San Clemente : La Cristianita Pageant Rescheduled to August

San Clemente’s La Cristianita Pageant, “The Cross and the Arrow,” an outdoor play depicting the Christianization of the Juaneno Indians, has been rescheduled to start in August. The pageant had originally been set for July.

“The Cross and the Arrow” tells the story of the first baptism in California. The role of Acu, the father of the baptized Indian baby, will be played by Acu’s great-grandson, Dennis Sommers, according to Nibardo Gomez, the play’s director.

Pageant coordinators decided to postpone the play because of leveling work at a nearby construction site, said Kent Greenwald, president of La Cristianita Pageant Assn. Additionally, electrical wiring had to be installed, and pageant coordinators were waiting on volunteers to dig the trenches, Gomez said.

The new dates of the pageant are Aug. 6-9 and 13-15. The pageant had been scheduled to begin July 23. The play is presented in La Cristianita Bowl, which is located west of Interstate 5 at the Camino de Estrella exit. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. To purchase tickets, call (714) 498-0880.