A Christmas Prayer Production Notes by Matt Tullos

Transcription

1 A Christmas Prayer Production Notes by Matt Tullos We are both delighted and honored that you have chosen A Christmas Prayer to celebrate the story of Christmas this year. As a team, it s our intention to provide a dynamic, rich, and flexible work with a strong message that ultimately will implore the audience to understand the message of grace and how it can transform people, churches, and families. The following information provides a canvas of possibilities and suggestions that will speed you down the road toward a dramatic experience, rather than a traumatic presentation. All kidding aside, we think you ll be delighted with the ease and flexibility of A Christmas Prayer. Options As you may have figured out, there s more than one way to present this musical. Though the customization options are limitless, let me give you the skinny on a few options that were developed before the first note was written as well as a few that we ve stumbled upon along the way. Option One: The Standard Musical Concert Performance So you ve got voices and a CD set-up or maybe even an orchestra but you faint at the sight of drama or you don t like the drama or you just want to keep it simple somehow. Cool. This is the musical for you. You simply recruit a narrator to read the standard narration that isn t a part of the drama and then Presto! You ve got yourself an incredible Standard Musical Concert Performance. Another tweak: Instead of using one narrator, you might choose split the narratives between readers. The narrative content is created with this in mind. You will notice as you listen to the narration sequences most of them have the feel of a choir using almost lyrical lists and expressions that you be performed well simply by splitting the lines between two to six readers. If you ve purchased the musical and are producing the Musical Concert Performance version and would like to see a script that uses multiple narrators- with several creative unison lines and other tweaks, feel free to Matt Tullos: mtullos@lifeway.com Option Two: The Readers Theatre Option Create A Dramatic Performance of the theatrical script using black notebooks and well rehearsed actors to play the roles of Phillip and the other actors in the story of this family and the people that Phillip encounters. By placing the theatrical readers in one area of the stage and the narration on the other area of the stage it will be easy for the audience to

2 follow. This strategy works best using sound effects for the terminal, the roadside scene, and the scenes outside the churches. Another tweak. With the readers version you might choose to have a female reader to read the letter in from Phillip s mom. This would have a strong emotional impact and since you aren t adding any special costuming in the Readers Theatre Option, this flashback scene would certainly be believable. You might even choose to have Nathan begin the letter and then blend over into Mom reading the letter. Lighting this scene would also help the audience by providing focus where you want it. Overall the Readers Theatre option shouldn t be done simply as a time saver. Intensive rehearsal and strong acting and directing are still needed. You will however find that the simplicity of this strategy, especially for smaller churches can be quite appealing. Option Three: The Full Dramatic Version Although the other options are quite attractive for a number of reasons, we re sure that most churches will enjoy the process of producing A Christmas Prayer as a theatrical experience powered by a rich soundtrack and their choir. If that s you, read on, friend. Here are a few production notes. As you are planning to stage the musical, you ll need to make a choice about where your scenes will be performed. Here s our suggestion: Create the Family Sketch in one performance area. But don t make it prime real estate. You ll only use it once. Then find a way to use center stage of the acting area for the scenes where Phillip is trying to get to church via airport, rental car, prayer room lady encounter, and greeter. All of these scenes could be performed in the main acting area using a few set pieces and sound effects. (You ll see those suggestions a little later in this article.) If you choose to use the same area, make sure that you inform your set designer that they pieces should be able to adapt or be moved with logistical ease. For example, an airport sign could be turned around to be a highway sign and then adapted to turn into a church sign. If he or she can accomplish that you have a very dynamic, super-adaptable set piece that will carry you through three scenes! The other option for the large church with lots of acting space would be to have separate acting locations for each traveling scene. If you have the lights and square footage, count your blessins and have fun. The hybrid of these two options would be to double up one or two scenes in the same area. This would give you even more time and flexibility for set changes. Song One: The Prologue Sketch

3 Actors: Jenny and Phillip This opening vignette works best without any set whatsoever. If you have two spotlights or small lighting areas, you d only need to light them in to completely different spaces. You might even choose to have Phillip walking down the aisle of the auditorium for an even more intimate experience for the audience. Wherever you choose to stage this, make sure that the actors in radically different areas to under gird the concept of a phone call. The tone of the conversation should be light, and yet for Jenny, pleading. Family Sketch This sketch, though brief is important because it provides the basis exposition of the entire premise, which of course is best described as a musical within a musical drama. As mentioned earlier you can create this scene in an area that is less prominent than the travel scenes. You ll want to have a doorbell sound effect (provided on the available Accompaniment CD product) and you might even choose to construct a door for the entrance in the scene. You may want to add other elements to create an even more intricate set, such as a back wall, decorations, wall photos, a Christmas tree and decorations but make sure that the complexity of your design doesn t create an imbalance in design in contrast for the other scenes. Phillip and Rita Scene This scene can be enhanced with the use of extras for to establish the scene as a bustling airport. (The ambient sound effects of an airport terminal are also provided on the available Accompaniment CD product.)these characters should have the dress and props to fit the airport scene such as carry-ons, overcoats, etc. These people could pass through the scene as Rita recognizes Phillip. Another option would be to have Phillip and Rita meet in a line where the other travelers simply stand in the line as Rita and Phillip talk. Other extras could include a gate signs, travel posters and a sign showing the directions to baggage claim. Again, when in doubt, simple is always better. One must always make sure that nothing steals focus from the brief encounter between Rita and Phillip. Phillip and the Good Samaritan Scene Carter, the Good Samaritan character, should be an unassuming man who in his thirties or older. He shows genuine concern and a bit of persistence in seeking to aid Phillip spiritually. Once again, Phillip appears goal-oriented in trying to get to the church, but is lured into another conversation about the big picture of life. In order to give this scene the feel of a roadside, you might choose to uses some greenery such as artificial trees, a traffic sign and perhaps a flashing red light off stage to allude and imitate the hazard lights on his car. You might also want to use some ambient traffic sounds (also provided on the available Accompaniment CD product). For an added touch

4 you may want to experiment with your stage light to see if you can mimic the headlight of passing cars. But be careful that such an element doesn t divert the focus from the dialogue. Phillip and Grace Scene The character of Grace is best played by a lady in the age range of 55 or older. In many ways represents and honors the women of the church who are faithful to pray. This scene can be enhanced by using a sign that says Prayer Room: A 24 Hour Ministry of Calvary Church If possible you might want to consider adding outdoor shrubbery or even a door for Grace from which to enter the scene. Elements such as there are good but they are in no way a necessity. The Phillip and Greeter Scene This scene requires no set. You may want to consider actually staging this scene at the side of the stage or even on floor level. This is a pivotal scene because after Phillip sings That s When I ll Know I m Home, (or after he reacts silently as another soloist sings the song) he finally appears in the auditorium. He may enter the church at the line, OK, Lord, here goes nothing, or lights may go down as it is intimated that he is going into the church auditorium. After a verse of A Christmas Prayer the song, approaches his family. They greet him with hugs. The last person to embrace him should be his father. This is best done on floor lever. Use lighting during the song to augment the focus of the audience. The best time for this reunion to occur is during the octave change. After this is over the family sits in the audience for the conclusion of the musical. Pageant Notes Is your church a pageant or Living Christmas Tree church? I think you ll find this music an excellent work to present traditional elements of the Christmas story. Most churches that do large productions weave a contemporary element within the production so we feel this is an excellent solution. Although seemingly obvious, here are some simple suggestions where traditional Christmas moments could be visualized and dramatized: Overture Modern and Secular Christmas Celebrations Christmas Praise Angelic Announcements to Joseph and Mary The Glory of Christmas Bethlehem Town Scenes and enter shepherds God Has Come Announcement to shepherds

5 God of Every Generation Shepherds at the Manger with other townspeople of all ages. Look to the Light The wise men caravan enters and young Jesus in Bethlehem.