Photos by Eric Parsons / Star staff Actors playing Roman soldiers in Oxnard's Good Friday Passion play shove men playing thieves toward a crucifixion scene. The event, held in the La Colonia neighborhood, drew hundreds of spectators.

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Crowds gathered in the streets of the La Colonia neighborhood to watch a passion play in Oxnard.
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It started as a dream.

Richard Zavala remembers a voice calling out to him in his sleep, urging him to take part in this year's dramatic re-enactment in Oxnard of the trial, torture and death of Jesus Christ.

The 52-year-old Oxnard man sports a beard and longish hair, just like the play's protagonist. He decided he'd try to get the role of Christ in Friday's Passion play.

"Everyone tells me I look like him," said Zavala as he stood inside the courtyard of an Oxnard church with dozens of other actors Friday.

But the casting director chose someone else to play Christ. Zavala had to content himself with playing the part of a Roman sentry.

Although he didn't get the main role, Zavala said he was "still happy to be taking part in this year's production."

As he spoke, Martin Hernandez urged the actors playing Roman sentries to look tough when they walked out to the crowd waiting outside. "If somebody pushes you, push back, show some strength," said Hernandez.

The actors were admonished not to wear any jewelry or other article associated with the modern age. "Remember, this is something that happened thousands of years ago," Hernandez told them.

Maria Escobar, who's acted in the annual Good Friday production for more than 20 years, is happy no matter what role she gets.

"Just being in this play gives me the chance to show my faith," said Escobar, who played a member of the crowd demanding Christ's crucifixion.

"It's not easy to represent one of the bad people," she said.

At noon, Escobar and the other actors walked out to the hundreds of faithful lined up along Cooper Road in front of Christ the King Church for the Passion play.

As in all the productions, Roman governor Pontius Pilate never finds Christ guilty of anything. He nevertheless hands Christ over to be crucified rather than face a riot by a crowd demanding his death.

Christ, played by Javier Flores this year, lugged his 80-pound-plus cross down Cooper Road. He then turned north on Juanita Avenue for the final leg of a half-mile walk to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.

A contingent of Oxnard police officers, some on motorcycles, accompanied the procession.

"Kill him! Crucify him!" some in the crowd yelled as Christ walked the route. A pickup truck led the procession as mournful music blared from the back.

Once at Our Lady of Guadalupe, Christ and the two thieves accompanying him were taken to a large grassy field in the back. They were then placed on crosses and lifted up for all to see.