Sunday, December 17, 2006
Did you see it? Did you see it? It was right over there!
This is how we ended the evening, with the first line of the shepherd's scene.
Well, that was for the cast, not "real people". In previous years, at the end of the show, the cast does a spoof of the play for their own entertainment. Well, this year, our isolated group of six (counting the baby) were the only ones who prepared anything. We did our scene backwards. Starting with the people coming to the open, lit stable, and ending with the shepherds running backwards off set, exclaiming about the angels. We thought of this with only a bit of the show left, and tried to practice between scenes. It was pretty difficult to remember what you are supposed to say when you have to take the cue from what the person just before you said that was what was normally after what you just said (or were about to say). But, we pulled it off with just a little bit of mess up. And it was quite entertaining.
All in all, the show was a lot of fun. I'm glad it's over, but it was a cool experience. Got to hang out with 4 people for 4 hours each night, talking about life, algebra, theology, witchcraft, binary, and of course, Christmas. This was interspersed with groups of people coming through, whom we tried to show the Advent story in a way that would make them feel it, feel like they had been there. To make it more than a story from long ago and far away.
...I know you will. Well, we'd better go now and let these good people get some rest. Goodbye! The Bible says that Mary treasured...
Well, that was for the cast, not "real people". In previous years, at the end of the show, the cast does a spoof of the play for their own entertainment. Well, this year, our isolated group of six (counting the baby) were the only ones who prepared anything. We did our scene backwards. Starting with the people coming to the open, lit stable, and ending with the shepherds running backwards off set, exclaiming about the angels. We thought of this with only a bit of the show left, and tried to practice between scenes. It was pretty difficult to remember what you are supposed to say when you have to take the cue from what the person just before you said that was what was normally after what you just said (or were about to say). But, we pulled it off with just a little bit of mess up. And it was quite entertaining.
All in all, the show was a lot of fun. I'm glad it's over, but it was a cool experience. Got to hang out with 4 people for 4 hours each night, talking about life, algebra, theology, witchcraft, binary, and of course, Christmas. This was interspersed with groups of people coming through, whom we tried to show the Advent story in a way that would make them feel it, feel like they had been there. To make it more than a story from long ago and far away.
...I know you will. Well, we'd better go now and let these good people get some rest. Goodbye! The Bible says that Mary treasured...
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
This is the night that everything changed for the world
This is a line from the Guide's monologue after the stable scene in the "Road to Bethlehem" play that I am in.
The audience moves from scene to scene, witnessing a busy Nazareth marketplace, watch as Gabriel brings Mary the surprising news and as they see Joseph and his sister interact, the audience is given a glimpse of what this meant to his reputation, and see his resolve and Gabriel's visit to him in a dream. Then the audience watches as Mary visits with Elizabeth and Zachariah---who pantomimes his temple experience. Next they see the difficulty of the journey ahead as Mary and Joseph leave for Bethlehem. "Every angel in heaven was watching as they went down that road" the Guide says as they leave.
Next, it's off to Herod's palace, where he and his compatriots come to a solution to the problem the wise men have told them about. The innkeeper is next, turning the audience away since the inn is full, only to have a very pregnant Mary and edgy Joseph come for lodging. Eventually, they go off to the stable.
The shepherds meet the audience near their small fire, exclaiming about the things they had just seen until the Guide quiets them down and tell them to give the story from the beginning. They describe how they were out, "keeping and eye on their sheep, when suddenly there was a man! But he wasn't really a man! He was an angel!" And he gave them good news! The Messiah has been born in Bethlehem, tonight! "Then the sky was full of angels! Singing! Singing like you've never heard!" "It was beautiful!" Then they are ready to rush off to Bethlehem, and the Guide asks them how they plan to find the right baby, and they say that Bethlehem is pretty small. But one shepherd remembers something the angel said: "He said we'd find the baby, wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." "A manger?! Who would put a baby in a manger? I mean, what would the cows eat out of?" "I think he said manger.." "You heard wrong..." So they head off among the darkened buildings that are Bethlehem, with the audience in tow. It turns out the search is harder than they thought, there are no parties going on, or big houses with lots of people... "This is dumb! you would have thought the angel would have told us what house." "Here are some people, maybe they can..." Joseph hits a switch, but continues to sleep as the stable lights up. "Guys, there's a baby, lying in a manger!"
As people approach the now open doors of the stable, Mary startles. "Joseph! Wake up! Who are these people?" she asks as she scoops the baby from the manger. Joseph puts a protective arm around Mary, and keeps the shepherds at arm's length as he wakes up. "I don't know. Who are you? What are you doing breaking in on people in the middle of the night?" The shepherds are apologetic. "We don't mean to bother you, we've just come to see the baby." "What are you talking about, he's just been born! How could you kno---" "SSShhhh! Don't wake him," Mary interrupts, "but how did you know?" "Angel told us!" "Angels!" Mary and Joseph say together, as Joseph relaxes. "We're shepherds, we were in our fields..." the shepherds tell about the angel. "And this child is, this child is..." "The Messiah!" "But, how do you know this is the one?" Joseph asks. "The angel told us this would be the sign, we would find him wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." "Then the sky was full of angels, praising God and saying "Glory to God, peace on earth, and good will toward men!" "So we came as quickly as we could, and here you are, and here's..the baby!" "Jesus! The angel said to name Him Jesus" Mary glances to Joseph for confirmation. "Jesus!" the shepherds repeat. Joseph speaks up, "So it's all true! Your vision...my dream..." Mary cradles the baby in her arms, "Look at how He's sleeping...does He know, do you think? Does He know who He is? Does He know what will become of Him?" One of the shepherds has been strumming an instrument and now the shepherds pick up the song: "This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the babe the son of Mary!" Joseph looks at the Child, "And what will become of Him? The Messiah, a baby!" He puts an arm around Mary, "We need to protect Him now. That's our part." "And I know you will" says the Guide. "Now, we'd better let these good people get some rest. Goodbye!
"The Bible says that Mary treasured all these things in her heart, but she didn't know what it all meant, not yet. It's wasn't until Jesus grew up, performed miracles, taught on these streets, was betrayed, crucified and rose again. Only then did Mary, and the rest of His followers understand that this was the night that everything changed for the world.
"I hope you've gotten one thing from this tonight. We really believe this. To us, it's more than a children's story, it's the beginning of the Gospel. We've had quite an experience, there is a lot to think about and remember. Now let's go back to the Sanctuary..." the Guide leads the audience away through the quiet town of Bethlehem, away from the living Nativity scene, the shepherd softly playing.
The audience moves from scene to scene, witnessing a busy Nazareth marketplace, watch as Gabriel brings Mary the surprising news and as they see Joseph and his sister interact, the audience is given a glimpse of what this meant to his reputation, and see his resolve and Gabriel's visit to him in a dream. Then the audience watches as Mary visits with Elizabeth and Zachariah---who pantomimes his temple experience. Next they see the difficulty of the journey ahead as Mary and Joseph leave for Bethlehem. "Every angel in heaven was watching as they went down that road" the Guide says as they leave.
Next, it's off to Herod's palace, where he and his compatriots come to a solution to the problem the wise men have told them about. The innkeeper is next, turning the audience away since the inn is full, only to have a very pregnant Mary and edgy Joseph come for lodging. Eventually, they go off to the stable.
The shepherds meet the audience near their small fire, exclaiming about the things they had just seen until the Guide quiets them down and tell them to give the story from the beginning. They describe how they were out, "keeping and eye on their sheep, when suddenly there was a man! But he wasn't really a man! He was an angel!" And he gave them good news! The Messiah has been born in Bethlehem, tonight! "Then the sky was full of angels! Singing! Singing like you've never heard!" "It was beautiful!" Then they are ready to rush off to Bethlehem, and the Guide asks them how they plan to find the right baby, and they say that Bethlehem is pretty small. But one shepherd remembers something the angel said: "He said we'd find the baby, wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." "A manger?! Who would put a baby in a manger? I mean, what would the cows eat out of?" "I think he said manger.." "You heard wrong..." So they head off among the darkened buildings that are Bethlehem, with the audience in tow. It turns out the search is harder than they thought, there are no parties going on, or big houses with lots of people... "This is dumb! you would have thought the angel would have told us what house." "Here are some people, maybe they can..." Joseph hits a switch, but continues to sleep as the stable lights up. "Guys, there's a baby, lying in a manger!"
As people approach the now open doors of the stable, Mary startles. "Joseph! Wake up! Who are these people?" she asks as she scoops the baby from the manger. Joseph puts a protective arm around Mary, and keeps the shepherds at arm's length as he wakes up. "I don't know. Who are you? What are you doing breaking in on people in the middle of the night?" The shepherds are apologetic. "We don't mean to bother you, we've just come to see the baby." "What are you talking about, he's just been born! How could you kno---" "SSShhhh! Don't wake him," Mary interrupts, "but how did you know?" "Angel told us!" "Angels!" Mary and Joseph say together, as Joseph relaxes. "We're shepherds, we were in our fields..." the shepherds tell about the angel. "And this child is, this child is..." "The Messiah!" "But, how do you know this is the one?" Joseph asks. "The angel told us this would be the sign, we would find him wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." "Then the sky was full of angels, praising God and saying "Glory to God, peace on earth, and good will toward men!" "So we came as quickly as we could, and here you are, and here's..the baby!" "Jesus! The angel said to name Him Jesus" Mary glances to Joseph for confirmation. "Jesus!" the shepherds repeat. Joseph speaks up, "So it's all true! Your vision...my dream..." Mary cradles the baby in her arms, "Look at how He's sleeping...does He know, do you think? Does He know who He is? Does He know what will become of Him?" One of the shepherds has been strumming an instrument and now the shepherds pick up the song: "This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the babe the son of Mary!" Joseph looks at the Child, "And what will become of Him? The Messiah, a baby!" He puts an arm around Mary, "We need to protect Him now. That's our part." "And I know you will" says the Guide. "Now, we'd better let these good people get some rest. Goodbye!
"The Bible says that Mary treasured all these things in her heart, but she didn't know what it all meant, not yet. It's wasn't until Jesus grew up, performed miracles, taught on these streets, was betrayed, crucified and rose again. Only then did Mary, and the rest of His followers understand that this was the night that everything changed for the world.
"I hope you've gotten one thing from this tonight. We really believe this. To us, it's more than a children's story, it's the beginning of the Gospel. We've had quite an experience, there is a lot to think about and remember. Now let's go back to the Sanctuary..." the Guide leads the audience away through the quiet town of Bethlehem, away from the living Nativity scene, the shepherd softly playing.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Boxed Set
So, I went to the SStore, and got me some stuff. Found several dozen 8 foot rods that looked like 3/8" rebar but was much lighter. Turns out they are carbon fiber, coated with epoxy mixed with sand. Not sure what they are for. I also got a crate:
Mr. Cecil doesn't like that. The guys at the SStore were rather dubious.
You may wonder why I got it. The reason is scrawled in the upper left of this picture. You can also see where it came from:
I took it apart, put it back on my car, took it to church and turned it into parts of Bethlehem. Here's a shot of me untying it at church. Only one side of the car was visibility challenged:
Mr. Cecil doesn't like that. The guys at the SStore were rather dubious.
You may wonder why I got it. The reason is scrawled in the upper left of this picture. You can also see where it came from:
I took it apart, put it back on my car, took it to church and turned it into parts of Bethlehem. Here's a shot of me untying it at church. Only one side of the car was visibility challenged:
