T A L E N TClick on the title for images from these past performances!
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Auschwitz Lullaby He steps off the cramped train where he and his family have been for several days to read these words above the large gate. An awful smell is in the air and being an educated Jewish man in 1944, he knows the awful truth of where he has been brought...Auschwitz...one of the death camps. The play is inspired by actual events recounted in inmate diaries. Come along and experience the story of Jewish pathologist Dr. Isaac Jonah who, along with his wife and daughter, is interred at Auschwitz concentration camp. Here he is assigned to work in the laboratory of Dr. Josef Mengele. A young child miraculously survives the gas chamber and several of the workers are faced with the decision of how much to risk for the life of another in a place where all are eventually put to death. He must weigh the safety of his own family against the life of this innocent girl. This is a play that brings historical events and people to life. It brings hope and awareness. The moral and ethical dilemmas that arise will cause conversations for hours after you leave the theatre. |
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You've just settled down in a theatre to solve an audience-participation murder mystery. The narrator comes out and gives you a few "ins and outs" on what to look for in the play. The show starts and you meet Fat Daddy, a rich but vindictive southern gentleman with an equally conniving and scheming family. So you know who's going to die, right? But who will the murderer be? Will it be Sweet Mama, Daddy's pandering wife; Hyacinth, the daughter who's always cleaning the family firearms; Earl the worm, or his overly amorous wife, Savannah; or Clete, the sullen handyman who, for some reason, is in the will? Then Fat Daddy is discovered, dead as a hammer. Except the corpse isn't Daddy's . . . ! The director comes on stage and the police arrive. Now you have to figure out which of the actors murdered one of their own. And not only are you questioning the cast, but they are questioning you! Yes, you are a suspect as well! This frantic mystery-comedy will have audiences guessing until the last clue is dropped. "Playing the part of Officer Bainbridge has been a great challenge for me...I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed it all. I've gotten to know new people that I may have never met otherwise. This group is so much fun to be with. They have helped me grow a lot and given me a clear picture of myself. This show has been amazing." Jediah Bulgrien |
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Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize, The New York Times writes that it, "...combines elements of mystery and surprise with old-fashioned storytelling to provide a compelling evening of theatre...[Proof is a] smart and compassionate play of ideas." Upon completion of this two act play, the audience is left pondering the questions...Can everything be mathematically proven?; Are relationships based on proof of actions and feelings, or faith and trust?; How much of our parents' traits are inherited?; Can we inherit the good without the undesirable? "I have learned so much about myself through this experience working on Proof! Lessons on trust, love, compassion, mercy, and selflessness are just to name a few. I can't count on my fingers how many drinks have been spilled, or how many awkward moments there have been during these past couple of weeks. To the wonderful cast and crew: Thank you for all your hard work in making this one of the best experiences!" Jackie Weygand |
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The Just So Stories, by Joseph Robinette, is based on the children's book by Rudyard Kipling, Nobel Prize winner and well known author of the Jungle Book. When Rudyard Kipling mails the finished manuscript of The Just So Stories to his daughter, Elsie Kipling, imaginations let loose and laughter erupts. While Aunt Georgie naps, Elsie and her friends act out the delightful and intriguing animal stories, such as "How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin," and "How the Kangaroo Got His Hop." As adults we often forget to simply laugh and relax as children do. We hope to remind those who enter each performance, regardless of age, of the joys found in childhood and make-believe stories! "At first, I almost did not want to try out for the play, but I gave in and I will never regret that decision. I met seven wonderful people that are awesome to work with on stage. We have had so many laughs and memories, and I hope you all remember never to forget to laugh like we did during this play." Josh Kunkel |
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The play is based on the book, Called to Die by Steve Estes. It captures the story of Chester Allen Bitterman III, a native Lancaster County man, who married Brenda (Gardner) Jackson, a 1975 Lancaster Bible College graduate. Brenda, who is this year's recipient of the Alumnus of the Year award, traveled to Colombia as an American linguist with Wycliffe Bible Translators. On January 19, 1981, Chester was taken captive in Bogotá, Colombia and held hostage until March 7, 1981, the day he became a martyr. A Pawn in the King's Court portrays the inspiring passion for Jesus Christ and for lost souls that encompassed Chester Bitterman III, and the courage exemplified by the surrounding family as they, too, sought to follow Christ. "I am so thankful for the honor of being a part of this play where God is once again being glorified through the life of Chet Bitterman. I have been blessed through this whole experience, and stretched in ways I certainly never expected." Steve Glerum Jr. |
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The Family Nobody Wanted is a three-act comedy based upon the book written by Helen Grisby Doss, wife and mother of the Doss family. Life Magazine, Reader's Digest, and the Christian Advocate have each published articles on the real life Doss family. During the Cold War, Reverend Carl Doss, a small town minister, and his wife, Mrs. Helen Doss, desired a large family, but soon they learned they could not bear children. After many trials they were able to adopt Donny, whose heritage is entirely Nordic. As Donny grew, he persistently asked for many brothers and sisters. Though they possessed little, the Doss's were finally able to adopt twelve children of mixed ancestry. These children are the "unadoptables" - neither country of ancestry desires them nor do agencies. The play, based on their story, is set in the Doss's living room with a family of six children who now range from mid-to-late teen years. Their love for each other runs deep, even to the point of sacrificial love. Donny becomes forced to stand-up for his family for the sake of the only girl that matters to him. His brothers and sisters in turn secretly sacrifice seeing Donny in order for him to have the opportunity to marry his love, Nan. |