Malaysia

Right after the Singapore Youth Olympics, August 2010, Joyce and I honeymooned in Kuala Lumpur, just before I performed Beyond the Chariots and she spoke in Ipoh, Malaysia.

After dinner in the Kuala Lumpur Tower diners are invited to lean against the glass, over 1300 feet in the air.

Beyond Joyce you can see the Petronas Towers, the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004, which is pretty cool, since Joyce and I were married in 1998. :-) They continue to be the tallest twin towers. We went up in them the next day, but these photos are cooler.

Luwei

I had a great time leading workshops in Singapore. This one was with Luwei Performing Artists Fellowship.

Handball at the Singapore Youth Olympics

We posted photos from our first day at the Olympics. We got to see a game of Handball: Russia against Kazakhstan.

It's quite different than what we expected! We thought they'd creatively allow us to watch a game of one-on-one racquetball-without-the-racquet. But this was 7-on-7 playing something between basketball and soccer (football for non-Americans).

You can see photos in the album Asia 2010 at Facebook.com/RichDrama and videos at the same site under videos.

A warm reception in Singapore

For my first performance here in Singapore I got to take advantage of some great lighting effects.

Several requested prayer afterward, and we saw some instant results, thank the Lord!

Youth Olympics

We're here in Singapore strategically during the Youth Olympics.

Next week

Last night we attended the service where I'll perform Beyond the Chariots next week. The worship was awesome and the sermon inspiring. This morning's service will be at the Singapore Expo, and the pastor said that's the one that will be posted online. Don't miss it: http://FCBC.org.Sg. My favorite quote was, "You are as young as your hopes and dreams and as old as your pessimism and cynicism."

Five Bells for 9/11 featured

Award winning author, Joan Bauer, featured my play, Five Bells for 9/11, on her website called Teaching 9-11. It's an amazing resource page for teachers and parents.

We've touched down in Singapore

We made it to Asia

We're at Tokyo's Narita Airport, waiting for our flight for Singapore.

Skimming the top of Canada

Hit by a Mac Truck

Olivia Munn gave her life to the Lord at TAM when she was 14. Now she's 22 and prepping for full-time ministry. She preached to her former peers (though some students were older than her). Her sermon challenged them to be bold for the Lord. She said if someone said she was hit by a Mac Truck you wouldn't believe her unless there was evidence. When we encounter the Lord, who is exponentially more powerful than a Mac Truck there should be evidence of it. When Olivia called people forward to exemplify that power boldly to those around them the altar was flooded.

May we follow through with this commitment!

Siyonora, New York City

The next time we have a view from the ground it will be at the airport in Tokyo, exchanging for a plane bound for Singapore: http://Itinerary.RichDrama.com.

Inspired all over again!

When I was in college, over 20 years ago, Curt Cloninger, pictured here with Patricia Mauceri and myself, performed his one-man plays God Views and Red Letter Edition in our chapel at what was then George Fox College (now University). It was the first time I'd ever seen a one-man play, and something inside of me leapt!  "I can do that!" I told myself, and here I am having made a career out of it since 1995.  

Seeing Curt perform Witnesses at the TAM Conservatory I was inspired all over again!  His commitment to the characters he portrays, and the fun he has with the audience and with the storytelling, the surprises he plants within the piece all pushed me to take my own work to yet another level.

It's also my prayer that Curt inspires some TAM students to take the plunge and enter into this incredibly challenging and profoundly rewarding work.

TAM Report

Here's my report on the TAM Conservatory at Westchester Chapel.

The Struggle

The Struggle

© Copyright 2010 by The Salvation Army

By Elisa K, DeeJay R, Belén B, Megan P and Rich Swingle.

Developed through sociodrama (www.RichDrama.com/Workshops) under the direction of Rich Swingle (www.RichDrama.com) for The Territorial Arts Ministries Conservatory (www.theTAMjam.com), August 2010.

CAST

Megan P: MRS. WOODS

DeeJay R: VICTORIA

Elisa K: ANGELA

Belén B: EMMA

Tableaux on Times Square, part 1

Tableaux on Times Square, video of the turn

Tableaux on Times Square, part 2

Tableaux on Times Square, part 2 close up

About a dozen groups created tableaux at the exact same instant (more or less) on Times Square. We held each contrasting image for about a minute. The reactions were inspiring. I hope we do it again in the future. A Jewish man, who had just returned from Israel was begging for us to continue.

You Lead Me

Last night's finale to the TAM Conservatory was spectacular! Phil Laeger was commissioned to write a song for us, and wow did he blow us away. After the final performance last night we danced out singing the chorus, and not long after we were all in the lobby we started in again! This morning the chapel was pulsating with praise to the tune.

They created a music video of the song, You Lead Me, with images from the past 10 years of TAM.

Here's my report from TAM along with the video:

In the city

We've arrived in New York to see West Side story and create tableaux on Times Square.

Broadway Dreams

Carol Jaudes shared her one-woman musical, Broadway Dreams last night.

I've seen it three times, but I was still laughing and weeping just as much.

In the midst of songs she's sung over the years she told the story of how she was cast in CATS on Broadway, and how, after almost a decade in the longest-running Broadway musical, she was hired by the Salvation Army to encourage the arts throughout the Northeast, including their annual conservatory where I've been teaching and directing this week: http://theTAMjam.com.

Tableaux on Times Square

Tonight at 6:20 (or so), the TAM Conservatory (http://theTAMjam.com), where I'm teaching and directing this week, will be dividing into groups and creating contrasting tableaux on Times Square. Someone will hold up a sign and the students and faculty will create a tableau based on that word. Then the sign will be flipped to reveal a contrasting word and the team will adjust to portray that word. Our small group is considering three pairs of words: Rejection/Acceptance, Lost/Saved, Unloved/Loved.

Already delivered

The group I'm directing at the TAM Conservatory developed our piece through sociodrama (http://RichDrama.com/Workshops). This morning we placed our scene in a hospital. We had our bed lined up by dinner! The IV drip is en route.

Helen Keller quoted at TAM

The theme of identity has already come up in our opening meeting for TAM, and now Carol Jaudes, who was a cast member with Susie Brown in CATS on Broadway and currently leads TAM, just quoted Helen Keller. Our theme at MasterWorks was identity and our play, The Miracle Worker, told the story of Helen Keller. I feel like I'm at a MasterWorks extension.

TAM has begun

The Salvation Army's Territorial Arts Ministry (TAM) is launching it's 10th week-long conservatory. I think this is my 7th year as an instructor. Can't wait to see how God moves in the lives and talents of these young people this year...

Another foot washing

Pastor Darren Ojeda was scheduled to speak last Sunday at our church, Westchester Chapel Church of the Nazarene, and when he had to be out of town it was passed to my bride, Pastor Joyce.  I had been feeling like I wanted to share the sermon I'd prepared for MasterWorks, and Joyce was feeling I should share it, too.  When Joyce told me Sunday was open I shared with her her my desire to share the sermon, and she shouted, "Me, too!"  I preached on John 13 and followed it with a foot washing, as we had done at MasterWorks.  I was shocked to see Paul Mendolia walk in!  He was at Valley Community Church of the Nazarene when I performed Journey to the Garden.  He was one of the people who came forward to have his feet washed as a part of the play.  Sunday was the first time we've ever had a foot washing at WCCC, so it was a strong confirmation to me that we were on the right track.  Paul had been in a motor cycle accident just prior to my performance three years ago, so he came forward in a wheel chair with pins sticking out of his leg to hold it up in traction.  After the service, Paul wrote our pastors the following note, which he's agreed to share.  Little did I know all that our foot washing would be confirming for him!

Date:   August 1, 2010 1:47:03 PM EDT
Subject:   my first visit

Pastor Warren:

Today was my first visit to Westchester Chapel. Upon entering your fine church I immediately felt comfortable. The Holy Spirit moved me for the past week to make sure I got there and all I can say is that I regret not having gotten there sooner. To see you and Rich Swingle once again just made me feel like I had been there for some time. I assure you that I am already looking forward to next Sunday.

I have been away from church since I have had to move to the Bronx more than three years ago to take care of my mother on a full-time basis. To say the least my world has become very small and I knew that it was time to get back to worship.

To be there on the day that feet were being washed, for me, I am certain, that the Holy Spirit got me there for that reason as it was Rich who washed my feet more that 3 years ago at Valley Community. It humbled me to tears to know that although I may have turned away from God at times He never left me for one second.

The music and worship was so uplifting. I cannot say enough about the joy that I felt and still feel from having visited today.

Thank you,
Paul Mendolia

After the foot washing three years ago Paul reported that he experienced quick healing in his leg.  During the foot washing on Sunday he made sure that I poured water over the scars left from the pins.  I'm praying for further healing in every part of Paul!

You can listen to the sermon here: Finding Our Identity in the Upper Room

John Forbes' report on MasterWorks

John Forbes, international and Off-Broadway producer, posted a great report on his time of sharing at MasterWorks Festival.

Our Town

I just came across of photo from our production of Our Town last year at MasterWorks in which I played The Stage Manager.

Meeting with students from Asbury University

We're in the Empire State Building meeting with Mastermedia members (http://MastermediaIntl.org) and students from Asbury University who have come to New York City to enhance their studies. Their leader said meeting with Mastermedia is always the highlight of their trip.