Performances and workshops in almost 40 nations, about 30 films... Invite the Swingles to inspire your audience! Mobile users, our index is on the line below...
I've been on a few episodes of Jonathan Park Adventures, but this time I was so blessed to be playing a major character! He is from a nation where my ancestors spent several generations, so that was cool! He is able to witness to an enemy, and a profound miracle happens to him.
On Monday night there was a scene in which a prayer was answered before the character said, "Amen." Before we began recording we gathered for prayer, as we did every night, and that night I prayed that those who have seen prayer answered as they're praying it would be encouraged, and those who haven't to be encouraged to pray with faith that our prayers can be answered in that instant. While recording that scene one of the actors was having some technical difficulties. We recorded from our home studios over the internet, and he dropped off of our connection. One of the other actors asked me to pray, and before I said, "Amen," our colleague came back online! Don't you know that next take was even more powerful!
On the first night I recorded at Hephzibah House, which has a wonderful recording studio they open for projects with Christian themes at no charge. On the way up to record, I rode my bike past this Christmas tree burn pile and it felt prophetic! Having finished this recording window I have to say that the Fire of the Lord lit the way for us, and let's pray hearts and minds are set on fire for the Lord and the expansion of his Kingdom!
I was blessed to create with several folks I've worked with on previous projects. Before recording David Sanborn shared something I hadn't heard or remembered: I was in his production of Judah Ben Hur in Singapore in 2001-2002. He told our group that there were some Muslims in the audience who had been recruited by Al-Qaeda, but after seeing our production they decided not to join! For those too young to remember, Al-Qaeda was the terror organization that attacked America on 9/11.
Praying this production pulls many away from groups recruiting for the kingdom of darkness and beckons them into the Kingdom of Light!
Clockwise: Our assistant director/production manager Allison Francis, our director Nicole Franco (who I've known since the 90s), David Sanborn, Oscar Corral (Wise King Media and Lamplighter Theatre). Some unseen colleagues from past projects: Joseph Narducci (who directed me in some Airship Genesis projects) and Rachel Marley Corral (MasterWorks, Rocky Mountain Filmmakers Camp, Sochi Olympics, Wise King Media, and Lamplighter Theatre).
Also, this year our church will be performing it as a readers theatre piece on Christmas Eve at 7 p.m.:
Westchester Chapel Church of the Nazarene at The Sonesta Hotel 66 Hale Ave White Plains, NY 10601 (A $9 cab ride from the White Plains Metro North Station)
Here's how I first got involved with this delightful production...
One of the students from the Lamplighter Guild, Angelina SantaLucia (to the right of me, with Rachel Marley), wrote to me several weeks ago letting me know that she got a role in a radio show for a studio audience being produced by Lamplighter Theatre. I was thrilled for her!
I put it on my calendar and looked forward to hearing it. I also said a prayer that someday I'd get to perform in one of Lamplighter's live productions.
A few days later I was asked to audition for the same project! Woo hoo!
I was cast as a Scrooge-like character in this new radio show, adapted by Molly Mayo and Lamplighter president, Mark Hamby, from Bells Across the Snow by Fannie Eden.
I play Robert Redfern, who is successful in business, but when it comes to family he says, "Love leads to loss and loneliness, and unless you’re strong enough to overcome it, it will ruin you...bankrupt you!" He develops this philosophy when his wife dies, and he blames God. He refuses invitations from his brother (played by David Sanborn, pictured here). He pushes his daughter away because she wants to marry someone who is "unable to give you the life that money can buy!"
But the Lord reaches Robert through a little girl, a lamb, a clever butler and some letters.
For the radio show, we performed it the way they did back in the '30s. We were dressed in period costumes and had minimal blocking around four mics. Foley artists created the sounds before the audience's eyes!
One of the foley artists, Oscar Corral (pictured here, adjusting the mic for his bride of three months in the booth where they met on Escape from the Eagle's Nest), also played a couple of roles, so when he "entered the house," I ran over to the foley corner and created his footsteps! It was SO MUCH FUN!!!
As we got closer to doing the radio show as a live production, the decision was made to record it as an audio drama in the sound booth to go out to radio stations around the world! This meant we skipped a rehearsal for the live version and spent time in the booth to get a studio quality sound. It was a very tight turn-around for sound designer Allen Hurley (Adventures in Audio and other Lamplighter Theatre projects) and composer John Campbell (Adventures in Audio and other Lamplighter Theatre projects).
They finished Monday, and more than 400 radio stations have signed up to air it so far!
Here's a preview featuring the voice of John Fornof, who has directed me in a number of audio dramas.
Here's my first post, inspired by a teaching by my friend, David Sanborn: Jesus is mentioned in the very first verse of the Bible! You just have to understand Hebrew and the Hebraic mindset to see it. This article will help.
Hope to see your comments and questions starting tomorrow!
This January, McKenzie was in charge of wardrobe on the set of "There," which was written, produced and directed by William and Morgan Willer, two other alumni of RMCFC (2015 and 2016). In the middle of production, McKenzie got a call-back for the lead in the Lamplighter Theatre production of The Treasure of the Secret Cove. As an alumna of RMCFC she received the casting call I sent out to all my former students. The Lamplighter production team listened to over 250 auditions without considering who the actors were. They were shocked to discover McKenzie was also an alumna of the Lamplighter Guild (2017), where I got to teach this summer, as well as Lamplighter Live, where I first worked with her.
Rachel and McKenzie in the
studio for The Treasure
of the Secret Cove.
McKenzie discovered that Rachel was cast as her character's best chum in the production. Our friend and colleague, Nato Jacobson, plays the husband of McKenzie's character. David Sanborn, a friend I've worked with on projects since 2001, plays a mysterious visitor. Nato and Rachel also played smaller roles.
Joyce and I just listened to it, and they all did splendid work! So many nice moments. So much truth spoken so eloquently. It's a wonderful story, based on the classic book of the same title by Amy Le Feuvre. It's about the power of the covenant of marriage, and it's set up in a very creative way! You can order it as a set of CDs or download it now.
I was honored to be a consultant on several elements of preproduction.
I've been praying for years that I could teach there, and recently that prayer was answered, and it was much more fulfilling than I'd imagined! Isn't that always the way with the Lord?
I guided almost forty students as they created four separate sketches through sociodrama.
After our final rehearsal I suggested that two or three of them should close us in prayer. Over an hour later they reluctantly went to bed. One of our students realized her headache was gone. We prayed and laughed and wept in the joy of the Lord. Revival! Sweet revival! Friday morning they announced that lunch would be delayed 15 minutes, so Mark Hamby, the director of the Guild invited students up to testify. Within seconds a student behind me said, "Your prayer was answered!" The night before I'd prayed that our students would get the chance to share! On the shuttle to the bus station Peter Fecteau, his son and I counted up 24 distinct miracles we'd observed this week. Moments later He made it an even 25! I was able to get the earlier bus, and the gentleman waived the change fee!
I just got a note from one of the students saying he and some others are going to collaborate on an audio drama! Praise the Lord!
Here's the film our students created:
I helped with casting and wrangling extras.
It was so great to work alongside longtime friends David Sanborn and John Fornof, and to get to know the rest of the wonderful faculty!
I played several roles and served as Afghan accent coach in the audio dramas Escape from the Eagle's Nest and The Giant Killer for Lamplighter Theatre, part of Lamplighter Ministries (www.Lamplighter.net).
Both shows were broadcast on over 1600 radio stations in 30 nations. The Giant Killer is now available, and on that page you can hear my voice in the Behind the Scenes Recordings at 19 seconds and 1:23.
Escape from the Eagle's Nest is also available. You can see and hear my contributions in the video below...
Both stories are based on books by A.L.O.E., which stands for A Lady of England. It was the pseudonym she used to get those and many other books published in the 1800s.
In the booth with Israel Oyelumade,
Rachel Marley and David Sanborn.
After I was cast as a cook (to perform the role, not to actually prepare food), I was asked to recommend someone who could play an Afghan who grows from a little girl into a married woman. I recommended some of my students, and they chose Rachel Marley. Besides being my student numerous times she was on our performing arts team in Sochi during the 2014 Olympics. What a delight to work with her and have several scenes together.
A few weeks after they cast Rachel, producer John Fornof told me there were visa issues. They used to record in London, so that's where all their contacts are. John’s US contacts are union actors. He asked if I could get the word out to my nonunion contacts in case the visas did not come through since just about everyone besides Rachel and I were coming from the UK. This was the first time they invited people to watch the process, so dozens of observers were signed up, coming to Mt. Morris, NY, from as far as North Dakota.
I sent out about 350 emails to students and colleagues who turned in 189 auditions. John and executive producer Mark Hamby said they had perfect peace about the situation and were sure the visas would come through but if not, God would provide. When the final word came that the visas were denied John and team went through all the auditions in two days, normally a two-week process! The casts were announced on Friday and Saturday and we began recording on Monday!
Garry Nation and I (who share three
film credits) got to play giant brothers:
He was Sloth, and I was Selfishness.
The only one from the UK was Israel Oyelumade, who volunteered his time to bypass the need for a visa! Before I performed Beyond the Chariots for the community he shared how the Lord had led him to play Jesus in a massive Passion play. It was done outdoors with 300 actors.
I was delighted that Lamplighter Theatre cast four of my students, and that I got to perform with colleagues from numerous films. My friend David Sanborn was cast in twelve of the 17 roles for which he auditioned, and then he picked up others along the way.
Working with so many great friends in and of itself made it one of my favorite weeks, but the highlight came through a new friend, Akmal. Patrick Powell the director of Escape from the Eagle's Nest found him on an internet search. Akmal lived his first twelve years in Southern Afghanistan, where the story takes place! He translated passages from The Sermon on the Mount, Revelation and Isaiah into Pashto, and then he came up with a tune inspired by music from his homeland and recorded himself singing the Scripture while he played keyboards underneath it.
Our director for Escape from
the Eagle's Nest, Patrick Powell,
is one of a very small number
of actors who have performed
St. John in Exile by Dean Jones.
David Sanborn sang the Scriptures with our friend's tune, then he led the rest of the cast humming the tune. We were portraying the Afghanis who began by shouting down the foreigner. Then, as they were hearing words of life in their heart language, sung with a familiar tune they quieted down, and slowly started to join, humming the tune. I got to direct small groups who joined as the Scripture moved along. Once all of them had joined in, something extraordinary occurred. As had happened when he was singing the Pashto translation, David became overwhelmed with what was happening. We were all touched at a very deep level, so much so that everyone observing, including the director, were weeping. Executive Producer Mark Hamby compared it to the tongues of fire that fell on the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2)!
I'm so thrilled with how it turned out!
Throughout production there were Lamplighter Live students observing the process and jumping into the group scenes!
Here's the story of how it all came together:
Below you can hear my voice at :02, 1:03, where I'm performing with two former students, and see my "sword fight" at 1:05.
Live in the full memorial and celebration of what Christ did for us this Holy Season.
The Good Friday service will feature a concert version of Judah Ben Hur, the musical in which Rich Swingle performed in Singapore in 2001/2002.
JUDAH BEN-HUR is a magical tale of romance, comedy and adventure. Relive the legend of Rome's great charioteer, the hate that nearly destroyed him and the love that transformed him.
Under the helm of Andrew Lloyd Weber's former G.M., Judah Ben-Hur held its world premier at Singapore's NUS Cultural Centre, where it ran for 56 performances. Its creators, David & Ellen Sanborn, and four other seasoned actor/singers are touring with a 70-minute theatrical concert version of the musical in similar fashion to the anniversary concert of Les Miserables.
David M. Sanborn has performed for hundreds of thousands of people in roles like "Tony" in West Side Story. His one-man show, King David, recently ran 12 straight weeks off-Broadway. Ellen Sanborn has shared the marquee with such legends as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, as well as contemporary singers like Paul Baloche and Darlene Zschech.
Ellen & David have also been successful co-writing such musicals as Little Lord Fauntleroy, King David and Anne of Avonlea. The New York Times has called their work "spot-on" and "a seeming endless well of feeling." MTV (Asia) said the songs they've written for Judah Ben-Hur "are so catchy and memorable that you'll be humming them on the way out of the auditorium."
"JUDAH BEN-HUR boasts a memorable soundtrack full of catchy tunes! Ellen Sanborn has a clear, confident voice that brims with emotion…honed from a career that began on London's West End some 30 years ago." – GET ASIA Magazine
"A razzle-dazzler like MISS SAIGON ... and PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Charlton Heston may have...charisma, but David M. Sanborn definitely makes a more delectable Judah Ben-Hur, and a more multi-talented one at that." - The New Paper
The Crowne Plaza is located at 66 Hale Avenue in White Plains. Click here for directions.
During last night's performance I was joined by Coertze Peters, a mime from South Africa that did a piece on Haiti that had everyone in tears. Also, on one of his only days in Florida between an extensive trip to Asia and moving to TN to play Jesus in a long-running musical was David M Sanborn and his mother, Ellen Sanborn. They wrote a song commemorating YWAM's 50th anniversary which they performed at the top of the show. Ellen's husband, Art, who was paralyzed at the same level as Christopher Reeve, stood to his feet and raised a ram's horn for my Gideon piece. His story is told in his book, Walking Miracle.
This is the amazing family that produced Judah Ben Hur in Singapore, where I got to play Simonides, Pilate, and a few other minor roles.
Also at last night's performance was Randi, who introduced me to Sanborns and Barb, who introduced her to the Sanborns. It was a mini Judah Ben Hur reunion!
We got to hang out with the miraculous Sanborns today.
Art, who was paralized from the neck down, was telling us how (before he worked his way up to 150 push-ups and 6 mile runs) he couldn't even communicate with anyone but God after his swimming accident. Now he's grateful for those extended periods of connection with his Healer.
Ellen reminded us how, as an 18 year old she turned down the opportunity to have a West End credit when she read the script of the show in which she'd been cast: Hair.
David, who has miraculously overcome death and other ailments, continues to perform his one-man musical, King David (KingDavidMusical.com) through the end of June.
Don't miss it!
Read my review, posted here on 6/6, which includes a link to Art's book.
We saw our friend, David Sanborn's one-man musical, King David, Off-Broadway at The Promise Theatre.
The New York Times was right! It's a "first-rate" production. He does impersonations of one Hollywood superstar after the next. As fun as the impersonations were, there were moments where he was deeply emotionally connected. Despite having performed it since April (quite a nice run for these parts), there were times that his face was drenched with tears. At other times he's like a little kid playing in a sandbox.
In these days of so many distractions I always feel so rewarded by the intense focus and energy it takes to perform a one-man play. David made me appreciate it from another angle: I forget it takes focus and energy to follow a one-man play! We become so used to the artists providing all the details, but there's something akin to reading a novel that happens when the brain gets a chance to fill in some of the gaps in solo theatre.
David and his mother, Ellen, chose their cuts judiciously from Christian and Jewish translations of First and Second Samuel, and they've found a great dramatic arc from his confrontation with Goliath to the birth of Solomon. They've interspersed it all with Davidic psalms set to music which delightfully foreshadows the Sanborns' musical, Judah Ben Hur, advertised as coming to Broadway in the fall of 2010.
David and I recently saw Irena's Vow on Broadway. He took inspiration from how Irena's daughter came out and spoke after the play. David (Sanborn) came back after a robust applause to briefly tell how, like King David, his life had been impacted by G-d's relationship with man. He then went on to tell how his own father, Art, had been paralyzed at the same level as Christopher Reeve, but Art now runs six miles a day. Then he invited people to stick around in the lobby (don't miss this!), where they begged him to tell more details. He talked about the accident, the recovery, starting with the miraculous movement of a pinkie, to his three repetitions of one push-up, to his three reps of 50!
When I arrived in Singapore to perform in the world premiere of Judah Ben Hur in 2001 the accident was quite fresh. Everyone was abuzz about his near-drowning and the recovery. I was told that I would have no idea to see him that he had been completely paralyzed below the neck. Because I have experienced miraculous healing in my own body and in the lives of those I know well, I was on high alert. But it wasn't until I was in conversation with him that I discovered that was Art!
This morning I got to share about my friend David Sanborn's Off-Broadway run of his one-man play King David at our church.
Visit KingDavidMusical.com to see the trailer, read reviews (including the New York Times and the newest from Broadway After Dark) and find more information.
KING DAVID THE MUSICAL
"A heart warming musical celebration of faith for the entire family!"
Host: Eastern Gate Entertainment, Inc.
Thursday, April 9 through June 27
Where: THE PROMISE THEATER
If you're on FaceBook, click here for a discount. Otherwise, go straight to their website: KingDavidMusical.com
I first met Felicia Lopes, the gal who's producing this, at a Christians in Theatre Arts Conference in LA. She got her start as an intern on Broadway's The Lion King.
David Sanborn, co-creator & performer, also helped create and starred in Judah ben Hur, a musical in which I performed about five roles in Singapore.
I introduced Felicia to David's mom, Ellen, who put Felicia on the team to bring Judah ben Hur to Broadway next year. For now, she's producing David's show.
This will be my first time to see it, but I'm certain it will be great!
I just received the following note from the producers of Judah Ben Hur. I played about five minor roles in the Singapore production, including Pontius Pilate and Simonides.
Now they're hoping to bring it to Broadway.
It has such a phenomenal message!
Please help us increase our hit rate on YouTube...
Rich
Begin forwarded message:
From: Art & Ellen Sanborn
Date: July 28, 2008 3:11:22 PM EDT
Dear All,
Our musical, Judah Ben-Hur is definitely on the move. We had a preview a few days ago in Manhattan and are very encouraged. It was the first time our corporate team (Lawyer, Marketing, GM, Press, Producers, etc.) were all together in one place as well as possible investors. We will have more news soon. For now we wanted to follow up on a suggestion from our Press consultant. We have clips of Judah Ben-Hur on Youtube .
By going and viewing these videos, you are helping us out a ton. We can then show possible investors the number of hits we've had to our videos to prove that the public is interested in this. Also, if you'd like to forward this on to everyone else you know (or think would be interested in it), that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much! Art, Ellen & David
My friend David Sanborn, who produced, directed and starred in Judah Ben Hur, the musical in which I performed in Singapore in 2001-2002. He paid to change his ticket so as to leave a few days later for Asia (turns out we were there, in different countries, during the same time period) so he could help his folks on their new ministries. During those extra days he happened upon a casting call for a show in Pigeon Forge. He'd never heard of the place and went on about his business. Later his mom, Ellen Sanborn (another Judah Ben Hur producer, director and star), asked him if he'd seen the call. He said he wasn't interested, but she said, "David, did you read the breakdown? They're looking for you." He met with them and they cast him in the lead role of Jesus on a one year contract. He's rooming with the guy who plays Judas. They get along quite well.
I was passing through, so I caught a show. It was phenomenal. They've used their $15 million budget well. Not only do they have the expected donkeys and horses, they had three camels (which double for animal rides between shows). They also had massive sets, extensive video work and lots of flying angels. The wings pictured here actually articulate. Pretty cool.
If you're in the area, check it out: MiracleTheater.com. Get to town early. Traffic is almost as bad as New York. I turned the wrong way out of the parking lot, so I had to drive through town twice. It added an hour to my journey.
I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.
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