Five films to be screened at the Christian Worldview Film Festival

Three films in which I perform have been selected for screening at the Christian Worldview Film Festival in March: Christmas Grace, Creed of Gold and In His Steps.

Two others were selected in the Promotional category: Princess Cut and Polycarp: Destroyer of Gods. 

Cry, the Beloved Country

I just saw one of the most wonderful films I've every seen: Cry, the Beloved Country. It is a story of grace, peace and reconciliation powerfully, tastefully, beautifully, and poetically told.

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

NYC MasterWorks Auditions

If you're in the NYC click here for a hi-rez version of the poster, and then print it and post it where potential MasterWorks students may see it.

Thanks!

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

Dr. Wayne Roberts' Memorial

When my grandmother died in 1988 I mentioned to Dr. Wayne Roberts that Grandma prayed for me every day. Dr. Wayne said, "Well, Rich, Bertie and I pray for you every day." It had such a huge impact on me at that point in my life. He was never a teacher of mine in any official capacity, but he and Bertie were some of my greatest mentors. He died in August, and I'm glad to have just found his memorial service. If you have the time to listen you'll see why he had such an impact on me and so many others.

Joyce preaches on Simeon

Joyce preached on Luke 2:25-35 this morning at our church, Westchester Chapel. Opening prayer and announcements by Pastor Linda Warren. Closing prayer by Liz J.



"Go Tell It on the Mountain" sung by the congregation. Words: John W. Work, Jr., Folk Songs of the Amer­i­can Ne­gro (Nash­ville, Tenn­es­see: 1907).
Music: Af­ri­can-Amer­i­can spir­it­u­al

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Photo courtesy of NicolettiPhoto.com.

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

Torry Martin will make MasterWorks laugh

I first met Torry at a conference where we were both performing probably twelve years ago now, and I'm still laughing at the stories he told! He's a writer, actor, stand-up comic, and he's going to be a MasterWorks MasterClass instructor this year!



He's going to perform improv with our students, and then roll into some of his own humor in teaching and testimony: "Discovering Your Calling/Finding Your Gift". He'll also do some stand up for a faculty recital. You seriously don't want to miss it!

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

Roger Nelson Recommends the MasterWorks Festival

Roger Nelson performed most of his one-man play The Confession of St. Patrick for a Sunday morning service, an excerpt from his one-man play The Man from Aldersgate at a faculty recital, and coached honors recital winners at The MasterWorks Festival. In his Journal he made the following observations:

I highly recommend the MasterWorks Festival to any young person who is serious about developing his/her talent in music, dance, or theatre. A professional and friendly atmosphere pervades the campus. Most of the students are enrolled in the music program, but the dance and theater programs are just as strong. The faculty are all professional Christian artists, who bring much experience as well as knowledge to the table. Students and faculty take their meals together in the cafeteria. Halfway through the lunch hour a 15-minute devotional is shared by a ... faculty member. In addition to that, Bible study attendance is required three nights a week with faculty members leading the studies. Almost every evening a concert or recital can be heard, giving students and faculty alike the opportunity to perform with the ultimate goal of bringing the love of God and the message of Jesus Christ to the classical performing arts world. 

Roger teamed with me in April of 2006 to rent the same Off-Broadway theatre (Theatre 315) in which The MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program will perform again this July.

You can read more about Roger's worldwide adventures, including his performance at our home church, Westchester Chapel and his reflections on my career, which was inspired by his, in his latest Journal at A1ManPlay.com.

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

The Prophetess Anna

Yesterday Joyce performed "The Consecrated Prophetess", a monologue in which she portrayed the Prophetess Anna, who saw the Christ Child, when He was being presented at the Temple.

Pastor Linda Warren did the biblical research and wrote the piece, and she preached on Luke 2:22-38. Sandy R. opened with prayer, and I prayed over the children as they left the main service, and read the scripture. I also directed the drama and helped Joyce fine-tune the script.





This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.


Grooveshark is a third party source. If you listen on their website you will encounter advertisements, none of which are vetted or endorsed by Westchester Chapel. We encourage you to click Settings, then Preferences, then check the box for "Only show me family-friendly themes." If there are still ads that you find offensive we encourage you to click the "Report Ad" link below the ad.

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

New Birth Portrait Series: Ellie Ellsworth

I got to know Ellie Ellsworth on a drive from NYC to Toronto for a Christians in Theatre Arts conference in 1999. Playwright Patti Souder was also on that trip, and the three of us talked about the Lord and using theatre to awaken people's awareness of their need for Him all the way up and all the way back... when we weren't praying. I'm so delighted to stumble across Ellie's testimony:



Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

Have a scientific Epiphany!

Some scientists have created software that recreates the night sky at any point in history (or in the future), based on what is known about the movement of planets, stars, etc. We just watched a DVD about a fellow who recreated what the magi saw at the conception of Jesus and at their arrival in Bethlahem. Fascinating: The Star of Bethlahem.

A list of Christians involved in the film making industry was published on IMDb.com, the Internet Movie Database. Several of my colleagues from the films in which I've performed and several of our MasterWorks faculty, including myself, are on the list:

Christians involved in movies

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

The Unexpected Bar Mitzvah

We just watched Donald James Parker's The Unexpected Bar Mitzvah, in which Joyce and I play husband and wife.

It was shown on Daystar Television Network, but you can order the DVD now.

The Dove Foundation gave it a great review: Dove Family-Approved. The review said, "This one has earned five Doves, our best rating."

We're so pleased to be a part of this film that boldly speaks Truth.

I wrote that last sentence months before The Unexpected Bar Mitzvah was nominated for seven Truth Awards: Best Film, Best Director (Chip Rosetti),  Best Original Screenplay (Donald James Parker won), Best Inspirational Story (won), Best Supporting Actor (Jeff Rose won), Best Supporting Actress (Donna Botts), and Best Actor (Rich Swingle). It also won Best Evangelistic Film at the GloryReelz Christian Film Festival.

Joyce mentioned our experience with the project:



That is from a sermon, which you can hear in its entirety here.

Like the film on Facebook.

Screenwriter and producer Donald James Parker interviewed me on his show, Wielding the Sword of the Spirit, which has been my most visited blog post.

Have a blessed New Year!

Post by Rich Swingle.

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

The Gift of Sight

This morning Joyce preached on John 9 at our church, Westchester Chapel.

Opening and guitar by Bill H. Reflection by Liz H. Sermon in a Sack by Pastor Randy Solomon. Introduction to "Happy Birthday to Jesus" by Eva P.



This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.


Grooveshark is a third party source. If you listen on their website you will encounter advertisements, none of which are vetted or endorsed by Westchester Chapel. We encourage you to click Settings, then Preferences, then check the box for "Only show me family-friendly themes." If there are still ads that you find offensive we encourage you to click the "Report Ad" link below the ad.

 Photo courtesy of NicolettiPhoto.com.

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!  

Have a Blessed Christmas!

Every year that I perform Views of the Manger I'm so blessed to start immersing myself in the Christmas story early. This year my first performance was on December 1, so I started reading through the script early in November. But rather than getting tired of the theme, the impact of what the Lord did for us in sending His Son touches me on deeper and deeper levels as the day we celebrate His birth approaches.

This year I was asked to preach on Elizabeth. Joyce preached on Zechariah the week before. You'll have to listen to the sermons on my blog (Dec 15) to see why she got the guy and I got the gal, but we were both blessed to dig into their story of preparing the Way. As an opening illustration for my sermon I wrote a sketch which portrays Zechariah at the moment his voice returns after nine months of silence. Scripture says the first words out of his mouth were praise. The sketch shows what I think his next words might have been: telling his story of Gabriel's visit for the first time verbally. I hope others are as moved by the piece as I am. I haven't gotten through it yet without sobbing. I've now added it to the Views of the Manger lineup.

December 18 marked 20 years in New York City for me. You can read the first two entries in the journal I kept at the time, Farm Boy on Times Square. It blows me away to think of how that move as a 24-year-old opened the way for about 3,000 performances or workshops in over 40 colleges or universities, hundreds of churches and theatres, 39 states, five continents, 26 nations and more than 20 video projects that have reached out to people in countless nations. Thank you so much for your part in helping us share Truth in creative ways out across the land!

This year I added to the list with about 225 performances and workshops in 15 states plus Puerto Rico and Vanuatu. A highlight of the year was performing my play on Jonah with translation into Nafe, a language that is spoken by only about 4,000 people. Then, I preached a short sermon on Jonah which had been translated into Nafe. They then performed songs for us in English, Nafe, and Bislama, the language that ties the nation's 83 islands together. I'll never forget that trip.

I also performed in five other films in 2013: In His Steps, Polycarp: Destroyer of Gods, Confessions of a Prodigal Son, Creed of Gold, and Princess Cut.

This year was my last with a grandparent. I was honored to preach at Grandma Swingle's funeral. She lived to 97. For the last few years I was able to talk and pray with her once a week as my schedule allowed, and I know she's enjoying her first Christmas with Christ.

Joyce continues to serve as lead pastor of our church, Westchester Chapel. I've had some wonderful pastors over the years, but she surpasses them all... though I'll admit a great deal of bias. You can catch her sermons on our church's website, my blog and iTunes (search "Joyce Swingle"). Her ability to capture hearts and minds with the Truth of the Word continues to grow. She also continues to change lives through her counseling.

We realized the year almost slipped away without a honeymoon, so we're going down to Philadelphia the week between Christmas and New Years for our 17th.

These are just a few of the highlights of a full and fulfilling year. For those of you on Facebook you can see our top 20 posts for the year.

For 2014 we're looking forward to leading a team of performing artists to Sochi, Russia, for the Winter Olympics. In April I've been invited to perform and teach at an educators' conference held at The Rift Valley Academy in Kenya. My grandparents had served there, and my mom and aunt attended school at that academy for about six years. We have invitations in South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria. We'll get to as many as possible. For more information, and to support this trip, visit www.RichDrama.com/Africa.

Have a very blessed Christmas, and a bright New Year!
Rich and Joyce

P.S. If you didn't get this in your inbox, you can subscribe to future updates at RichDrama.com/Updates.

Classics Radio Interview

I was recently interviewed on ClassicsRadio.org, and the interview will be aired January 4 at 8am, 2pm, 9pm, 11pm and January 5 at 7am, 1pm, and 7pm (Eastern Time). You can listen online at ClassicsRadio.org.

I've pasted links below to various things I mentioned in the interview...

MasterWorks Festival
MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program
Report from Last Year's MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program
Freud's Last Session (for performances in LA with Judd Hersch and Tom Cavanaugh)
Freud's Last Session (for performance rights through Samuel French)
Beverly Holloway (casting director that has spoken at MasterWorks)
Joyce Swingle
Nazarene position on ordination of women
Redeemer Presbyterian Church
Times Square Church
Hillsong NYC
Mastermedia (LA/NYC)
Nations Where I've Performed
Our Performing Arts Troupe for the Sochi Winter Olympics
Christians in Theatre Arts
Eric Metaxas' Testimony
Our Adventures During past Olympics
My Films
My Plays

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

20 years in NYC

Post by Rich Swingle.

The John the Baptist Triptych

After Joyce preached on Zechariah, I preached on Elizabeth. You'll have to hear our sermons to see why she got the guy and I got the gal...

Joyce on Zechariah:


Rich on Elizabeth:


Both preachings were from Luke 1 at Westchester Chapel.

The triptych was completed by Pastor Linda Warren, when she preached on their son, John the Baptist (Luke 3:1-22):



Have a blessed Christmas, everyone!

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!  

Great article on Princess Cut

A fantastic article just came out on Princess Cut in which I play suave real estate agent Nigel Livengood. In the article Jenn Gotzon calls this team “The most excellent production crew I have ever worked with on a faith-based film. In the production, in the coordination, in the communication, in all the pre-development, to on set through all the departments, they ran as excellently as Ron Howard’s Oscar nominated crew [Gotzon appeared in Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon in 2008]." 

Here's the full article: Princess Cut Heads Into Post-Production.

Now taking applications for the MasterWorks Festival theatre program: www.RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre. Training and performances in IN, PA and NYC, including an Off-Broadway theatre!

Creed of Gold

Now available in Walmart.

Daniel Knudsen had left the set of Indescribable before Joyce and I got there to play Mr. and Mrs. Fredrick Lehman, but the set was abuzz about his upcoming film, Creed of Gold.  I met Daniel when I performed in Christmas Grace. We had a great chat about the power of film to impact society with Truth. By that point he had already finished editing Creed of Gold, so I was surprised when Daniel later picked me up at the Detroit Airport for a Christians in Theatre Arts conference. He asked if I would play the voice of a reporter for Creed of Gold. He'd tweaked the footage and needed something different. We pulled into a parking lot, he turned his car into a recording studio, and now I have a credit in the film!