Theatre Major

Being a BA theatre major has been such a great experience. Regent really helps performers define who they are as actors and define who they are as Christians in the performing world. What I've learned most being here so far has been how to set up boundaries as a Christian performer and stand by them.

Continuing Education

Coming back to school after a two year break was very scary at first because I felt so far behind from all the people I graduated with, but God showed me that my timing here was perfect. And he has let me meet such wonderful people who have been where I'm at and they encouraged me. And once you're in the classes, you see that there are people of all ages and degrees and that age doesn't matter so much.

Christian Education

I use to say that I would never go to a Christian University because I thought they would be so strict and uptight. Also I didn't think a Christian University would be able to teach me theatre the way I needed it to be taught. Regent completely changed my perspective. They have a wonderful program and they really encourage us in our walk with God and show us how to co-exist in the world as a Christian.

Theatre Degree

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Samuel 1:1-18.. my Directing scene

Here's my directing scene:

Samuel 1:1-18

Peninnah – Thank you Lord that I am able to bare children. They are my greatest joys. Hannah has not God blessed Elkanah and I greatly?

Hannah – Yes…

Elkanah – Hannah, I love you…

Hannah- I love you too

Peninnah – Poor Hannah unable to give Elkanah the children he deserves…

Hannah – I want to…

Elkanah – Why are you sad my dear?

Hannah – O God…

Peninnah – What type of wife are you.. you cant even bare a child.. you’re worthless

Hannah – no…

Penninah – you’re nothing as a wife without children

Hannah – please…

Peninnah – You’re a disgrace to women Hannah…

Hannah – (starting to weep)

Elkanah – Am I not better than 10 sons Hannah? I love you more, care about you more…

Hannah – it’s not enough….

Peninnah – worthless woman

Elkanah – I love you…

Hannah – STOP! (she gets to her knees weeping) Father, please, please remember me. I have served you with my whole heart. Please God? May I not have a son? Lord I ask, as a woman in anguish… please… give me a son. Peninnah has been so blessed… Oh God what type of wife am I that I can’t bare children? Lord, Father if you give me a son I will give him back to you and bring him up to serve you…. I promise….

Eli – (hushed tones) Woman! Do you come drunk to the House of God?

Hannah – No sir, no indeed… I am not intoxicated… I’m.. I’m so hurt… I just… I cant… (weeping)… I need Him to move in my life… I’m not drunk.. I’ve been sitting here pouring out my heart…. I need Him to… to move.. I cant take it any more… I…

Eli - Shhh good woman. Don’t be troubled any longer. Go in peace and God will grant you’re petition

Hannah – (relief and getting up) thank you.. o thank you so much….

Hannah exits.

Blackout.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Keeping my eyes ahead

I just felt the need to rant/share what's on my heart:

Some of the Theatre students have gone to a theatre conference in Tennessee. I really wanted to go to KCACTF, however I didn’t have the funds and also I believed God wanted me to stay here. I’m not 100% sure yet why, but God’s been doing a work in me and teaching me many things about myself. I love when God speaks through me. I really do. It’s so… I don’t know how to explain it. I’m honored that God would want to use me to speak into others lives. And sometimes I end up speaking to myself too. But then there are these times when God can speak through me to so many people and I’m sitting here just wanting my own word. I’m in my own struggle and I just want to know what’s going on with me. I want me fixed so more of him can come out. But we are all going through our own refining process.

During Elephant Man I had gotten so busy that my God time had depleted and I was hanging around people who don’t have the same value system as I do , and I ended up falling back into an old pattern of cursing. I didn’t like myself for it, and I gave myself a hard time about it. I was something that I thought I had taken care of , but its like taking a person who use to struggle with alcohol and giving them a job in the bar. No matter how delivered they are, when you’re put back into that environment it becomes a temptation. Well I was around theatre kids who have no problem using that language., and I know most people don’t see the big deal, but this is something that has been between me and God. And I got around them and I spoke out against someone for the language they were using one night and the next night I cursed them out and cursed myself out… I was very upset, but it didn’t make that type of behavior ok.

I have apologized to the fellow thespian and we’ve come to an understanding. God forgave me and I had to forgive myself. And I have to learn to stay close to him. Being a Christian in the theatre world is difficult. And we’re all at a different place in our walk, but I do want to make sure everyone knows how important it is to know your own business, especially in the performing arts world. People will eat you alive wanting to know why you believe what you believe and they want to know what effects your boundaries. Are you willing to curse on stage? Kiss on stage? Be nude on stage?

This is a time of fine-tuning, God stretching me to see how I’ll go and where I’ll put a blockade up. I’m learning a lot hear at Regent and I love the people here and I love the school. And I’m learning to stay moldable, and willing to admit when I’ve fallen but to get back up and continue to run this race that I’m in. And run it with my eyes looking forward at the Father.