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RADIX brings 'The Passion' to Newman Center

By Maggie Burnett
Arizona Daily Wildcat,
March 27, 2000
Talk about this story

Two men brought a new perspective of a 2000-year-old observance to the University of Arizona Friday night with the performance, "The Meditation of the Passion of Christ."

Doug Barry, along with his best friend, composer Eric Genuis, teamed up together in a two-man act known as RADIX. They performed for a sold-out audience of 300, including several teen youth groups, at the Newman Catholic Student Center, 1615 E. Second Ave.

The Newman Center invited RADIX to perform the two-hour play during Lent, the Catholic observance of the 40 days before Jesus Christ's death. Catholics refer to Christ's preparation for death as the Passion.

"It was a different and thought-provoking way to look at the Passion," said education senior Dana Labarry. "This was a neat version compared to the Bible's version."

Barry and Genius said they express their faith and spirituality using a variety of mediums like drama, music, comedy and history.

RADIX opened its performance with more than an hour of comedic and factual information about Catholic teachings. The lights were then dimmed, and Barry began his interpretation of the Passion.

By the end of the performance, Barry was drenched in sweat.

"Once he got started in his performance, it was like he entered another realm," said Erik Trevino, aerospace engineering sophomore. "He was not even in our present state, but had traveled back 2000 years."

Barry said he hoped the audience felt uneasy after his performance - adding that agitation would cause people to be more active in the community.

"We hope and pray everyone leaves very uncomfortable. When we are uncomfortable, we move," he said. "In charity, we hope to make each other uncomfortable."

Because Barry is from Nebraska and Genuis is from Canada, their performances are unscripted and unrehearsed, and the duo does not use props. The improvisational qualities of the performance allow for each to be slightly different.

"The intensity I saw was different from that on the video," said Lisa Joaquim, co-chair of Newman's Peace, Justice and Service Committee, who was responsible for bringing RADIX to Newman. "On the video, all I saw was the Passion. I didn't know they opened with humor."

Since its start eight years ago, RADIX has taken performances on the road and toured the nation, encouraging families to embrace the Catholic faith. Barry said RADIX means "root" in Latin and "radical" in English. In other words, RADIX means "to go to the extreme for something."

"The Meditation of the Passion of Christ" is available on videotape, along with various promotional tapes and clothing sold by RADIX.


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