Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln Counties
Good News |
Area News of Churches and Related Christian Fuvents
VOL. 1 NO.12
REPUBLIC NEWSPAPERS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1992
Theatre presents a unique view
By RENEE WALSER
Church theatre is not an
unusual thing, but for a
church to have its own the-
atre where they produce
from four to five plays each
year - that's unique in this
area.
First United Methodist
Church of Gastonia bought
an old Winn Dixie building
five or six years ago and
converted it into a theatre
that seats about 200. The
church organized a theatre
group in the early 70s and
produced their plays in the
chapel until the new the-
atre, complete with dress-
ing rooms and a shop for
set-making, was estab-
lished.
The goals set down by the
group's steering committee
include: to present God's
concern for man through
drama; to give the partici-
pants a time of fellowship;
to stimulate the use and ac-
ceptance of drama in the
church; and to do some-
thing new and different in
worshipping God.
"The philosophy is it is a
ministry,” said minister of
education Jim
Westmoreland.
"Participation is a primary
importance, not perfection.
Involvement - be the best
you can be, but allow people
to become involved."
Not only can the 2,200
members of the church be-
come involved in the the-
atre, but people of the com-
munity of all faiths have
participated.
Participation in all areas
is completely voluntary,
Westmoreland said. People
become involved because of
their love for theatre.
Plays are not always reli-
gious in subject. For in-
stance, the group is plan-
ning to produce "Meet Me
in St. Louis" for next
February.
One play each year is a
children's play, in which ev-
ery child who auditions re-
ceives a part.
It takes six to eight
weeks of rehearsal,
Westmoreland said, for
each play. And then the ac-
tual performances run for
about four
Admission is free.
The latest play the group
produced was "The Case of
Humanity vs. Pontius
Pilate." The stage was set
up as a court room with
judge's bench, prosecutor
and defender's tables and
jury box. Audience mem-
bers were asked to fill the
six jury seats on stage and
render a verdict at the end
of the drama.
The play featured real-
life lawyers playing the
parts of prosecutor and de-
fense attorney, Gastonia's
Richard Abernethy and
Jesse B. Caldwell III.
Performed in one act, the
drama requires the audi-
ence and jury members to
decide Pontius Pilate's guilt
or innocence in the crucifix-
ion of Christ.
Westmoreland said that the
nights.
See Theatre Page 2
ccs
Joseph of Arimathea, played by Charles Barkley, takes the oath from the bailiff, Jason Thomas, as the
judge, James Westmoreland, looks on. Below, defense attorney, Jesse B. Caldwell III, and Pontius Pilate,
played by Richard Schultz, hear the prosecutor, played by Richard Abernethy, begin his case in "The
Case of Humanity vs. Pontius Pilate.” :