Arena Stage

Last week my wife and I had the opportunity to go to Arena Stage and see the play Unknown Soldier. We both love theatre, but it had been many years since we had been there, so it was a delight to see this excellent production.

My love for Arena Stage began in 1976 when our drama teacher at Edison High School took us to a matinee viewing of Death of a Salesman. Robert Prosky, who later starred in Hill Steet Blues on Television, played the character of Willy Loman.

Over the years I have seen many wonderful shows at Arena. Saint Joan in 1977, You Can’t Take it with You in 1979, Banjo Dancing in 1984, The Glass Menagerie in 1989, The Price in 1994, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 1998, A Washington Christmas Carol in 2009, and Oklahoma in 2011.

Each of these performances carries with it a special memory. For example, when we saw Death of a Salesman, the actors came out and talked to the students about their craft. When I saw You Can’t Take it with You, I was there with my good friend, John Elliot, who had been with me in Edison’s production of the same play a few years before. I saw Banjo Dancing twice. Once with my family, and then again when I brought a group of seniors from my church in Lynchburg.

The thing I like about drama, especially when it is at Arena Stage, is that it touches an emotional nerve in me that nothing else does. It opens the door to the heart. The heartbreak of a tragedy, the laughter of a comedy, the hope inspired by a musical, help me learn, have fun, and be inspired.

That’s why I am so excited about the community theatre we hope to establish in our new church. We have designed the building so that the sanctuary can double as theatre space. I envision a place where residents in our community can participate in local productions. A place where groups like the Rose Hill Players can have their grade school production. A place where seniors from Brightview Senior Living can display their talents.

What would it look like if we incorporated scenes from a community theatre into worship? What would it look like if members of our church mixed in with outside theatre groups and built relationships? What would it look like if the emotional impact of theatre, intersected with the power of the Holy Spirit, in just such a way that lives are changed? I look forward to seeing what God can do as we move forward with this part of our building project.