It’s a winding story of social distance and heart connection.
A group of young adult actors come together virtually to audition and rehearse for a comedy whodunit. Eventually they perform it in person, outdoors, over the summer.
Along the way, many of the cast members and directors bond around their common Christian faith. Relationships of mentorship and encouragement are born.
The overflow of that becomes a Thanksgiving production they will soon share with churches in Wilkinson and New Palestine.
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Several churches in the Shirley and Wilkinson area, also coming together around their common Christian faith, plan a community Thanksgiving service set for 6:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at Wilkinson Church of Christ. It will feature “Let There Be Light: A Journey to His Heart,” a collection of songs, readings and worship dance presented by the group Beyond Curtains.
The Community Ministerial Alliance has been sponsoring a Thanksgiving service and a Good Friday service for more than 20 years, said Jim Jackson, pastor of Shirley Friends Church. His church is one of the seven churches in the group. Jackson said it began as a Shirley ministerial alliance but later changed its name as other area churches became interested in taking part.
“There is something special about the spirit of unity when we gather to worship our Lord with one accord,” Jackson wrote in an email to the Daily Reporter. “Jesus prayed for all believers to be one.”
The group typically rotates locations for these community services. Pastors from the churches involved take turns delivering the sermon. Other churches often offer a song or a poem. This time, however, most of the service will be presented by Beyond Curtains.
The group of performers were all part of a larger cast that came together through Creative Grounds Fine Arts Academy in Greenwood to perform “Curtains” in July at the performance space at Mallow Run Winery in Bargersville. The production was “a little sweeter and less bawdy” version of the Broadway musical for which David Hyde Pierce (“Frasier”) won a Tony Award, said Doug Robbins. Robbins and his wife, Theresa, directed the show.
Leah Holst, 17, recalls meeting the Robbinses online over the audition process and working with them on characterization. She and a number of fellow actors grew close to the couple, admiring their 28-year marriage and seeking to gain life wisdom from them.
“I just really felt this connection with them. … They were open about their testimonies,” said Holst, a home-schooled high school senior. “We’ve talked about incredibly deep stuff — depression and suicide, everything under the sun …
“Just to be poured into by Doug and Theresa … means so much.”
As the young adults continued meeting with the Robbinses, the group started talking about doing a fall show.
“Every meeting was ending up around the piano,” Theresa Robbins said. “We actually asked the kids to come up with things on their heart about Thanksgiving.
“We just really want to uplift people during this crazy year … to realize who the real light is in their life.”
They dubbed the group for this fall production “Beyond Curtains.” It’s a nod to the summer “Curtains” production. Theresa Robbins said that name was also appealing, though, because as she and Doug have mentored young people over the years, they’ve urged them toward purity and transparency.
Beyond Curtains will share the musical at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Nov. 21 at New Palestine Bible Church and at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at Wilkinson Church of Christ.
“We are so looking forward to the Beyond Curtains production of Let There Be Light,” Brett Crump, senior pastor of New Palestine Bible Church, wrote in an email to the Daily Reporter. “I personally know many of the performers, am familiar with the script and believe it will be a blessing to all.”
Dan D’Angelo, pastoral care minister at Wilkinson Church of Christ, said the ministerial alliance service in Wilkinson is open to anyone in the community, not just the congregations of the alliance. Anyone seeking a meaningful way to kick off the week of Thanksgiving is welcome.
“I expect … people are going to go home with a smile on their face and a heart full of thankfulness,” he said. “Pump a little bit of joy back into their hearts.”
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Wilkinson Church of Christ: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 22. Sanitizing stations will be available and chairs set farther apart. This is a community service presented by the Community Ministerial Alliance. Participating churches are Christ Fellowship Church, Grant City Wesleyan Church, Shirley Christian Church, Shirley Friends Church, Shirley Church of the Nazarene, Shirley-Wilkinson Community United Methodist Church and Wilkinson Church of Christ. You do not have to attend one of those churches to go to the service.
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