York Mystery Plays and the YMPST
Keeping the story alive
Supporting and maintaining the community tradition of the Mystery Plays in the city of York.
The History of
York Mystery Plays
The York Mystery Plays are a cycle of 48 pageants (individual plays) covering biblical events from Creation to the Last Judgement. Other Mystery Play cycles exist but York stands out as having the most complete.
Recent York Mystery
Plays Productions
Resurrection for York took place on 3 & 4 July 2021 in Resident’s Garden, Dean’s Park, York. This was a community, outdoor, production between the Trust, York Festival Trust and York Minster. It was staged on two wagons, in an enclosed area, in order to meet current national guidelines.
YMPST Mystery
Plays Productions
The Trust staged the first of its own productions , the Entry to Jerusalem directed by Simon Tompsett , as part of the Wagon Play pageant of 2014. In 2018, again took part in the Waggon Play cycle with the Harrowing of Hell, directed by Ben Prusiner.
A Resurrection for York
Live theatre came back in July with a community production from the York Mystery Plays cycle
We brought an outdoor production from York’s Mystery Play cycle to the City on 3 & 4 July. Philip Parr directed a cast of community actors and musicians in an hour-long production, which looked at the experience of people after the crucifixion of Christ. The production moved us from terror and suffering to one of hope for a brighter future – reflecting the feelings of a society affected by the pandemic. ‘Hope’ was the key theme.
The play took place in the Resident’s Garden adjoining Dean’s Park at York Minster and was the result of a three-way partnership between York Festival Trust, York Minster and York Mystery Plays Supporters Trust.
A film of the production is available now on YouTube
Read about the plans, the play, the crew and the cast in this 8-page guide
The York Mystery Plays Supporters Trust
YMPST was set up after the 2012 York Mystery Plays in Museum Gardens. We are a charitable incorporated organisation which exists to advance the education of the public in the medieval Mystery Plays of York.
The YMPST
Find out more about the YMPST, its goals and what it has achieved so far.
Join the YMPST
Discover the benefits of membership and how you can join the YMPST.
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