Artists denounce that the Passion of Christ reenactment in João Pessoa has higher fees for actors from Globo (a major Brazilian television network).

By Cida Alves, from Brasil de Fato - The Paraíba Theatre Forum released, this Thursday (6), a note of repudiation against the process of hiring artists for the staging of the Passion of Christ 2023. According to the note, there is a discrepancy in the fees paid to artists from outside and to local artists.

Caio Ceragioli, a theater director and member of the Forum, explains that Mayor Cícero Lucena's (PP) administration has been lacking in its relationship with the capital's artists.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg. The issue is that Mayor Cícero has been acting with considerable devaluation of artists and public policy. They launched a call for bids to hire actors and actresses for the Passion of Christ with very small amounts, from R$ 2.500 to R$ 5.000, and at the same time announced the hiring of an actor and an actress from outside the city, Erika Januza and Henri Castelli, with fees of R$ 50 and R$ 64 respectively, which is a huge discrepancy in values," he comments.

The call for proposals for the Passion of Christ was the first one reissued after more than two years. Titled Passion of Christ - A Musical of LifeThe show features a script by Everaldo Vasconcelos, direction by Edilson Alves, assistance by José Maciel, musical direction by Rogério Borges, and a cast of 40 actors/actresses, 15 musicians, 20 dancers, and 40 technicians.

Caio also points out that the local artists have been rehearsing for two months, while the guest actors only arrived this Thursday (5), the day of the show's premiere. "So the two will be here for a few days and with few rehearsals, and they are people who are getting the biggest slice of this pie," comments Caio.

The note draws attention to the issue of race and ethnicity: "Also aligning with identity politics, Black artists must question this reproduction of a white Jesus Christ image, and this is a structure that only reproduces structural racism," emphasizes Caio.

Different dressing room structures

Some photos have been privately sent to the Forum showing the difference in treatment in the dressing rooms of guest actors and local actors. While Érica and Henri received a snack in a more relaxed style... coffee break With bread rolls, savory snacks, pâté, and juices, the local artists received only a bread roll with cream and a small box of grape juice.

"We hope that there will be a greater awareness in society as a whole and among those in management to truly value theatrical artistic work and art as a whole. This case of the Passion of Christ is not an isolated incident. It follows the same pattern as what happened during Carnival regarding the payment of R$ 1 million to a samba school in São Paulo, while the local groups of the Traditional Carnival didn't even receive 10% of that. They even received it at the last minute, with little time to prepare, making it difficult to even add documents during the appeals process."

Actor Tardelly Lima commented on the situation on Instagram. "I can just imagine what the meeting was like: 'What if we brought so-and-so to play Jesus?' - 'Oh my god, I remember him being amazing in that soap opera! Let's bring him, I'm dying to take a picture with him!' END OF MEETING."

With free admission, the show takes place at the Church of São Francisco (São Francisco Cultural Center), in downtown João Pessoa, at 19 pm. There will be six sessions until Sunday, the times are:

• Friday (07/04), two sessions, one at 18pm and the other at 20:30pm

• Saturday (08/04), two sessions, one at 18pm and the other at 20:30pm

• Sunday (09/04) at 19pm

O Brazil of Fact He tried to contact Funjope via email and telephone, but received no response.

Read the Statement of Repudiation  

Statement of Repudiation to the municipal administration of João Pessoa regarding the process of staging the Passion of Christ 2023.

The João Pessoa/PB Theater Forum and the Paraíba Circus Forum express their total repudiation of the process of staging the 2023 Passion of Christ by the current municipal administration, represented by the João Pessoa Cultural Foundation (FUNJOPE), which demonstrates a complete devaluation of local artists.

The production, which since last year has excluded the selection of playwrights and directors from public calls for proposals (roles now chosen by invitation), presents disproportionate values ​​in the remuneration of the artists. The table of values ​​for the local cast follows:

Conversely, the production features the hiring of 2 guest artists (for the roles of Jesus and Mary) with fees ranging from 1000% to 2560% higher than the amounts that will be paid to local artists, demonstrating the total devaluation of local workers, especially actors and actresses, who are capable of taking on these roles without any artistic detriment or receiving proportional compensation. 

The "justification" presented by FUNJOPE for paying high sums to the two invited artists is that the prices are "compatible" and "practiced in the market," illustrating the total discrepancy with what is practiced in the local scene. It is worth noting that rehearsals have already begun and, for the local artists, the production process will take almost two months. 

However, the guest artists arrived only days before the performances, making the situation even more discrepant and inconsistent with the collective perspective of theatrical practice and with the conditions for valuing our artistic working class. It is important to emphasize that the guest artists will also receive travel, food, and accommodation expenses, as well as an extra dressing room (separate from the local artists), conditions that are not guaranteed to local artists and that would contribute to the better exercise of their craft. These conditions, therefore, when restricted to the guests, constitute privileges. 

Another point is the distortion of the inclusion of ethnic-racial themes made by the director of FUNJOPE when citing the invitation of a Black actress to play one of the main characters (Maria). We know that the debate and confrontation of racism is not solely based on the discourse of "representation." Understanding racism as a structural and structuring practice of social relations and institutions in Brazil, we must combat it in an objective and material way (UNESCO, 2005). In this sense, we question the difference between the amounts paid to the invited actors and to the actors/actresses from the local scene selected through a public notice with racial quotas. Furthermore, exalting the archetype of a "Black Mary" and a "White Jesus Christ," instead of prompting reflection on inequalities, reinforces the deception of Brazilian racial democracy and does a disservice to the local and national anti-racist struggle. Finally, it is important to point out that the "Passion of Christ" performances held in the neighborhoods of the capital, a movement that also highlights the diversity of productions, decentralization, and reach of our cultural productions, received a total of R$10.000,00 per group from FUNJOPE, that is, a value 1140% lower than what will be paid only to the 2 invited artists.

Given the context presented, the total lack of commitment from the current administration, especially FUNJOPE (responsible for the Passion of Christ in the capital of Paraíba), to the artistic community of João Pessoa, already weakened after the numerous difficulties faced in recent years due to the social isolation measures triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, becomes evident. By publicly expressing our discontent with such devaluation, whether in relation to the differentiation of contract types, the discrepancy between values, and the regression to archaic structures, we call attention to the urgent need for a change in the attitude of public bodies regarding investment, contracting, and cultural public policies for the sector. We are professionals and we demand respect and dignified working conditions!