The theme of the Haunted Barn this year was the French Revolution. The Burning of Jeanne d'Arc was my contribution. I chose this topic for it's parallels to today's political climate. The Burning of Jeanne d'Arc was an example of how the church is used to "execute" the government's dirty deeds. Here is a description of the piece:

As a group entered The Burning of Jeanne d'Arc I would say, "Come witness the burning of Joan of Arc". I was wearing a Friar's monk costume and wig and would restrain Jeanne d'Arc as they entered. Jeanne d'Arc was holding a broken Jesus cross that she prayed to. As they entered, the people could see the burn platform and stake. There was an epistle nailed to the top of the stake written in gothic lettering by the hand of Satan of the gospel church that was going on out back.

After they all entered the room I would say "Joan of Arc, for the crimesof heresy, sorcery and the unspeakable crime of cross dressing you shall beburned at the stake! Will you repent?" Jeanne d'Arc then cried "never!" I responded by saying "then you shall burn!"

I would then lead Jeanne up the burn platform and take her broken cross from her. I would say "executioner, burn the witch!" and the executioner would enter the room, get the crowd to yell "burn the witch" and begin to torture Jeanne d'Arc with his torch (a fake flame from Walgreens that consisted of a small fan with some material flappering in the wind and someorange light.)


The executioner would then hold the torch to the burn pile beneath, activating the fans and the flames. There was a blower, a giant fanand a bunch of red lights that would slowly start to light up and lift thetranslucent material of the flames. It was an awesomeeffect.

As the flames rose I would raise the cross above my head to the eye level of Jeanne d'Arc. As she burned I would say, "May your demons be exorcized, may your soul be saved". Jeanne d'Arc would yell "Jesus" and die.

Upon her death I would turn to the crowd and say, "We have burned the witch, her soul has been saved! May you go in peace in the name of our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." While reciting those lines, I gave the crowd a salutefollowed by the blessing symbol, tying church and state together as they leftthe room.

It is a sad fact that Jeanne d'Arc was condemned to burn by the church for purely political reasons. Some things never change!