last night my wife and i went with four relatives to see a play based on a biblical story. i had seen another production by this presenter several years ago, so i knew something of what to expect. what i saw confirmed my opinion of this company's approach to retelling a tale from the bible. the production values were of the highest quality, with gorgeous sets and inventive use of mechanics to transform the stage for each scene. when the action moved inside a building, the walls of the building unfolded so that the interior was revealed and returned to their original orientation when the scene moved back outside. sets rose from beneath and above the stage smoothly and silently. actors disappeared from the center of the stage, only to reappear in one of the center aisles to move back toward the stage as if by magic, as the set onstage changed.
the costumes were gorgeous. characters who were members of the ruling nobility wore robes and crowns that sparkled. others who were common people were dressed in garments of many different colors, each costume reflecting the status and personality of the character. live animals adorned in brilliant trappings appeared from time to time when the story called for their presence. the result was an amazing presentation with great attention to detail, and the audience often gasped at the beauty of both the sets and costumes.
these production values were enough to justify the somewhat costly ticket charge, so i was glad i had gone. the quality of the acting, singing, and script was disappointing, though. rather than tell the story in a straightforward way as it was in the bible, the plot was embellished so that it reflected the religious beliefs of the producers. the actors were overly dramatic, as was the music. in a heavy-handed manner, the point was made that "God is in control." every event, no matter how tragic, was a part of "God's purpose." the characters were mere pawns playing their part to make the outcome what "God intended it to be." every song reflected the singer's angst about where the plot was taking them, and the underlying orchestral accompaniment, though well-played and orchestrated, contributed to this feeling of uncertainty.
after the play concluded, members of the staff and some of the actors stood in front of the stage, and members of the audience were invited to come forward to "make professions of faith" or to discuss "prayer concerns" with the employees of the theater. all-in-all, it was too obvious that the story was not intended to stand on its own and allow the audience members to draw their own conclusions. rather, the play was merely a vehicle intended to lead the observers to embrace a particular religious viewpoint. i left this heavy-handed propaganda piece with mixed emotions. i went expecting to leave with this impression but i wanted to see the production values of the costumes and sets, knowing that i would not agree with the attempts to manipulate the audience to adopt a particular set of beliefs. i expect most of those who attended agreed with the perspective of the play's producers, and those who did not, like me, left unchanged but satisfied with the beauty of the scenery and costumes.
may we not allow ourselves to be persuaded by those who put the value of propaganda over honest storytelling. may we use our minds to separate fact from opinion. may we be tolerant of others' beliefs even when they are not our own. may we look for beauty where we can find it and give credit where it's due. shalom.
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