“Christmas on the Air,” a musical Christmas play by Ron Hamilton, will be presented at Freedom Baptist Church this weekend. The 70-minute play tells the story of a live radio broadcast from Bethlehem, Pa.
Pastor David Dunbar said his son, Jason, the play's director, saw the play and thought it a good choice for Auburn.
“It appealed to me because the music was good and it is a little humorous,” Jason said.
He also said that the closer it got to Christmas, not so much was going on in town, so performing close to Christmas might appeal more to those in the Christmas spirit.
“It's the first year we've done something of this magnitude,” Dunbar said. “They made this so that smaller churches could put on a full-blown Christmas production. For our size church, it's perfect. I've never seen our people as excited as they are about this play.”
Jason said earlier Christmas events at the church were shorter and emphasized the children and church. This play has more emphasis on adults.
The play, a radio broadcast at Christmas, is a story within a story. It begins with everyone entering the radio station, then on- and off-air segments. The Christmas story is told over a period of two days from the viewpoint of the animals: a cow (Al Salvage), a dove (Joy Dunbar), a sheep (Nicole Oram) and a donkey (Matt Noll).
CD music for the program is played while the 25-member Freedom Baptist Church choir sings between scenes.
New Christmas songs include “Who Could Imagine,” “When She Looks at Jesus” and “Go Tell,” as well as fresh arrangements of “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger.” There are 14 musical pieces in all. A nine-member children's chorus sings with adult choir members. Children's solos - including one by Nate Wilkinson, 6, midway through the play, and Bethany Corey, 7, whose performance ends the play - should move the audience.
Choir director Grant Miller said rehearsals began at the end of October. He said it was very easy to put on this play because they first started at a musical college in Pennsylvania and were taught by Ron Hamilton, who showed them tapes of the program he had put on. He gave tapes, CDs, scripts and musical booklets to the church to use in its production.
The church has about 100 parishioners, but 500 free tickets were distributed “to encourage people to come.”
Kathleen Barran
253-5311 ext. 238
kathleen.barran@lee.net
If you go.
What: “Christmas on the Air”
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21
Where: Freedom Baptist Church, Route 20, Auburn
Cost: Free
Info: Call 253-6261
“It appealed to me because the music was good and it is a little humorous,” Jason said.
He also said that the closer it got to Christmas, not so much was going on in town, so performing close to Christmas might appeal more to those in the Christmas spirit.
“It's the first year we've done something of this magnitude,” Dunbar said. “They made this so that smaller churches could put on a full-blown Christmas production. For our size church, it's perfect. I've never seen our people as excited as they are about this play.”
Jason said earlier Christmas events at the church were shorter and emphasized the children and church. This play has more emphasis on adults.
The play, a radio broadcast at Christmas, is a story within a story. It begins with everyone entering the radio station, then on- and off-air segments. The Christmas story is told over a period of two days from the viewpoint of the animals: a cow (Al Salvage), a dove (Joy Dunbar), a sheep (Nicole Oram) and a donkey (Matt Noll).
CD music for the program is played while the 25-member Freedom Baptist Church choir sings between scenes.
New Christmas songs include “Who Could Imagine,” “When She Looks at Jesus” and “Go Tell,” as well as fresh arrangements of “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger.” There are 14 musical pieces in all. A nine-member children's chorus sings with adult choir members. Children's solos - including one by Nate Wilkinson, 6, midway through the play, and Bethany Corey, 7, whose performance ends the play - should move the audience.
Choir director Grant Miller said rehearsals began at the end of October. He said it was very easy to put on this play because they first started at a musical college in Pennsylvania and were taught by Ron Hamilton, who showed them tapes of the program he had put on. He gave tapes, CDs, scripts and musical booklets to the church to use in its production.
The church has about 100 parishioners, but 500 free tickets were distributed “to encourage people to come.”
Kathleen Barran
253-5311 ext. 238
kathleen.barran@lee.net
If you go.
What: “Christmas on the Air”
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21
Where: Freedom Baptist Church, Route 20, Auburn
Cost: Free
Info: Call 253-6261
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