inside the village keeping order. They occasionally rob shopkeepers in the name of Caesar. They occasionally arrest a thief or tax evader. Their first priority,however, is keeping the cast and visitors safe throughout the evening.Soldiers, (and any character with a speaking part) must attend a training class provided to learn the details of the time period and people who lived back then. They must park at the school in the designated cast parking, arrive at fellowship hall on time each evening of the event as they are scheduled, and be in costume and ready to head to the city when the first call is made. Costumes not including leather sandals are provided by our costume team. Soldiers scheduled for catwalk duty will head out to the city at this time. As soon as the prayer concludes at the well, a signal will be sent to open the city. Soldiers must maintain a balance between staying in character and not being TOO rude to the visitors. Soldiers must never TOUCH the visitors unless specifically instructed to by a staff member.
Soldiers are not only the most hated men in Bethlehem, but also the most beloved (not counting the Holy Family). They are colorful, noisy, arrogant and rude—yet they secretly represent security for the entire cast. The City of Bethlehem opens when a contingent of soldiers marches past the line and opens the gates. As the soldiers pass through the marketplace, cast members know to get in place.
Throughout the evening, soldiers walk the line, the catwalks, and