WEIRTON — During the 1990s and the early 2000s, “Hosanna! The Rock Opera” was a fixture within the city of Weirton.

It began as a small-scale Easter performance held at St. Paul Church. But soon, it began to grow into a major production, involving many various denominations and a large diverse cast and crew.

Audiences began to grow as well, beginning with only a few hundred people to a couple of thousand individuals, according to officials.

The performance nurtured a message of community, belonging and the sacrifice Christ made for us.

The final performance was given in 2003, ending more than a decade of a shared passion, unity and joy amongst hundreds of community members, officials stated.

Many of those who were involved in the production have felt a sense of loss since the performances ended, they noted, saying people have commented the ending of “Hosanna!” has left them to face a world that seems to offer little respite and comfort to the many afflicted by life’s difficulties.

Because of several sponsors, the show was resurrected in 2023-24. The community came together once again to face today’s challenges in a positive way, spreading the message that in Christ and in each other, we are not alone.

“Doing a production like this is not without costs,” organizers stated, adding the community is being asked to consider joining in the mission to change lives throughout the community by delivering a positive message of love and belonging to those who need it. Help can be given by purchasing ads in the upcoming program or by attending the scheduled performances.

Shows are scheduled to take place March 20, March 21 and March 22; and again on March 27, March 28 and March 29.

All performances will be held at Cove Presbyterian Church, located at 3404 Main St. in Weirton.