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Blakely church members present musical production
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Easter Season Drama
ON THE INSIDE The lastest happenings in our area Page 2
March 27, 2015
by Christopher Cornell ADVANATAGE EDITOR
Peckville Assembly of God Church, 3364 Scranton-Carbondale Highway in Blakely, is a busy congregation. A few years ago they moved into a brand new building with a sanctuary that doubles as one of the best performance venues in the area. The church has hosted Christian rock performers and a number of other events. The latest is an elaborate and reverent theatrical production called “The Letter.” It will be presented Saturday and Sunday, March 28-29, at 7 p.m. Admission is free. The story presents the last days of Jesus of Nazareth, framed by the apostle Paul as he pens his first letter to the Corinthians. The show is directed by Winnie Patten, a member of the congregation and a retired Valley View teacher, and will have more than 70 actors and will feature drama, music, worship dance, theatrical effects and will conclude with the actor playing Jesus entering the sanctuary on a white horse. “From the beginning to the end, people will experience the wonders of the Easter season,” Patten said. “I did have help with how to stage the production from my co-directors of drama ministry, Sandi Liuzzo and Terri Welch, who came up with the title ‘The Letter.’” During the course of rehearsals and preparation, there were challenges. One was the weather. “Our practices were scheduled for Monday evenings. Do you know how many Mondays had snow in January and February? Finally, I said, ‘That’s it! No more snow on Monday!’ And we didn’t have snow on Mondays after that. God is good.”
A scene depicting Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, from a previous production of the drama at Peckville Assembly of God church.
“There are so many to thank, I couldn’t begin to give names,” Patten said. “From the people who handed out posters and tickets, to the people who will take care of the children in the nursery and not get to see the production, to the people who ironed 50-plus costumes one night as the cast practiced, to the guys who constructed the set, to the foreign exchange students who are working lights and stage handling, to my sister, who is always at my right hand to help, to the cast. “Of course,” she added, “without the help of the Holy Spirit that gives us inspiration Ken Simmons Sr., who will be portraying Jeand ideas, there would be nothing.” For more information, call 570-489-4961. sus, will ride a horse into the sanctuary at the climax of the production.
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