Lights, camera, action.
Mr. Qualk, a spry teacher at Bethel Park High School, stepped into the limelight over the spring break. Mr. Qualk starred in a lead role in a play called God’s Masterpiece. Mr. Qualk’s ambidexterity emerged as he proved he can juggle both acting and teaching.
In Coal Center, PA, a small, quaint town along the Monongahela River, Qualk starred in the Passion play at Grace United Methodist Church on the nights of March 27, 28, and 29. Qualk personified a noteworthy character within the Christian community – Jesus Christ.
“The play’s plot spans 6 days from Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to his crucifixion and death on ‘Good’ Friday,” Qualk said.
“This is my 15th year playing Jesus in this Passion play and the 16th year for the Passion play at my church (Grace United Methodist, Coal Center, PA),” Qualk said. “The play started in 1997 and I first performed in 1998 (we have only missed 1 year). I was asked to play the role after the ‘initial Jesus’ broke his arm in a car wreck around Christmas. The play started out in 1997 as an Easter Cantata. Ironically, I have never seen a performance.”
That year Qualk was a senior in college. When he returned home from Easter break, the entire parish congratulated him and told him how his performance showed sheer talent; they all told him that he had to see it. Of course, he was in the play the next year. Mr. Qualk’s legacy continues to billow through his God-given talent of acting, as he has continued to churn on in this play for 15 years. And, this won’t be the last performance either.
To emulate his character to the fullest, Qualk grows a scruffy beard and grows his hair out right after Christmas. Earlier in the year, Qualk joked that his beard, by the end of March, would look like Mr. Smock’s beard – a thick “bird’s nest.”
Between school and family, Mr. Qualk would never have enough time in the day to show up at every single rehearsal.
Qualk said,”I could definitely not make all the practices, rehearsals and performances without my wife’s selfless support.”
Not only does Mr. Qualk star in the Passion play, but most of his family does as well. Coupled with Qualk is most of his family.
“My sons and nephew are in the choir, my brother plays disciple Peter, my two sisters are in the adult choir, my mother works behind the scenes and my father is an usher,” he said. The only two people that are not in the play within his immediate family are his wife and 4-year-old daughter.
After spring break, Mr. Qualk comes back transformed, as his wife determines his haircut’s fate.
