Rehearsal Part 1

In October some people in the church wanted to start singing Christmas Carols in worship!  I like Christmas like the rest but even that seemed a little early!  But the Christmas feeling is very special.

When I asked the children what traditions they had for Advent and Christmas they insisted on doing a Nativity play "like last year, but this year we want to talk!"  (Last year they acted out the narration.)  So this year we had to start extra early on the rehearsals.  Not just to learn the lines but because many of the possible cast were leaving the week after school let out November 29.

  

So when I started writing the script we were shooting for December 1.  But then we found out three of the possible 10 were to leave on the DAY school let out to go stay with their parents for the holidays.  There was no way we could rush things to move it all up a week to November 22.  So we had to pass on them until next year.

We were relieved to have more time and began planning for December 15.  Then we found out three of the remaining 7 were leaving for the other grandma's house on December 13!  So we settled on December 8.

I am not a thespian myself, but I have attended a lot of rehearsals and performances so I took on the task as very amateur director. Thankfully their talent and enthusiasm more than makes up for what I lack.  You will see what I mean by the pictures!  The first couple rehearsals they kept changing parts.  But they got the "crew" part down after a couple rehearsals- moving chairs, costuming and props.

Here is the Angel Gabriel (William) giving the good news to Mary in the garden (Sharifa).

Here is the Angel of Joseph's dreams (Geraldo) assuring Joseph (sleeping, and snoring Cyrill) that he should take Mary as his wife.

The multitude of heavenly host singing Glory to God with terrified shepherds- okay maybe the "3 dwarves"; Astonished (Cyrill), Quizzical (Sharifa), and Bashful (Jaydine) is more like it in this picture. But remember they are still understudies and the eventually casted shepherds do get terrified down (and the angels look less like they are being crucified and Geraldo learns everyone's lines and keeps his eyes open.)

At Elizabeth and Zechariah's house Elizabeth (Sharifa) greets Mary (Jaydine)- (the manger isn't supposed to be there yet, oops!)

Joseph (Cyrill) and Mary (Sharifa) at the birth of Jesus.

More to come... after the intermission...please enjoy the refreshments and return to your seats when the lights flash in the lobby.