A Note from the Director...
Welcome to “Rockford Christian Schools Theatre Presents Wonderful Town”, the story of two sisters who move from their mid-western home to New York City where they hope to discover adventure and success in the big city! If you’ve been around RCS Theatre for any length of time, I hope you’re starting to recognize a travel theme. In Fiddler On the Roof we watched Tevye’s daughters move out and away before the entire village of Anatevka was forced to relocate. In Thoroughly Modern Millie we saw a young artist make her way to The Big Apple with dreams of fame, fortune and love. In Big we watched Josh leave home when he became an adult over-night and Jo took us on an astonishing adventure in Little Women. The theme of movement and discovery has always been exciting for me and today's performance is no different. It has been my dream to direct Wonderful Town since I first saw it over a decade ago and this is the perfect group to present it. The current senior class were freshman when I began teaching at Rockford Christian and while I am sad to see them go, I am so excited for the amazing adventures God has planned for them. Many of the students you see tonight have been involved in dozens of fine arts event over the years; together, we have had triumphs and tribulations but what we have learned through all of it is that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. It’s a strange chain of reactions but one I’ve grown to depend on.
It is no secret that these productions require an army of volunteers and I am so very thankful to each parent who has given of their time and resources to make this production what it is. If you’re here for the first time we want to welcome you to Rockford Christian Schools and thank you for spending the evening with us! To Michelle, Vicki, Christian, Allyson, Hannah, Allegra, Eric, Camie, Liz and Beth you are the most capable production team I’ve ever had the privilege of working with and I have so much thanks and gratitude for your hard work over the past several months. Finally, to the students; you’re the reason I do this. There are a million ways to be involved with the arts but I am so thankful to be called into teaching because it allows me to learn so much from you and experience so much happiness as I observe your growth. For those of you who don’t know my students, they are funny, they are dramatic, they are helpful, they are overwhelming, they are incredible and that combination of challenge and blessing is the most thrilling thing I have ever experienced.
In this show, the character Ruth struggles to find appreciation and success in New York City. When I see her pain in several scenes, it reminds me of Romans 5:3-5, which tells us that “…we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” I pray that you will experience God’s love being poured into your heart and no matter what you’re wrestling with in life right now, rest in the knowledge that suffering eventually transpires into hope. Enjoy the show!
