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Greetings from Princeton University

We had the privilege of coaching future architects on their presentation skills. What potential!

Anniversary of Fire Off-Broadway

At our Easter dinner tonight one of our pastors made mention that last year John Wesley was with us. It was the eve of opening Fire Off-Broadway in which Roger Nelson (who portrays John Wesley) and I alternated performances at Theatre 315 in NYC. For some snapshots from that remarkable adventure click on April '06 in Archives.

Kenya and Israel

I have a good friend who's a professional photographer. He just got back from a trip for Open Arms International to Kenya and then Israel. The shots he just posted to his blog are breathtaking.

Welcome to the Upper Room

I was blown away just walking into the space our church created as the upper room, where Jesus at his last meal with his disciples. I got to play Jesus, and I had such fun welcoming people and greeting each person. The night started out light: "Celebrate!" I encouraged them. Later, I joked with Peter, before washing his feet, about not needing a whole bath since he'd had at least two or three in the past month. I even got to lead them in a song and dance (of sorts) with our host for the evening: Shoshanah (aka Pastor Linda Warren). As the night progressed the monologues became increasingly serious: "Stop arguing about who's the greatest." Simon, Satan has asked to sift you." By the time I told Judas to go and do quickly what he must do it was quite somber. Then our "servants" (close to 20, all dressed as they would have been in the original upper room) snuffed out the candles one by one. Mike Hood, who does too much at our church to give him a title, directed a piece he wrote. Pairs of people discussed the upcoming crucifixion: Romans, looking for the latest entertainment; zealots wondering why this guy is stealing the limelight from their hero Barabbas; true believers, of the religious leaders of their day, worried that stories of Jesus' miracles are turning too many heads away from the truth; followers of Christ, mixed about how to respond. Finally the Sadducees swing the crowd into chant: "Crucify him! Crucify him!" One by one each pair added their voice (except for one of his followers) and then our servants, now sprinkled throughout the room added their voices until it was a cacophony in the dark on every side.

Out of the ensuing silence I pounded a spike into a board.

I tend not to rely on method acting because I generally shift from one character to another without sufficient time to "get into character." Tonight, in the dark, I identified with his solitude and pain at a level I haven't experienced in my life. Afterward I had to be alone to cry for about twenty minutes, and even after that I was a mess. In the moment when the hammer fell I really was in an agony in every way but the flesh. After "It is finished!" there was silence...

Volunteers being saught for Olympic Games

The Olympics website announced that they're looking outside of China for volunteers: Beijing 2008: Volunteer recruitment goes international.

If you're there, watch for performances of Beyond the Chariots.

It felt like a busy year!

I finally found some time to assess '06. I performed, taught or directed about 225 times in 15 states, Canada and Hong Kong. Pray for stamina as this year seems just as packed. I'm gearing up to perform and teach in 8 states in 18 days: RichDrama.com/Itinerary.

Amazing Grace opened at #5 in the UK

More photos from China and Guatemala

These are shots Joyce took on her camera:

The The Ming Tombs, factories, Great Wall, Olympic Pavillion
The Forbidden City, Old Beijing
Old Beijing, Tiananmen Square, Tientsin
Tientsin, Shanghai, Guatemala

To my friends in the UK and Canada

I'd like to encourage you to see Amazing Grace, opening in theatres this weekend. The film has been open in the US for a month now and it made the top 10 on two weekends: not bad considering the competition. Even now, it's hanging out at #11.

I loved the film and wrote a review: "Can one film change the world?"

I've been doing a one-man play about another hero of the UK: Eric Liddell. The play, Beyond the Chariots, tells the rest of the Chariots Of Fire story.

Ken Wales is the producer who started the ball rolling on Amazing Grace. He wants to make a film on the rest of the Chariots Of Fire story. He mentions the upcoming film, With Wings as Eagles in an interview with Christianity Today: Save the Wales.

I encourage you to see Amazing Grace this weekend. The better it does opening weekend the more chance it will open in more theatres next weekend, etc. The better it does at the box office the more momentum there will be going into the production of With Wings as Eagles.

It's just a little snow

68 degrees

...That's what my Treo told me the temperature was yesterday. It also said in bold red, "Winter storm warning." Yep.

By the way, the picture is taken in the middle of NYC, in Central Park.

Carrying the broken heart of God

Mark Yaconelli is encouraging us to minister from our weaknesses. He pointed out how much we were ministered to by the children in the sites today. We showed up to minister to them, but they sang and danced for us, they hugged us and kissed us and loved us.

Mark spoke to a woman who has brought many into her church by bringing food to people in need. He asked her what that was like, and she said, "It's like carrying the broken heart of God."

On site

We're at the Compassion site Lluvias de Gracias (Rains of Grace) at Linda Vista (Pretty View). This is one of 125 Compassion sites in Guatemala. At this site about 350 children are served.

I can't repay you

Danny Oertli gave gifts to a sponsored child. They spent $15 at Target: not much in the US, but the girl wept to receive it. She whispered to the translator who struggled to put it into English: "I can't repay you, but God will."

Slides on Philippines and Guatemala

Tonight I'll be giving a slide show from recent trips to the Philippines and Guatemala at our church.  At 6:30 we'll have free Filipino food, made by Filipinos from our church.  I loved the food there, so I'm sure you'll enjoy it.  The slide show will begin at 7:15.

For directions go the WestchesterChapel.org, or if you're coming up from NYC, click here.

That's spelled N-O.

World Magazine tells how 14 year old Elliot Huck is standing up against E. Mayer Malone Jr., publisher of Bloomington, Indiana's Herald-Times, who insists on holding the town's spelling bee on a Sunday. Huck has made the finals the last two years, but is setting aside hopes of success in order to keep the Sabbath holy. Eric Liddell would have been proud.

The first part of the artice can be read by clicking: No spelling on Sunday.

Early One Morning

I've seen Early One Morning at least three times.  It's poignant and powerful.

   Early One Morning, words and music by Jersey Boys' Music Director Ron Melrose, will be presented March 23 and 24 at the Salvation Army's Theatre 315 as part of its "Set Apart" series. The one-woman musical produced by Lauren Yarger follows the faith journey of Mary Magdalene.

   Curtain each night is at 8:00. Tickets priced at $18 (discounts available for students) are available through SmartTix http://www.smarttix.com. Cindy Marchionda* will play Mary Magdalene. Jeff Lisenby will accompany.

   This is a great opportunity to reach out and invite friends, family and co-workers to experience first-hand how a life can be changed by the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

   Theatre 315 is located at the Salvation Army Times Square, 315 West 47th Street.

   For more information, email masterworkproductions@yahoo.com or call Theatre 315 at 212-975-9988.

#11

Though it dropped out of the Top Ten charts, Amazing Grace only missed it by one place. It's still ahead of 90 films in theatres right now, so it's quite possible for it to climb back into the pull-down menus this coming weekend.

The view that launched a career

Well maybe it didn't launch my career, but this view atop the Sears Tower certainly started the travel bug in me. I haven't been up here since third grade, but the view is still quite impressive. Back then it had a profound impact. There were many things the Lord used to prepare me to do a lot of travelling, but this view was the first. Since that excursion away from our farm in Oregon I've been to most major cities in 49 US states (I would have crossed the river into North Dakota, but I thought I'd already been there!) and 23 other nations. Thank you Lord, for this view!