York Mystery Plays and the YMPST

Supporting and maintaining the community tradition of the Mystery Plays in the city of York.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Find out more about the YMPST, its goals and what it has achieved so far.

Discover the benefits of membership and how you can join the YMPST.

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