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Chip's Blog

Let Freedom Ring!

By February 3, 2021No Comments

It’s been awhile since I posted a blog. I apologize for that. This is exactly the time I should be keeping in touch, but I’ll bet you can understand why I’ve had a hard time doing it. Every time I would sit down to try to write something that I would intend to be encouraging, maybe a little uplifting, it would end up being a rant against all the insanity going on in our country right now, and I just couldn’t add fuel to that. I never want current events to define me or my attitude. I’ve usually got a more ‘big picture’ perspective. But, you have to admit, these are some weird times we’re living through. And besides that, the game clock is still going, so I don’t have time to be fooling around with things way outside my lane.

I’m in the fourth quarter, and as any football or basketball fan knows, that’s when you win or lose. Of course, the game is rigged in my favor. Even if I come out way behind, I get the trophy anyway. Grace isn’t fair. Thank you, Lord! And now I think I’ve wrung more than enough out of that metaphor.

Like the former Obama Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel once said, You never want to let a serious crisis go to waste, so I’ve taken all that above mentioned angst and have been pouring it into a new book. And just in case the Siliconati are watching (and I am definitely taking credit for inventing that word, which appears in the aforementioned new book) let it be recorded that I took advice from Rahm Emanuel. That should satisfy the fact-checkers.

See how I just veered right off the rails? I’m about halfway through the first draft of the new book, which I think is going to end up being a three or four book series. I have quite a bit written on two of the other books in the series. One is just a title: Revelation. I know, it’s been used, but I like it.

When I’ve not been writing, I’ve been busy working, along with our ever faithful volunteers, on the set for Judas the Lost Apostle. We’re opening live on February 27th, and we’ll be open Saturdays in March and April, with the exception of Easter weekend. Of the thirty sum-odd plays I’ve written, this one is the one that got under my skin the most. I mean that I found myself thinking about it long after I finished writing, and longer still after we first staged it in 2009. We’ve had a lot of plays that were described as thought-provoking, engaging, or compelling, but Judas is absolutely riveting, and that has everything to do with how believable the actor portraying Judas Iscariot is.

I honestly didn’t know if anyone other than my brother could ever be able to do it, but I promise you, Michael Williams is going to bring Judas to life on our stage in a way you will never forget. It is going to be a powerful portrayal, which ironically, may be the most unvarnished presentation of the Gospel you’ve ever experienced.  I really encourage you not to miss this special opportunity to see an extraordinary actor in a role I think he may have been born to play.

Some time ago I was horsing around with Michael on the set of another play. We were shooting some video promos, and it struck me that Michael, with his hair long and a full beard, looked just a little like Charles Manson. I said that on the interview we were taping and he just stopped and stared at me in a way that actually just gave me a chill recalling it. Just for that moment this incredibly sweet young guy was…scary. He’s bringing all that and more to this role. Don’t miss it!

Another fine actor, Mikey Gonzales, who you should well remember as John the Baptist in Gates of Paradise among other Ragtown productions, will play the role of the Apostle Mathew Levi the tax collector. Glenn is back in the saddle as director, sandwiching rehearsals between physical therapy rehab sessions, as he continues to recover from his successful back surgery.

We’re working on a concert I think you’ll like too, so start making plans, and come help us celebrate still having the freedom to open our doors and proclaim the  Good News…the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We can’t wait to see you coming through those doors.

What A Day Of Rejoicing That Will Be!