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Worship drama
Northwestern College theatre seeks to restore story to worship by helping prepare theatre artists trained in worship and worship leaders trained in theatre. The efforts of Northwestern theatre faculty and students to re-story worship were recently featured by the Calvin Institue of Christian Worship. Read more ...
Several opportunities exist for students interested in exploring worship drama.
Ancient Israelite drama
Is the Old Testament a book of plays? After several decades of research, Dr. Tom Boogaart, professor of Old Testament at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Mich., thinks it might be. He is working with playwright Jeff Barker and Northwestern theatre students to restore ancient Israelite dramas to the stage. The plays are typically drawn from the King James Version and include familiar stories like David and Goliath, Jars of Oil and Naaman’s Leprosy.
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In 2004, Barker incorporated 10 Old Testament texts into an original musical, And God Said, which dramatized the stories of Abraham and Isaac, Moses, Samson, David and Bathsheba, and others. Broadway composer Ron Melrose wrote the production’s lyrics and score.
Drama Ministries Ensemble
The Drama Ministries Ensemble (DME) is the touring company of Northwestern’s theatre department. Students selected for DME work with the company’s director and playwright, Jeff Barker, to explore the integration of drama with worship by developing and performing original plays that explore contemporary issues like AIDS, drug abuse, September 11, or the effects of civil war in Africa through the light of the gospel and its message of compassion and grace.
DME members also learn and perform enacted prayer or “picture prayers.” Using principles from improvisational theatre, the actors take prayer requests or praises from members of the congregation and act out what has been described, including depicting God’s presence.
The DME touring company travels annually over spring break in March and for 8 to 10 weeks each summer.
Video (Requires Windows® Media™ player)
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 Theatre and speech |
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