What People Are Saying

Reflections on the 2009 National Networking Conference in Orlando, FL.

 

This was only the second conference we have attended and although it was very different than the one in Chicago in 2007, God was still VERY present and at work. 

I suppose our story is that we gave God our community theater in Miami Springs and said:  “Lord, we are yours.  Use us there if that’s where we are meant to be…or close that door and open another.” 

Well, on Monday, Ralph Wakefield, my husband and the artistic director, met with the assistant city manager and the finance director and they are very interested in the way in which our community theater can help build programs in the new community center that should be opening in June 2010.   

So, that is one very real way that God was at work…and in the community no less!  Ironic(?) how that was the theme of this year’s conference. 

So we would ask for your prayers in making this community theater a place where people can grow in their craft and in relationship with one another.  And that Ralph and I can shine a light for God. 

Thanks again for a great conference. 

Nancy Jones

 

Was this a smaller conference then the one we attended in Chicago?  Sure was! Was God all over this conference as well?  SURE WAS!!  Allow me to illuminate.
Our team of three, Nancy Jones, (my wife), Sherrie Porter (our University Baptist Church Drama team leader) and myself arrived at the hotel Thursday afternoon shortly before three.  We signed in and took a minute to catch our breath in the lobby before heading off to St. Lukes.  We could have gone right on as the time for the key note address was soon, but we didn’t  We sat in the lobby long enough to be approached by a young woman who noticed our CITA tags and said she was also attending the conference and would we have any idea where to pick up the shuttle bus to St. Lukes? She had gone in search but couldn’t find it. Her name was Gretchen Geyer and she was from Pennsylvania.  We chatted for a few moments and then offered her a lift in our van (as the weather was looking most ominous) to St. Lukes.  She happily agreed, and we started off.  No sooner had we arrived in the parking area adjacent to St. Lukes than the sky opened up.  Thunder, lightning, 40 day- 40 night style rain and then hail!  “Oh, Hail,” I remarked, we’d better stay here until it lets up.”  We would have gone right in, but the storm prevented that. Since we had little else to do, we asked Gretchen if she wouldn’t mind if we rehearsed our scene, “Blind Date Running” we were performing on Saturday, and would she hold book for us?  She was delighted to help.  Even more delighted at the scene and offered to help us at the performance, running our sound and video taping us.  And she did.  We returned to Miami to find an E-mail from Gretchen.  It seems her church is doing an upcoming message on “Running Your Race to the Finish.” “Would it be possible to use Blind Date Running?” 
Coincidence?  Not a chance.  Looking back on it, His hand is clearly all over this.  How GREAT HE IS!  Thank you, CITA, for being His vehicle.  

Ralph Wakefield, Artistic Director Pelican Playhouse LLC

 

I feel what I benefited the most from this year’s conference was the fellowship; seeing old friends as well as making new ones.  Sharing with one another; praying for one another; reaching out to each other.  Being reminded you’re not the only one with problems in your theatre work.    The prayer time we had Saturday afternoon was also very meaningful.

Gordon Williams, Houston, Texas

 

In the shadow of justice there is Compassion Corner :

I taught a sociodrama (www.RichDrama.com/WorkShops) master class at the Christians in Theatre Arts (www.CITA.org) National Conference in Orlando. We started the class at the conference, where I taught the history and basics of the dramatic/therapeutic form, then we took a free (thanks Orlando!) public bus to Compassion Corner, shown here, across the street from the courthouse. It’s an ideal location for them, since their prime focus is helping clients move through the legal system as they look for jobs and housing. It’s given them great visibility, and they now have volunteers from 14 churches and at least 9 denominations (off the top of the leaders’ heads).

We had an amazing sociodrama with their clients. Our warm up was done in four small groups in which they had to come to concensus on a shared dream. Two of the groups had a dream of greater compassion in the world. They beat out dreams of family and a home.

The scenario was a rich man (played by a client) walking past a homeless woman (played brilliantly by a CITA member). Someone gave her a back pack, which she put on her back. The clients said, she wouldn’t be wearing it because she’d have been carrying it too long. So we put her on a park bench. On the first pass the rich man moved away from her with a grunt. Then we talked about how the rich man could show more compassion. He took some suggestions from the group, and stepped back into the scene (this time played by a second client who tagged in with some great ideas). The rich man struck up a conversation, and he happened to comment on her sun glasses. She said she got them at the Salvation Army, and he said he used to go there. We talked about how we all have had low spots in our lives, so we prayed that people would be less inclined to look down on people who are there right now.

Rich Swingle, NYC

 

I thank God for CITA.  CITA is where I discovered it’s okay to create church drama that is neither cheesy, mediocre or demands that there be a salvation scene slapped on the end of every production. I learned that you can place a passage from Acts in a 1930’s noirish mystery, or place a parable from the Bible in a modern context, and the God’s message is communicated and His person is glorified.  

I knew that I was supposed to be there this year.  Like Gideon’s Army, we were all handpicked to be there this year. What did I take from the conference? I am supposed to share the story that God is telling through my life and I am supposed to encourage others to do the same and sometimes that feels like getting on one of those inside dark rides at Disney World.
Carol Owens, Berkeley CA

 

The highlight of the conference for me was being re-acquainted with several people I had not seen for quite some time and then meeting an absolutely wonderful group of theatre professionals. I was so taken by the five people I had dinner with, I decided to buy their dinners for them. This day for me was a spiritually rewarding and refreshing time. I am proud to have been a part of Cita almost from the beginning.

Herb Sennett, FL

 

I really loved the conference. From Joel Hunter’s talk about artists being “set apart” for God to use to enlighten the world to the panel discussions and meeting with so many creative people, I was professionally and spiritually nourished by being a part of such a wonderful weekend. 

Janice Elsheimer, FL

 

I was encouraged and inspired at the Conference. After a hiatus from theatre for a number of years I needed the nudge from Janice’s workshop on hearing the creative call from God again. I am eager to see what He will do and I am excited about being connected with such wonderful, creative people!

Georgina Bard