Phoio. by Kevin
Dr. and Mrs.
C?. Gray pres
ent door prizes
Saturday before
the start of the
play.
Below: Michael
Gray as Jesus
in "The Upper
Room to
Calvary."
Play penned by
pastor continues
to draw big crowd
BYT KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
We have all heard of
writer/directors, actress/singers
and even model/actors.
But a pastor/playwright?
It is a title that the Rev.
Charles Gray has worn for years.
Most people know about the
pastor part. Gray has led the
flock at Mt. Olive Baptist
Church for decades. As a pastor
and community servant, he is so
beloved and respected that the
City Council named the East
Winston street on which the
church sits, after Gray. As a
writer and director, his Easter
play, "The Upper Room to
Calvary," has been a sell-out
each year since Mt. Olive began
staging the production in 1990.
Gray doesn't take complete
credit for the play's popularity.
"The Upper Room to
Calvary" is based on the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ,
which Gray believes is still the
greatest story ever told.
"This is a story that never
gets old," the pastor said
Saturday evening, 10 minutes
before the curtain rose on this
year's production. "It has with
stood the test of time, generation
to generation."
Over the years, "The Upper
Room to Calvary" has evolved.
Today, it is an all-out musical
production featuring a live choir,
dancers, musicians and dozen of
actors and actresses. Saturday's
production was staged in Mt.
Olive's multi-purpose building
(adjacent to the sanctuary), but
venues across the state have
hosted the production. Positive
word of mouth has earned Mt.
Olive invitations to perform the
play at churches in Lexington,
Durham and throughout North
Carolina.
Gray has never had any for
mal training in playwriting or
directing (he co-directs the play
along with his wife, Eula). In
high school, he was a member of
the drama club and took a theater
class while an undergraduate at
Fayetteville State University.
Gray decided to try his hand
at playwrighting after writing a
song called, "Magnify." The
show-stopping song is per
formed by the Virgin Mary in the
First Act of the play as a celebra
tion of her selection to carry the
son of God.
"My wife said, you should
write a play to go along with the
song," Gray recalled. "Also, the
Lord spoke to me and told me to
tum it into a play."
Putting on the six-scene play
is no small feat. The dozens of
players in the church's Drama
Club begin weekly rehearsals
each January. There are routines
for the" dance ministry to leam,
arrangements for the musicians
to run through and numbers for
the choir to perfect. It all comes
together under the watchful eyes
of the Grays. On Saturday, First
Lady Gray monitored the per
formance from a vantage point
near the audience, while Dr.
Gray worked behind the scenes.
In 2004, interest in the story
of the crucifixion and resurrec
tion of Jesus was at an all-time
high with the release of "The
Passion of The Christ," a Mel
Gibson-directed film that made
millions at the box office. When
asked whether attendance to his
play increased after the release
of "The Passion of the Christ,"
Dr. Gray chuckled.
"We hade been having sell
out crowds long before that
movie every came out," he said.
"After seeing the movie, I won
der if Mel Gibson saw our play
before he made the movie."
But in the end, Gray says it is
not about how many tickets are
sold. He prays that his work will
save souls and show someone
the light.
"I just want someone's heart
to be touched, someone who
doesn't know God," he said.
Gray's other play writing
credits include his version of
"Order My Steps" and "Let God
Be God," a phrase that also
serves as Mt. Olive's motto.
Next, the pastor will collaborate
with his son, Michael Gray, the
church's assistance musical and
dance director, on another musi
cal stage production.
%
APY*
Money Market Savings Account
Max Return
Max Access
+ ? +
GJ*?
ra*,ul
A
e?v
^Southern
y_yQrtl3T]flUllLiiy o
BANK AND TRUST
www.smallenoughtocare.com (336) 768-8500 or 1-888-768-2666
'Annua! fenxnuflc Yield It jrturair aanfyi/M. Th? ratr i? guamttrad unuM'l/iu AftrrS't/m, an in
notice. l imnod tirrif offer CMfer food for ronsumm and buain?wr\ new aaoomfll only. Minimum open I
minimum dnilvbstamr of $2VW0to earn *& ? ? - ? ? ?
Wh below a daily balance of $1 ,000 or 12,000
dnmak apphea Account* wttfYbalarw" uf IS,
frwttaed APY. R** may after ? ea m i ngs, Vrounti will be imposed * SlOJIT
amape daily hilanre for the MMM cy V, 6 max withdrawal* per matr
i.OOO- $24. W earn 140* APY. Acuamts with balance under $3,000 earn 1.
? at ?ny dme and without
of U4.000 and mm maimahi
maintenance toe If the account
^atemcnt, a $4.00 fee tor ear**. with
40% APT.
Member FDlt
??^|||W|W|^.l|l",WW??Wl|MI?JfcWE^jPjWpM||jaww,wp||P)||PpPW|jpIWW||^p!|pP^PPP|KPWa|P^|PP -
news @ wschronicle .com
mmmmmmmmmmmm ? ? ? j j
BestHealth.
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
April 2008 Events
Events are heW at BestHealth in Hanes Mall or other locations, as noted.
V = registration required. Call Health On-Call* at 336-716-2256 or visit www.btsthMlth.com.
To become a BestHealth member, call 336-765-6804 or visit our web site.
I TUE - Yoga for the Heart
1 p.m. Join Valerie Kiser, RYT, of
Sunrise Yoga for an intro
duction to basic moves
and stretches that can
help decrease your risk of
heart disease.
"* \ 1 /
f
I TUE - Gluten-free Cooking
5:30 p.m. Lee Tobin, founder of Whole
Foods Market's? Gluten-free Bakehouse,
shares gluten-free dishes, including sal
ads, pastas, alternate grains and gluten
free desserts for kids. Samples
provided. IT
2 WED - What Your Footprint
Says About You
1 1 a.m. James Guarino, arch support
specialist with FootSource, Inc., presents
an interactive demonstration of pedogra
phy as it relates to arch support, injury
rehab and issues related to proper
footwear. tB"
2 WED - Burns: Better Treatment,
Better Outcomes
2 p.m. Jared McFarland, RN, of the
WFtJBMC Burn Center shares the latest
advances in burn treatments and explains
how careful and thorough interventions
can relieve pain, lessen restrictions and
improve visual outcomes.
3 THU - Straight from the Oven
3 to 4:30 p.m. Oven roasted meats and
vegetables are full of flavor and nutrients.
Join Barry Moody for recipes and sam
ples of these tasty delights. For Best Health
members only."?
3thu - Plastic Surgery for
Healing or Healthy Faces
6:30 p.m. Everyone wants a beautiful
face. Hear Dr. Lisa David of WFUBMC
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery explain
the risks, benefits and processes by which
an ordinary or injured face can become
extraordinary.
4 FBI - Pilates: Better Posture,
Less Pain
1 p.m. Pilates helps the body restore the
natural curves of the spine, improving
both posture and balance, "which reduces
pain. Join Amy Dixon of Your Pilates
Place for this introductory class,
7 MON - 7 Habits of Successful
Gardeners
1 p.m. Toby Bost of the NC Cooperative
Extension Service offers tips
} to mJ^jkvl'arlancl
a, gai^en^ifspangRme
^ best. For BestHealth
members only.^^
8 TUE - Belly Dancing
6 p.m. Learn a fun way to get in shape
with instructor Paula Stump. Dress com
fortably to participate.
9 WED - All about Autism
6 p.m. Learn from WFUBMC pediatri
cian Dr. Kurt Klinepeter how autism
affects individuals differently and to vary
ing degrees, making early diagnosis and
specialized intervention crucial.*^
IOthu ? Club Independence
1 1 a.m. A NEW recreational therapy day
treatment program for adults with dis
abilities at CompRehab. This program
offers fun and laughter while working
towards more independence in the home
and community. This is a great opportu
nity to volunteer in the community.
10 THU - The Alexander Technique
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Join Ethan Kind to
learn about this non-intrusive, proactive
approach to teaching your body to iden
tify and change poor body habits that
cause physical pain, muscle tension and
fatigue. $20 for a two-hour session.
I FRI - Look Good, Feel Better
1 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. Women undergoing
cancer treatment can learn ways to
enhance their appearance and receive a
FREE make-up kit worth over $150 for
participating. Sponsored by the American
Cancer Society.
1 1 FRI Your Family Legacy:
Tales and Treasures
2 p.m. Carol Eickmcyer and Leigh
McMillan discuss how to organize, main
tain and distribute family heirlooms.*^
12 SAT - Spring Forward with
De'light'ful Dishes
2 to 3:30 p.m. Traci Latta shows how to
use fresh produce in meals that are full of
color, taste and nutrition. Recipes and
samples offered. For BestHealth mem
bers only. IT
Other Locations
7 MON ? Asthma, Allergies and
Your Child
9:30 a.m. Dr. Wendy Moore of
WFUBMC Allergy and Immunologic
Diseases discusses allergy and asthma in
children. Held at the Children's Museum
of Winston-Salem, 390 S. Liberty St.
Free babysitting offered,
8 TUE - Give the Gift of
'Volunteering
10 a.m. Susan Washabaugh of WFUBMC
Volunteer Services shares how volunteer
ing can bless the lives of others and your
life too. Fulton Family YMCA.^^
8 TUE - Knee Pain
12 p.m. Learn the treatments for knee
pain and options for avoiding surgery
from chief physicians assistant Frank
Caruso of WFUBMC Orthopaedic
Surgery. Central Family YMCA.^ST
8tue - Shoulder Injuries
7 p.m. WFUBMC physical therapist
Marty Dekkers discusses common shoul
der injuries and treatments to alleviate
pain. Kernersville Family YMCA.
9 WED - Understanding and
Preventing Memory Loss
1 1 a.m. WFUBMG geriatrician Dr.
Franklin Watkins discusses aging-related
issues with memory and cognition. Held
at Senior Services Center, Shorefair
Dr.W
9 WED - Reversing the
Diabetic Ttend
11:30 a.m. Dr. Jorge Calles-Escandon
of WFUBMC Endocrinology and
Metabolism discusses the factors that
increase the likelihood of having Type 2
diabetes and how making lifestyle
changes can reverse the trend.
Kernersville Family YMCA.^f
IOthu ? Exercising for
Stronger Bones
1 p.m. Learn the causes of osteoporosis,
a disease that affects women and men.
WFUBMCMk:|&)h|iologist BUI
Allen provic?s A^Wtenting and
coping with osteoporosis through exer
cise. CompRehab Plaza, Miller St.^^
r To re?'f er for ev0nts- receive fleneral health care information, or to schedule
a physician appointment, eaJI. Httfth On-Call* at 716-2285 or 800-446-2S.
0thtn?iM tetHeato programs tro for aduto; no children under age 12, plem.
?
Wake Forest University Baptist
M I I) I ( A I