The Promise is a musical drama with a book by Jan Dargatz (with additional dialogue by Chuck King) and lyrics and music by various songwriters (several arranged by Gary Rhodes and also by current Director Chuck King) based on biblical texts. The musical follows the life of Jesus Christ, including his birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. The musical score is in the style of Christian pop music.
The piece was originally performed outdoors and originated in 1989 in Glen Rose, Texas, where it was performed on a large scale each year until Somervell County sold the amphitheater and the production was forced to look for a new location. The Promise is currently performed in Willow Park, Texas in the auditorium of Willow Park Baptist Church. The work has enjoyed a number of other productions in the United States and around the world.
Background Outdoor religious dramas such as passion plays have a long tradition. In 1633, the residents of Oberammergau, Germany vowed to continue presenting their local passion play every ten years as a vow to God in return for being spared from the plague. The United States has had passion plays for over three quarters of a century. These have included The Black Hills Passion Play in Spearfish, South Dakota and The Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.Summary of American outdoor passion plays
In 1984, Dargatz and Rhodes began to develop The Promise in cooperation with Word Music, Inc. and Kingdom Development Company, making way for a new type of passion play that effectively blended Christian popular music with the timeless story of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Production history This original version of The Promise opened in November 1989 in Glen Rose, Texas.
The Texas Production With scenic design by Peter Wolf of Dallas, Texas created to take advantage of the rolling hills near Glen Rose as a backdrop, the musical was originally produced outdoors on a large scale each summer at the Texas Amphitheatre and is still performed from September until November annually. The Texas Amphitheater was constructed as a joint venture with Somervell County - the land was donated by The Kingdom Foundation (founders of The Promise), and the county built the amphitheater with The Promise as its featured tenant. The Texas Amphitheater featured a Greco-Roman set with arches and a six-story archway towering over a 65 x tri-level stage. There are approximately 3,200 units of stadium seating in the amphitheater. A moat separated the stage and the seats, and during the show, the moat was used as a proxy for the Jordan River at times, and the Sea of Galilee at others. It also boasted a rain curtain which adds dramatic effect during the storm scene. The cast exceeds 125 actors and includes live animals such as donkeys, sheep, horses, doves, and camels.Olsson, Karen. The Glen Rose Cycle: Jesus, dinosaurs, and the resurrection of the musical in tourist-happy Somervell County, The Texas Observer, July 6, 2001 In 2015, at the conclusion of the original lease agreement, Somervell County was no longer interested in maintaining the Texas Amphitheater, and had turned most of its attention and resources to the Somervell County Expo. The Promise was able to negotiate a new lease, assuming operational control and responsibility for all maintenance of the facility while the county retained ownership.
In 2017, the narration of the story (as performed in Glen Rose, Texas) was significantly altered to tell the story of Jesus through the eyes of a first-century Jewish family, rather than a grandfather and his grandchildren from modern-day Texas. Additionally, the choice was made to update (or replace) songs that would sound dated to a contemporary audience. Chuck King contributed the majority of the updates to script and music. The first edition of the updated show was subtitled: The Promise: Son of David, but in ensuing years has continued to be billed simply as The Promise. As the show continues, minor edits are often made for each season, and new songs continue to be added (most recently "This is Now," sung by Peter after his betrayal, written by Joshua Lee). Since the beginning of the 2020s, The Promise has expanded its offerings to include The Promise of Passover and The Promise of Christmas. The Promise of Passover, running annually on weekends leading up to Easter, tells the story of Passion Week as narrated by Bartimaeus the blind man. The Promise of Christmas, which runs in December, tells the story of Mary and Joseph, as well as Elizabeth and Zechariah as they await the coming of the Promised One.
In 2024, as long-deferred capitol improvements and updates to the Texas Amphitheater became more apparent, The Promise approached Somervell County about purchasing the Amphitheater, and the county commissioners agreed to list it for public bidding. Despite The Promise submitting the only bid, the offer was deemed too low, and the county re-listed the property for sale. During the next bidding period, an investment group outbid The Promise and purchased the facility in November 2024, also purchasing the Expo Center from the county shortly thereafter. Negotiations with the new ownership proved unsuccessful in spring of 2025, and The Promise was forced to seek a new production venue. After pursuing other options, an agreement was reached with Willow Park Baptist Church in Willow Park, Texas to host The Promise's productions through 2027. The 2026 fall season of The Promise in Willow Park will mark the 38th year of The Promise, and the third show at the Willow Park venue. This year's productions are directed by John Wilkerson.
Synopsis of The Promise (Currently running every Fall season) Based on the 2024 Glen Rose production. Note: Songs labelled with § have been added to the Glen Rose production since the original production.
Prologue
A young shepherd boy, Reuben, appears looking frantically for his sheep and encounters Chaya the shepherdess who tells him of David tending flocks in the same fields. She assists him in finding his sheep through song ("Psalm 23") Act I A mother and daughter, Tirzah and Abigail, prepare dinner for father and son, Reuben and Ephram, who are returning from a long day tending their herds in the fields, while the young boy Caleb rests on a bed, he is crippled. After family greetings and excited talk of the upcoming Passover the mealtime prayer and Sabbath evokes questions about Gods covenant and Reuben explains its like a promise. Like the promise God made to send the Messiah. ("A Promise Is a Promise")
The lighting then shifts to revel on the main stage the prophets of the Old Testament, who are foretelling the coming of Christ. Reuben continues to narrate the telling of the story from the family home in a small upper room located off the main stage that is illuminated only during those parts. The Archangel Gabriel announces the birth of baby Jesus, and shepherds and three Magi travel to Bethlehem to worship Him ("Saviour"). At this point the Nativity is revealed Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in the manger ("Son of God"§). The townspeople and children gather singing their praise to the newborn king. Reuben rushes to confirm the saviours arrival.
Reuben explains to the children that Herod decreed that all male babies in Bethlehem under the age of two must be massacred, but just in time, an angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt with baby Jesus. After Herod dies, the angel directs them back to Nazareth, where Jesus grows up but it is not long before his parents find him teaching in the Temple. ("Sh'ma Israel"§)
Jesus grows up, and his cousin, John the Baptist, calls for sinners to repent and be baptized in the Jordan River ("The Kingdom of Heaven/One Voice"§). Jesus comes to John to be baptized, and though John bows before Jesus and insists that it is not right for him to baptize Jesus, Jesus asks him to permit it so they may do what is right in God's eyes. John baptizes Jesus, and the Spirit of God descends on him. Satan leads Jesus out into the wilderness and tempts him, but Jesus does not succumb to his temptation ("It is Written"§). Back in Galilee, Jesus calls four fishermen – Peter, James, John, and Andrew – to be his first disciples. Amazed by a miraculous catch of fish, they declare that he must be the coming king ("Fishers of Men"§).
Jesus calls twelve disciples and begins teaching the common people the Beatitudes, explaining his love for them ("Come Unto Me"§). Caiaphas and the Pharisees enter and accuse Jesus of being a false Messiah and of blasphemy for violating the sabbath. As they leave the crowd ask Jesus to teach them how to pray and he does (The Lords Prayer"§).
Jesus meets with Nicodemus and explains to him that to enter heaven one must be born again. He teaches him the meaning of redemption through repentance. In the next scene The apostles sing and dance, telling the crowds "He Is Jehovah" but as they cross the Jordan a great storm suddenly sets in and they fear they will perish and call out to Jesus who calms the sea.
Jesus heals the blind, A woman with the issue of blood("The hem of his garment"§), Ruben's lame son, casts the demons out from a man and raises a child from the dead in the marketplace . ("Hem of his garment" (reprise)).
Act II Jesus and his disciples make his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as the crowds celebrate and lay palm branches before him ("Hoshianah"§). When Jesus arrives at the Temple, he finds money changers selling animals for temple sacrifices, turning the Temple into a place of business. He angrily overturns their tables and confronts Caiaphas, the High priest ("My Father's Temple"§).
Jesus and His disciples meet in an upper room to celebrate the Passover, and he gives them some of his final teachings, assuring them that His spirit and His peace will always be with them ("Shalom"). Judas leaves the table to betray Jesus to the priests and Pharisees. Jesus predicts that all his disciples will fall away, but Peter insists that he will never leave Jesus. Jesus warns him that before the rooster crows, he will deny Jesus three times. Jesus and the rest of His disciples go into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray ("He Is Jehovah" (reprise)). The disciples fall asleep. Jesus begs God to take away the suffering he will endure, but then asks that God's will be done so that God may be glorified ("Glorify Your Son"§). The disciples awaken as Judas returns with some Roman soldiers. Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss, and the soldiers arrest him and lead him away.
As Jesus is awaiting His trial, three people recognize Peter as one of Jesus' followers. Peter repeatedly denies even knowing Jesus, and a rooster crows. Peter is overcome by his guilt and asks God for forgiveness, dedicating his life to God ("This is Now"§). Jesus is put on trial before Herod and then Pontius Pilate, who initially refuses to condemn Him, since He had committed no crime. During these trials, Jesus is whipped, and a crown of thorns is placed on his head. An angry mob insists that Pilate "Let Him Be Crucified", and Pilate turns him over to the rioters and the Roman soldiers. The soldiers lead him along the "Via Dolorosa" to Calvary, a hill outside the city, to be crucified. The soldiers beat and mock Jesus as he carries his cross, while his followers mourn. Jesus is nailed to the cross, and the soldiers cast lots for his robe ("Cross of Calvary"). Jesus tells his mother, Mary, that the apostle John is now her son. He cries out to God, "Abba, Father, why have you forsaken me?" and then gasps, "it is finished."