NATCHEZ &8212; A drama presented in two parts Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. at Pilgrim Baptist Church will portray the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

&8220;Passion of the Cross,&8221; produced by Vickie Green of the Pilgrim Drama Ministry, will feature more than 60 performers who have rehearsed since February.

&8220;About 95 percent of the players are amateurs,&8221; Green said. &8220;But they are awesome. This is the best group I&8217;ve worked with.&8221;

With music, special effects and theatrical lighting, the play will surprise and thrill the audience, Green said.

&8220;But the best part for me is being involved with these Christian people. We love the fellowship with one another. We pray before we start and when we finish,&8221; she said.

The cast includes some actors and singers from other churches. Willie Minor, a member of Antioch Baptist Church, is one.

Well-known for his singing talent, Minor will only act in this drama, he said.

&8220;I know it&8217;s unusual for me not to be singing,&8221; he said. &8220;I play the part of Caiaphas.&8221;

Minor said the experience of performing in &8220;Passion of the Cross&8221; is inspiring for the cast.

&8220;We&8217;re exhilarated, excited and self-satisfied at being able to do it,&8221; he said. &8220;It&8217;s taken a lot of time and hard work. And people of all ages are working together. It creates a close-knit Christian community.&8221;

Pilgrim players introduced the play in 2005 for the first time. The 2006 production includes some new scenes, new music and new dramatic techniques, Green said.

Some others featured in the play are Gary Stewart as Jesus, Edwin Green as Satan, Dan Williams as Judas, Ernest Cade as John the Baptist and Bill Hammitte as the Denomic Man.

The long hours and hard work will be well worth the sacrifice, Green said. &8220;We believe that if we can win just one soul through this play, all the work will not be in vain.&8221;

The play is open to all the community, Green said. There is no admission charge. Pilgrim Baptist Church is at 117 Wilson Road. The phone number is 601-442-5767.