He asked us all if we spend 30 minutes a day prepping our physical bodies by taking care of our appearance or eating. Then he asked if we spend that much time developing our spiritual selves. He challenged us to develop spiritual disciplines so we can be spiritually strong.
Do you feed your spiritual self?
He asked us all if we spend 30 minutes a day prepping our physical bodies by taking care of our appearance or eating. Then he asked if we spend that much time developing our spiritual selves. He challenged us to develop spiritual disciplines so we can be spiritually strong.
Doug Berky
CAST
08/08/09
Carol Jaudes (CATS on Broadway) has directed this program for nine years. Check out my post on August 4 to see how cool it's going to be this year!
It was jus announced that we'll have 80 masks on stage for the entire performance.
Unmasked
Next week I'll be teaching and performing at this...
...if you're in the area, I hope you can join us.
...if you're in the area, I hope you can join us.
Living Water
This fountain is created on what used to be a prayer labyrinth two blocks from our apartment. I've been blessed by a number of labyrinths around the world. As you journey to the center you focus on drawing closer to God. On the way out, you pray that you will more effectively take the presence of God to the world.
We were eating dinner next to the fountain tonight, and we decided to make it an enacted prayer: That as people splash in its waters, the Spirit of Christ, honored in the former labyrinth, would wash over them, making them long for Living Water.
The Amazing Month of MasterWorks!
We had an amazing month at the MasterWorks Festival!
Ken Wales (far right), producer of Amazing Grace, Christy, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the original Pink Panther films, among many others, met with most of our students to help them see how their unique giftings can help them fit into the entertainment industry. This was his fourth year, and the reason he didn't get to every student this year was because he was hard at work on another film he hopes to shoot in Winona Lake, just before MasterWorks.
John Kirby (next to Ken), acting coach on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Count of Monte Cristo, Déjà Vu and about 20 others, shared about his work as director of The Word of Promise: Next Generation and directed us in Our Town. People were saying our production was better than renditions they'd seen at Notre Dame University, New York and London! One faculty member attended at least two performances and told me that the third act of the play got him thinking about eternity years ago. That was what started him on a journey toward Christ, and we're confident our four performances planted and watered a lot of seeds.
Bev Holloway (next to John), casting director for Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, The Ultimate Gift, An American Carol, and about 30 others, did a casting session with our students, and some of the roles they read are for two upcoming films! A man who lives in the community came up to me with tears in his eyes and shared that he's always enjoyed MasterWorks, but when he attended Bev's workshop and watched her giving direction and the students taking that direction and instantly making great adjustments, it finally dawned on him: MasterWorks is really training up the next generation of professional artists!
Patricia Mauceri (center), called us the week before she arrived, saying that she'd been given a script she couldn't perform. She made rewrites, but they were refused, and the role was recast. Her bold stance was a great witness to our students.
All four of them participated in one of two panel discussions, set up to answer questions the students had. Both panels were recorded for Romanian radio by one of our students, Krisztina Fekete, far right in the photo below.
This panel featured (from left to right), myself, Kohli Hessler Calhoun (dialect coach at NYU and the Stella Adler Studio, and our first master class instructor who attended the program!), Susan Sommerville Brown, and Harvey Johnson.
I was so thrilled with all that Harvey, Susie and Kohli brought, not only to this session, but to each one-on-one and class session they had with our students. The level of artistic and spiritual growth that was achieved because of their efforts is mind-boggling.
The only master class artist who wasn't around during a panel was Mac Nelson. He shared stories from his work with Liz Taylor and Jerry Lewis, from his most recent book, Memoirs of a Hollywood Adventure. He also shared from his first book, Waiting for my Fingers, about how he was healed from near-paralysis of both arms through surgery and the Lord. After the surgery he only had one note in his vocal register, but during a faculty recital he sang with his full range and tap-danced, swinging both arms with full-strength, to the Glory of God!
One of the spiritual highlights of the festival was when Joyce, my bride, led our students in a foot-washing. After we finished, the presence of the Lord was so palpable that I didn't want to lead them in anything. I just said, "Do whatever you want to do." They chose to wash each other's feet.
By the end of the month, one of our students asked to be baptized. Since Joyce is an ordained minister, we made plans. Another student had been taking baptism classes but had never been able to follow through to actually being baptized. She was delighted to do it with the close friends she'd made over the month. We went down to Winona Lake, the site of our festival, before church on Sunday. Their parents read scripture and prayed over each of them. Joyce baptized them officially, and then I got to dunk them. As we were walking off the dock singing, "Down To The River To Pray," Joyce yelled, "We've got another one!" The friend of one of our students was so moved by the service he asked to be baptized, too.Photos from top to bottom by Nathan Nesbitt, Rich Swingle, Bernie Bernhardt (last two).
To download a PDF of this article, click here.
To audition for MasterWorks 2010 visit MasterWorksFestival.org.
Happy Fourth of July!
Wishing you a great Independence Day from Winona Lake, where we're at the half-way point of the MasterWorks Festival.
MasterWorks is off to an amazing start!
The students we have this year at MasterWorks are amazing! Their gifts and talents, as well as their hearts for the Lord are just mind-blowing.
What do I do?
Last night I performed The Acts at the downtown Orlando Salvation Army. Afterward a gentleman in a Salvation Army Adult Recovery Center (ARC) came up to me and said, "So what do I do?" I asked him what he meant, and he said he'd prayed the prayer during the close of the play to commit his life to Jesus, and he wanted to know what the next step was to grow in his relationship with the Lord! There was another ARC resident who got a degree in theatre before getting off-track. I'm putting him in touch with a dear friend who went through the ARC program in NYC, and is now working in the arts full-time.
The poster is for the next event where I'll be performing The Acts. Appreciate your prayers that it will help bring about more life transformations.
In the shadow of justice there is Compassion Corner
We had an amazing sociodrama with their clients. Our warm up was done in four small groups in which they had to come to concensus on a shared dream. Two of the groups had a dream of greater compassion in the world. They beat out dreams of family and a home.
The scenario was a rich man (played by a client) walking past a homeless woman (played brilliantly by a CITA member). Someone gave her a back pack, which she put on her back. The clients said, she wouldn't be wearing it because she'd have been carrying it too long. So we put her on a park bench. On the first pass the rich man moved away from her with a grunt. Then we talked about how the rich man could show more compassion. He took some suggestions from the group, and stepped back into the scene (this time played by a second client who tagged in with some great ideas). The rich man struck up a conversation, and he happened to comment on her sun glasses. She said she got them at the Salvation Army, and he said he used to go there. We talked about how we all have had low spots in our lives, so we prayed that people would be less inclined to look down on people who are there right now.
Orlando
Star Lake
Now we're on lunch break, and I have to say that they're quite a talented bunch. We're having a ball!
In the fiery furnace
Linda Braaten, missionary to South Africa, spoke to our church tonight.
She shared how her pastor was called to minister in a place quite closed to Christianity. He went to call on a leader in that place, and the security guard asked him why he was there. He told the guard that he was there to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. The guard told him to throw his Bible in a furnace before entering the house. The pastor told him he couldn't do that because God's Word was too precious to him The guard said, "Then put your arm in the furnace." The pastor did, and when he pulled it out, it was unharmed. Not a hair was singed. The guard had him put it back again and again. Each time the arm was unharmed.
Pray for God to do even more work in South Africa and around the world, including the US.
She shared how her pastor was called to minister in a place quite closed to Christianity. He went to call on a leader in that place, and the security guard asked him why he was there. He told the guard that he was there to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. The guard told him to throw his Bible in a furnace before entering the house. The pastor told him he couldn't do that because God's Word was too precious to him The guard said, "Then put your arm in the furnace." The pastor did, and when he pulled it out, it was unharmed. Not a hair was singed. The guard had him put it back again and again. Each time the arm was unharmed.
Pray for God to do even more work in South Africa and around the world, including the US.
Don't miss King David!
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.
Living as a Called Person
While prepping for MasterWorks, which starts in a matter of days, I decided to recommend Chapter Five of Gordon MacDonald's Ordering Your Private World: "Living as a Called Person". I first read the book when I was the students' age. Back then I set out to read at least part of the book every year. Rediscovering this chapter makes me want to get back on that pattern.
Concert on Sunday
MasterWorks students (from left to right) Caroline Chehade, Paulina Papölöne and Laura Hairgrove will be performing. The concert will be a fundraiser for a tour they're doing with a number of other MasterWorks students later this summer. They will perform in Finland and Hungary.
Donna East returns to Westchester Chapel
Christian Comedienne, Donna East (DonnaEast.com), will perform at WCCC on Saturday, June 20 at 7pm. She'll be bringing clean comedy for the entire family. Speaking of which, she's got plenty of fresh material based on her new role as mommy.
Get prepared for the healing art of the belly laugh.
Send your friends to WestchesterChapel.org/DonnaEast.
Admission is free, and an offering will be collected.
Directions: WestchesterChapel.org/Directions.
May we be like the ESB
> city, which can be so dark at times.
We're rooting for David Lander!
Our friend, David Lander, was nominated for a Tony Award. Just being nominated is a great honor, and the plaque they gave him is huge, but we're hoping his name is called tonight.
The nomination is for his lighting design on 33 Variations, which featured Jane Fonda.
David was the lighting designer for our Off-Broadway run of Beyond the Chariots, paired with my friend Roger Nelson's The Man from Aldersgate.
The nomination is for his lighting design on 33 Variations, which featured Jane Fonda.
David was the lighting designer for our Off-Broadway run of Beyond the Chariots, paired with my friend Roger Nelson's The Man from Aldersgate.
The People's Choice: Irena's Vow
Irena's Vow won the People's Choice award for best Off-Broadway Play (for its pre-Broadway bow), and Tolvah Felshuh won Best Actress for her portrayal of Irena: BroadwayWorld.com Announces Results of the 7th Annual Theatre Fans Choice Awards 2009
I was sorry our friend, David Lander, didn't win for his lighting design on 33 Variations, but we'll be rooting for him Sunday night when they're handing out the Tony's! David's plaque for his Tony nomination is HUGE! GO DAVID!
I was sorry our friend, David Lander, didn't win for his lighting design on 33 Variations, but we'll be rooting for him Sunday night when they're handing out the Tony's! David's plaque for his Tony nomination is HUGE! GO DAVID!
King David Sanborn
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!
The whole story is told in Art's book: Walking Miracle.
Going public
Drama and Sociodrama in Orlando
I'll be performing and teaching a master class at the Christians in Theatre Arts National Conference in Orlando next month.
Here's the description of my class:
I'll be performing The Acts at the Salvation Army Orlando Citadel Corps that evening.
Here's the description of my class:
Sociodrama with the Impoverished MASTERCLASS and Theatre Impact Project
Rich Swingle wrote his masters thesis, The Effect of Sociodrama on a Population of Men in Transitional Housing, in 1997. Since then, he’s led several sociodrama workshops at CITA conferences that either dealt with that study or brought the benefits of sociodrama into acting, directing and even writing. This year, Rich will bring you into the heart of what sociodrama was created to do: help people with social challenges grow through structured improvisation. We’ll start in a CITA classroom, where Rich will give some background, and then we’ll move to Compassion Corner, where we’ll join their clientele in a sociodrama. Class size limited to 15 people.
I'll be performing The Acts at the Salvation Army Orlando Citadel Corps that evening.
King David connection
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.
For a discount through FaceBook, click here.
Practice for Killing Giants
Mallory did a phenomenal job leading worship last night. There was a moment that she was speaking of how God's love overwhelms us. I was hoping she'd lead us in How He Loves
, and, in fact, she did!Tony Cruz was the evangelist that followed.
I got to speak about the amazing event this morning in our call to worship at Westchester Chapel:
Here are my notes from his sermon...
It was titled, "Bring the Cheese!" based on I Samuel 17.
The time is urgent. God is raising up believers who will follow Him, whether they're 13 or 30.
He preached about David and Goliath.
He pointed out how Goliath shouted his "usual defiance." Tony said the enemy comes against us daily to whisper his usual defiance and lies that we're not good enough.
God is raising up giant killers.
He pointed out how David used a sling because that was what he trained with when he was tending the sheep. He said nobody practices war during war. We have to practice worshiping, studying the Bible and connecting to God now, because if we don't, then when the battles of life hit us...and they will...we won't have any Power.
The most dangerous people are those who have nothing to lose and nothing to prove. If you have nothing to lose and nothing to prove you are dangerous in the hand of God.
David was the delivery boy. He was sent to bring bread and cheese. The dude was a Dominoes delivery boy. He went from delivery boy to deliverer.
You become a product of whatever you're committed to.
There's a difference between being interested and being committed.
There are giants for you to kill, but you have to bring the cheese: you have to do what you're called to do.
You have to live convinced. It doesn't matter how hard you're holding on but what you're holding onto. If you're holding onto the things of this world, they'll break away. Hold onto Jesus.
Your giant must be defeated if you're to do anything for the Kingdom of God. Cowards think of what they can lose. Champions think of what they can gain. Courage isn't the absence of fear but the absence of self.
There are things in your life that will kill you if you don't kill them first.
David went from running errands to running the show.
What do you need to do to drop everything and follow Him?
After his sermon Mallory and I had a surprising delight: MasterWorks theatre instructor, Patricia Mauceri joined us!
Mallory's Triumph
Mallory LaBoy was a part of the MasterWorks theatre program last summer. She came to us by way of Aquire the Fire, where she'd performed in front of audiences as large as 35,000, not to mention those that saw the events televised. She had no problem with stage fright. But when it came to leading worship, she was terrified. Through MasterWorks and other experiences, she's been leading worship and has come to NYC to do just that!
Her friend David (on the left in the photo) heard Mallory audition for leading worship years ago. She didn't get picked, but David remembered her voice and recommended her for this event!
For those of you in the area, here are the details:
May 15th Friday @ 8pm
May 16th Saturday @ 6pm
May 17th Sunday @ 8am 10am 11:30am and 7pm
Consuming Fire Ministries
Van Nest Assembly of God
The Bronx, NY
No charge
I'm going Saturday night, so post a comment here if you'll be there then, and I'll look for you.
Last week of Reel Religion
It's a great collection, which includes costumes and props from the Ben Hur with Charleton Heston.
Rev. A.R. Bernard-saved out of Islam
He told a joke about the girl whose science teacher wanted to demean Christianity, so she made a point of saying that it is biologically impossible for a whale to eat a man. (By the way, there are fish capable of the feat). The little girl waited until class was over and asked the teacher, "If it's impossible for a whale to eat a man, what about Jonah?" The teacher said that the story was false. The girl said, "Well, when I get to heaven I'm going to ask him." The teacher mockingly asked, "What if he went to hell." The little girl thought about it and said, "Then you can ask him." Rev. Bernards said, "Thank God for strong Christian students."
He was saved out of the Nation of Islam. He asked God, "Do I need to be whimpy as a Christian?" God said, "No, I'm just going to sanctify your passion."
What is Christ's relationship to culture, and ergo what is the Christian's relationship? While we debate, millions of babies are being aborted (Rev. Bernard's mother decided not to go that route), and marriage is falling apart. But Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God, and your neighbor as yourself." That became our mandate in the world. The pattern is simmple: God sent his Word to heal a broken world. He challenged the graduates that Christ in them is the transformer of culture. He closed with, "Be Salt, be Light, be Christ in culture."
Two dreams redirected
His text was Matthew 16:24, "If anyone would follow me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."
He pointed out how the cross has become a piece of jewelry, but it was an instrument of death. When Jesus said "Take up your cross," He meant we must die to ourselves in order to truly live.
He told about two young men who had big dreams. The first wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and take over the family business. He wanted to make it bigger than his father had and leave his mark on the business world. One night at a holiness revival he sensed that God was calling him to lay down his dreams and follow God's call to become a pastor. At the end of the evening he went forward and kneeled at the altar, declaring to the Lord he would do just that. He went on to be a pastor in China in the '20s, planting seeds that have helped grow the Church in China to the millions that are in it today.
The second young man wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and become a preacher. He wanted to have a bigger church than his father had and leave his mark on the world. One night at a holiness revival he sensed that God was calling him to lay down his dreams and follow God's call to go into business. At the end of the evening he went forward and kneeled at the altar, declaring to the Lord he would do just that. He went on to found an insurance company that has helped millions of people.
Dr. Warrick told the graduates that their ordination is a reminder that they laid down their dreams for God's.
Their ordination is recognized by two million Nazarenes in 23,000 congregations in over 150 nations.
Say no to yourself, take up your cross, the instrument of death to self, and do the thing He's calling you to do.
I'm so proud of all Joyce has accomplished since her ordination.
Plays in NYC
I have a friend who just graduated with a degree in playwriting. He's about to leave the NYC area and asked what play/s to see before his sad departure.
I thought I'd post the observations I sent him:
We LOVED The 39 Steps. Read my review at http://RichDrama.com/NewsBlog . You can watch Hitchcock's classic for free on http://Hulu.com and then see the play for a great lesson in adaptation. They made some choices to make it a bit racier, but it's still within the bounds of decency, and in fact emphasizes the theme of marriage more clearly than hitchcock.
Another great piece is my mentor, Tina Howe's Chasing Manet (Off-Bway), which I also reviewed at http://RichDrama.com/NewsBlog .
We loved 33 Variations, starring Jane Fonda, who is now a committed Christian. My friend, David Lander (who was lighting designer for my play, Beyond the Chariots, for its Off-Broadway run), designed their lighting, for which he was just nominated for a Tony.
God of Carnage is quite well written (except for the all-but-constant profanity, which I believe is inferior writing no matter what you think about the Lord).
The Philanthropist was a HUGE disappointment. It would be a good example of bad writing.
I have a dear friend who's doing a one-man play Off-Broadway called King David. The New York Times gave it a favorable review. I have a link to that review on http://RichDrama.com/NewsBlog .
I have three friends who review NYC plays, all from a Christian perspective:
Lauren Yarger: http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com (She just posted the Tony nominations, which would be another great guide.)
Paul Cozby for http://About.com
Retta Blaney: http://uponthesacredstage.blogspot.com
Sweet Sixteen
The Towel
 |
| From Joyce's Hooding Ceremony |
All 54 graduates received a towel with their name sewn into it as a reminder that they are prepared to serve, even as Jesus washed his disciples' feet (John 13:1-17).
For more photos of Joyce's hooding ceremony, click here.
More awards
Hooding
Tony nomination!
David Lander, who designed lights for our Off-Broadway production of Beyond the Chariots ( http://RichDrama.com/BeyondtheChariots ), was just nominated for the Tony Award for his lighting design on 33 Variations, starring Jane Fonda.
Huge congratulations, David!
Memoirs of a Hollywood Adventure
Insert from March 2015: It just made the cover of Christian Filmworks Magazine, which also included an article on Phillip Telfer, who runs the Christian Worldview Film Festival!I met Mac when I first moved to New York City. The stories in his book are the ones that inspired me as I was first starting out as a professional actor. Mac's the best storyteller I've ever heard, and every time I introduce someone to Mac I beg him to tell one story after the next. Now they're all (well most of them are) in this fabulous book, and Mac's writing is even better than his storytelling! I found myself laughing or crying on almost every page.
Here's a great online review:
Yes, there are the requisite references to his personal experiences with the famous and the infamous--Was Jerry Lewis a "nice guy" or not, what was Roy Rogers really like, are Hollywood producers just like the movies portray them, and just who was that blood soaked young man Mac enountered running down the street the night a famous Hollywood murder took place? This book is fun to read as a true and fascinating tale of one young man's journey from backwater Missisippi to Tinseltown, What makes it special is that its more than just an account of what its like to land broke and alone on Hollywood Blvd and trying to make it BIG in the movies. It's also an insightful, heartwarming coming of age story--a journey of insight discovered and maturity found that results in the acheivement of a kind of spiritual Oscar--for "best human being". If you like stories about Hollywood, if you ever wondered what it would have been like if you had sought your big break in the movies, and especially if you are a young person planning a career in film you will want (strike that...you NEED) to read this book.
David Bloodgood
Orlando, FL
You'll also love Mac's other book, Waiting for My Fingers.
Fasting
Our church, Westchester Chapel, has been called to fast on Thursdays as we seek the Lord for spiritual, numerical and financial growth for the church. Our pattern is to break our fast together at Thirst.
A new believer asked why and how we should fast, which are excellent questions!
I found a great article by the late Dr. Bill Bright, who founded Campus Crusade for Christ: Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer. He provides insights into the Biblical call to fasting, types of people who should not fast, and nutritional considerations.
I also highly recommend Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster (who used to pastor the church I attended in college). He deals with the full spectrum of spiritual disciplines, and has an excellent chapter dedicated to fasting.
A new believer asked why and how we should fast, which are excellent questions!
I found a great article by the late Dr. Bill Bright, who founded Campus Crusade for Christ: Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer. He provides insights into the Biblical call to fasting, types of people who should not fast, and nutritional considerations.
I also highly recommend Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster (who used to pastor the church I attended in college). He deals with the full spectrum of spiritual disciplines, and has an excellent chapter dedicated to fasting.
New York Times reviews my friend's play
My friend David Sanborn got a great review in today's New York Times!
Theater Review - 'King David' - At the Promise Theater, a One-Man Biblical Musical
They even mentioned Judah Ben Hur coming to Broadway in 2010!
Theater Review - 'King David' - At the Promise Theater, a One-Man Biblical Musical
They even mentioned Judah Ben Hur coming to Broadway in 2010!
The 39 Steps
Joyce and I were delighted by Broadway's The 39 Steps. It was four actors taking on 150 roles: my kind of play!
When I saw it in London's West End I bought a balcony seat, but saw an empty seat on the second row, center. At intermission I high-tailed it for the seat and made it before any others who wished to "upgrade." I relaxed throughout the intermission, but just as they were dimming the lights, the ticket holder for my seat was waiving her stub at me. I didn't have time to make it back to my seat in the balcony without missing something, so I grabbed the first free seat I saw. Unfortunately it was well under the balcony. This didn't prove to be problematic until the finale in which half of the action took place out of sight!
So I was delighted to see on Broadway the fun business that had been making people howl on the West End! When you book tickets, make sure you can see the whole stage.
For more on the play, visit my friends' reviews:
Paul Crozby: 'The 39 Steps' -- Broadway Review
Retta Blaney: The 39 Steps (This review was before the play moved to The Helen Hayes Theatre, where it will play through Sept 6)
You can watch the brilliant Hitchcock film that inspired the play for free on IMDb.com, but you'll miss the insightful commentary by Hitchcock scholar Marian Keane on the DVD.
When I saw it in London's West End I bought a balcony seat, but saw an empty seat on the second row, center. At intermission I high-tailed it for the seat and made it before any others who wished to "upgrade." I relaxed throughout the intermission, but just as they were dimming the lights, the ticket holder for my seat was waiving her stub at me. I didn't have time to make it back to my seat in the balcony without missing something, so I grabbed the first free seat I saw. Unfortunately it was well under the balcony. This didn't prove to be problematic until the finale in which half of the action took place out of sight!
So I was delighted to see on Broadway the fun business that had been making people howl on the West End! When you book tickets, make sure you can see the whole stage.
For more on the play, visit my friends' reviews:
Paul Crozby: 'The 39 Steps' -- Broadway Review
Retta Blaney: The 39 Steps (This review was before the play moved to The Helen Hayes Theatre, where it will play through Sept 6)
You can watch the brilliant Hitchcock film that inspired the play for free on IMDb.com, but you'll miss the insightful commentary by Hitchcock scholar Marian Keane on the DVD.
George Fox Journal
The journal for my alma mater, George Fox University, just ran an article on me: A Class Act.
Hidden Truths
Mark Chang, who was one of the creators of Olympic Hero in China, our documentary on Eric Liddell, has created a seven minute film, which has been selected for competition.
It's a charming little film, which is a tribute to growing religious freedom in China.
To vote for it, visit TheDoorPost.com, sign up, search for "Hidden Truths", and before you watch it, click on "Vote Now" in the left column. You'll also need to vote for four other films for it to count.
It's a charming little film, which is a tribute to growing religious freedom in China.
To vote for it, visit TheDoorPost.com, sign up, search for "Hidden Truths", and before you watch it, click on "Vote Now" in the left column. You'll also need to vote for four other films for it to count.
Chasing Manet
I just saw Chasing Manet by Tina Howe. I took playwrighting from Tina while working on my masters in theatre at Hunter College in the late '90's. Tina was a delight. She'd already been nominated for the Tony, Obie, Pulitzer, etc., etc., but she never intimidated us. She was such fun--as is Chasing Manet.
I laughed; I wept; my spirit soared! My friend, Lauren Yarger, and I left so uplifted and energized. Lauren had heard Tina speak, saying that she wanted this play to fill a void: There are so few plays that address the needs of people in their later years. The play certainly addresses those needs, but as a fellow still in his 30s (for another five weeks), I was inspired! I came away so joy and hope-filled.
Lauren got me into the show because she's an Outer-Circle critic. Here's a link to her piece: Review: Chasing Manet.
Lauren and I have a common friend who also reviewed the play:
Retta Blaney at UpontheSacredStage.Blogspot.com
You should know there's quite a bit of language and sexual innuendo, though the later is there to highlight the fact that we keep our libido to the end.
Though she wrote Skin Deep in 2007, the most recent of Tina's published plays is Pride's Crossing, for which she was a finalist for a Pulitzer for the second time. Among her many other awards are an Obie for Distinguished playwriting, a Tony nomination for best Play, an Outer Circle Critics Award, a Rockefeller Grant, two N.E.A. Fellowships, a Guggenheim Fellowship, an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature, the Sidney Kingsley Award, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, two honorary degrees and the William Inge Award for Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre.
I laughed; I wept; my spirit soared! My friend, Lauren Yarger, and I left so uplifted and energized. Lauren had heard Tina speak, saying that she wanted this play to fill a void: There are so few plays that address the needs of people in their later years. The play certainly addresses those needs, but as a fellow still in his 30s (for another five weeks), I was inspired! I came away so joy and hope-filled.
Lauren got me into the show because she's an Outer-Circle critic. Here's a link to her piece: Review: Chasing Manet.
Lauren and I have a common friend who also reviewed the play:
Retta Blaney at UpontheSacredStage.Blogspot.com
You should know there's quite a bit of language and sexual innuendo, though the later is there to highlight the fact that we keep our libido to the end.
Though she wrote Skin Deep in 2007, the most recent of Tina's published plays is Pride's Crossing, for which she was a finalist for a Pulitzer for the second time. Among her many other awards are an Obie for Distinguished playwriting, a Tony nomination for best Play, an Outer Circle Critics Award, a Rockefeller Grant, two N.E.A. Fellowships, a Guggenheim Fellowship, an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature, the Sidney Kingsley Award, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, two honorary degrees and the William Inge Award for Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre.
A note from Joyce
Thank you all,
Joyce Swingle
Big test tomorrow
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