew), Nick Olson (James), Keith Hochgraber (James the Lesser), Tom Vagle (Jesus), Rich Ziegler (Judas Iscariot), Bardie Skjonsberg (Matthew), Pastor Ray Larson (Communion Narrator), Michael Herzog (Nathaniel), Shawn May (Peter), Marty Brietzman (Philip), Charles Landor (Simon the Zealot), Devin Hagen (Thaddeus) and Bill Simmons (Thomas).

The crew includes director Jenny Hagen; light technicians Kyle Kessler, Woody Blasing and Bethany Hagen; makeup artists Denise Cox, Betty Carlisle, Dorothy Hoover and Misha Olson; Jim Velde on sound and video; vocalists Madi Hagen and Lesi Limesand; Tim Miller on setup and take down (with assistance from the 12 disciple actors); and costumers Dotz Johnson and Sheri Gray.

One longtime cast member whose name is notably not on the list is Earl Johnson, who played the role of James the Lesser for many years. Though Johnson died in February, he did play a part in this year’s production.

“The week just before he passed away, he was helping to build some new set pieces,” Welke said, adding that this year’s drama is getting a “fresh look,” with some new set pieces, costuming, and even a few changes that David Johnson, a first-time addition to the cast, has made to the narrative.

He and Marty Brietzman, who is playing Philip for the first time this year, both said that they wanted to be involved after seeing a past production or two at Trinity.

“I took my aunt to see it, and I think I took my mom once,” Breitzman said. It was seeing the show from the congregation side that convinced him he wanted to be involved, he added, and now that he’s retired, he can navigate the time commitment required a bit more easily.

One name that is likely appearing for the last time on the Last Supper cast list is Rich Ziegler, who has played the role of Judas in eight different productions, including this one.

“I want to experience seeing it from the audience,” Ziegler explained, adding that he also feels it’s time for the role to be passed on to the next generation.

It’s a sentiment he shares with Stan Richter, who has played the disciple John multiple times as well. “We should get some type of old-timer’s award,” Richter said jokingly.

“I like the combination of old guys and new guys,” he continued, adding that he remembers one year when one of the disciples was so young he had to use a fake beard (the disciple actors usually grow out their beards naturally for the production).

“This year, our youngest (cast member) is 25,” Welke said, so that shouldn’t be an issue.

Besides growing out their facial hair for a couple of months prior to the performance, the actors are also expected to have their lines fully memorized by the time of the first dress rehearsal, which is usually the Monday before the show.

“We practice Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then the performance is Maundy Thursday,” Welke said.

Richter recalls that he was “a bit nervous” the first time he appeared in the production, because he was the ninth apostle on the list, and worried that he would get so caught up in listening to the other apostles that he wouldn’t remember his own lines when it came to be his turn.

“It does get easier with time,” he said — especially when, as Breitkreutz also pointed out, “the script doesn’t really change.”

At the end of the performance, the disciples silently file out, one by one, while Jesus continues to sit at the table, appearing to contemplate his fate, until the audience has dispersed as well.

“The quietness of the moment; people get moved by that,” Ziegler noted — perhaps because, as Welke pointed out, the audience is also left to contemplate how they, themselves, might have felt in that moment, wondering, “Am I the one to betray him?”

The Last Supper Drama is being presented free of charge and is open to all who would like to attend. But for those who are unable to be there in person, the show will also be streamed live via the church’s website at

trinitylutherandl.org.

Click on the “YouTube TLC Worship” link on the main page, which will take you to the church’s YouTube channel. After the performance, a recording of the live stream will also be available on the same YouTube channel, which is listed under “Trinity Lutheran Church Detroit Lakes.”