Not everyone likes to watch theatrical performances while sitting in a chair in the auditorium.  However, many people dream of becoming part of the story, being inside the scenery on a giant open stage. The first person who came up with this idea in 1951 was the Brazilian marketer Epaminondas Mendon. He knew that such performances were successfully held in other cities. So the idea of ​​organizing this grandiose show in his native city bothered him. Five years later, a young man Plínio Pacheco arrived in the neighborhood of Recife, fell in love with a local actress, the daughter of that same marketer, and a couple of years later became the director of the local theater.

Epaminondas Mendon shared his cherished dream with his son-in-law. Plínio Pacheco liked the idea of creating a huge open space for theatrical performances so much that in 1967 he wrote a special play "Jesus" for this purpose. And a year later he presented it to the general public.

Construction of the theater was completed in 1968. From that moment until the day he died in 2002, Plínio Pacheco had been the art director and the most loyal audience at the same time. Over the years, viewers have come to this place from all over the planet to enjoy original theater productions on biblical scenes. Especially popular is the great show "The Passion of the Christ" which takes place on Holy Week.

The New Jerusalem Theater is the world's largest open-air theater. Its area is 100 thousand square meters. Moreover, it is surrounded by a stone wall about 2 meters high with 70 towers. From the outside, the huge complex looks more like a medieval castle than a modern theater. Today there are 550 actors and 400 specialists in light, sound, and special effects. Also, performances are held on 9 stages located on the territory of the theater.