Being a Light in the Dark Theater

Well, it's Spring and in the New York theater world, that means it's awards time. There are a number of organizations that present awards to top shows and performers on and off Broadway culminating in the award of all awards, the Tony. As the theater community gets ready to honor the best of 2007, I'd like to remind Christians in the theater world to remember to honor the best of all eternity: our Lord. The theater community is a missions field for Christians who make their living amidst the greaspaint and the roar of the crowd.

So often at gatherings of theater folks, there seems to be an overwhelming disdain for God, Christians and anyone who might suggest that you can't do whatever you want when you want. And Christians ministering in that world need your prayers to find loving ways to share the need for a saving Lord.

At one of this season's award ceremonies in which a number of honored performers were asked to share a few words, I was surprised to hear how often God came up in the conversation-- even if all of the comments weren't positive (OK, the Lord's name was taken in vain twice, but that's not what I mean). One actor expressed joy at having a role which allows him to speak in favor of evolution and say negative things about those who believe in creation. One spoke proudly of being raised in an atheist home and another was proud of parents who had left the ministry. And one person, given a special award to honor his achievements, reminisced about his start in the theater in middle school and how at the end of the run of their production, all of the participants clung to each other not wanting to part from those with whom they'd shared such comraderie. "Maybe that is God," he said wistfully.

The thing that was very clear to me is that God is very much on the minds of those folks, whether they'd like to admit it or not and we Christians who have an opportunity to work in the performing arts with those who don't know Him and who are searching for God, have an obligation and sacred calling to introduce them to Him. A couple of people who spoke at that awards ceremony did mention being blessed in their lives and work. But not one said from whom the blessings came.

Don't be afraid to let people see Christ reflected in you and through you as you sing, act, dance, direct, play your instrument, design lights or sound, usher people to their seats or clean the carpet in a theater. If you are a Christian and you are involved in the performing arts, God is speaking to you. He has placed people in your path who need to know Him. Be the light to show them the way through the darkness that can consume the theater world to what they really need to be blessed.