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September 2004 Table of Contents
Cover Story
Tips and Tricks for Christmas Productions
Submissions from our readers
A Gift to the Community
Take your presentation to the community! We have the greatest story to tell and we need to tell it in the most professional, understandable way. The Woodlands Pavilion is a 17,500 seat venue that used to lay dormant from October to March. For several years, we have taken our Christmas production to the Pavilion and offered it as a "free gift" to our community. I invite community minded businesses (members of the Chamber of Commerce) to advertise in our playbill as underwriters of this family friendly Christmas event. We have had great success and offered our community a quality presentation of the Gospel during the Christmas season.
First Baptist Church of The Woodlands believes that every member of our church is "sent" to share the good news of Christ. This missional mindset helps our people get behind this opportunity to "go and make disciples."
Don Barrick
First Baptist Church of The Woodlands
The Woodlands, TX
Working with Children
We have had success, when using individual children in the Drama Cast, by insisting that they first have a foster parent in the cast whom their parent has designated in written form. The foster parent is responsible for the child at all times, keeping up with their location and insuring that they are under supervision from the time they arrive until they are delivered back to their parents at the conclusion of each performance.
Mark Powers
Associate Pastor for Music & Worship
First Baptist Church, N. Augusta, SC
Costuming
Costuming a Christmas production or any program at your church can be a major ordeal unless adequate planning is done months before the show. Whether you use the Biblical theme, Dickens style costuming or modern dress, I have found these ideas helpful.
Plan way ahead.
We all know this to be true but don't always follow through with it. Most Ministers of Music are great at picking out the right music, but not so in picking out the right costuming. Look in your choir and church. There should be some people who have a knack for fashion and would love to research to find just the right look. Meet with them and give your input then let them go. Plan a follow up meeting to discuss what was discovered and to give final approval. Then let them go to work.
Look for items all year long.
We do a "Charles Dickens" style Christmas program each year. The first year we did it, most of the ladies in the choir rented costumes. While the dresses were beautiful, they still were rented. Knowing we were going to do this style program for a few years, I copied some dress styles from the internet and handed them out to the ladies in the choir. That way, they could be looking for a "period" dress all year long, especially when stores put things on close-out. The pictures allowed them to see styles that they could adapt from current styles and transform into a Dickens style.
Check the Thrift Stores.
Some of the best costumes come from thrift stores. I encourage the choir, both men and women, to browse through the Good Will, Salvation Army and any other second hand stores for great bargains on costumes. One of the great things about these stores is you can purchase several items and put them together make an outfit that doesn't cost a lot of money.
Ask for specific items from your church members.
Some of my greatest treasures came from church members attics. If you need a special type of dress, coat, hat or even a specialty prop, let the church know. The senior adults are especially good for this since many of them have items stored in attics. Plus, it gives the non-choir member a chance to be part of the program without being part of the choir.
Steve White
Minister of Worship and Music
FBC Rock Hill, SC
Scheduling
I think one of the things that has worked best for us for Christmas programs is the rehearsal schedule we follow the actual week of the program. In our city, we have found it works better to do programs on Saturday through Monday nights, rather than the traditional Friday-Sunday. So, here is our typical practice schedule on the week of the program.
Monday night - Technical Rehearsal only - a complete run through of the program with only technical personnel present. Some actors (if we're doing a drama) might show up for a quick sound check, but only stay around for a few minutes for level checks. The main reason for this is to get sound, lighting and video operators, along with the cue callers all on the same page, so the choir and/or actors won't have to "stand around" to wait on them.
Tuesday night - Either a "1st half" rehearsal or a drama only rehearsal, depending on the nature of the program - Try not to involve too much of the choir that evening, or if we do, we don't prolong the rehearsal.
Wednesday night - Either a "2nd half" rehearsal or a music only rehearsal, depending on the nature of the program - Try to rehearse mainly with the choir, since that is their main rehearsal night anyway. This is usually a longer than normal rehearsal.
Thursday night - First full dress rehearsal with everyone - We try and go straight through the program at least twice. This is typically the longest rehearsal of the week.
Friday night - TAKE THE NIGHT OFF!! This is something we tried about a year and a half ago, and the results were great! Everyone really enjoyed the night off and you could tell when they got there on Saturday afternoon for warm up and pre-show meetings, everyone was rested and refreshed and ready to go!!
This type of schedule has worked well for us, and now that the choir, actors, and the tech guys have gotten used to it, they wouldn't want it any other way!
Tim Wright
Minister of Music
Cinco Baptist Church
(850) 243-7656
Information.
While certainly the needs of today's music ministry include the most obvious disciplines such as worship philosophies, musicality, recruiting, and others, I would like to add another essential to that list.
Any organization operates best when those charged with creating a vision are also skilled enough to allow those around them to also embrace that vision. INFORMATION is a key element in keeping this organization alive, moving forward, eager to serve, and willing to be stretched along the way.
Over the years I've had occasion to see church music departments in a standoff between leadership and followers. So much of that standoff could have been avoided by making a small effort to keep the organization "in the loop." Group dynamics in an information void will quickly default toward passive resistance and then eventually attrition. Many morale issues could have been easily thwarted if only the "sheep" in that organization had been more informed along the way.
Here are some steps to follow to help your group stay healthy and to help you be the best steward of the people that God has entrusted to you:
VISION. Repeat it often.
Tell your organization where you're going. i.e. "Choir members, don't forget that you are worship leaders in your own right. Ask God to use you today to spur someone in this audience toward a better connection to Him".
Tell your congregation (I do this at least 50% of the Sundays I lead worship) where you're going. i.e. "I'd like to remind you all that as all of us sing today, we're not doing it because we have great voices. We're doing it because we have a desire to know God and we know that He is pleased when His people gather together and worship Him."
TIMING. It is everything.
As we've all observed, many groups will quickly lose interest if you walk thru the hour by hour schedule of your Christmas tech week schedule three months in advance. Instead, at that three or four months out stage, give them a brief overview so that they can capture the essence of where you're going. Then distribute a printed calendar of your rehearsal schedules.
WHAT'S UP??
When you know that your cast, choir, crew or any other group entity will have occasion to sit and wait, stop for one minute and tell them why and what they can expect.
IS THIS THING ON??
If you are having technical difficulties in a rehearsal setting, stop for one minute, confer with your tech people and then tell those who are being put on hold what is going on and what to expect.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT?
Portion out the information you intend to give based on how YOU would like to be informed. On the morning that you depart with your group on a bus ride to Egypt, tell them right up front that you know that this may be a long ride and that there are construction delays ahead, you have to pick up passengers in Sudan, once you arrive at your concert site they will have 20 minutes to dress etc, etc. It will be so much easier for your people to digest difficulties or challenges along the way if they know in advance that these possibilities exist and that you're doing all you can to alleviate them.
Michael Adler
Minister of Music and Worship
Shades Mountain Baptist Church
Birmingham, AL.
Use Live Music!
The orchestra doesn't have to be huge. Rhythm section and three or four wind players can really make the music come alive. You can even control dynamics, tempo, texture, cuts, repeats, etc. etc. etc. The key is to prepare the rhythm section well before adding winds. Also, adding a couple of pros to an ill-prepared amateur group doesn't help. Give your church member musicians time to prepare and they will add so much. Water down parts if needed. Use a good synth on the string reduction part if you don't have string players. If you hire string players, or any pros, please be nice, but they are not royalty! They work for you and not the other way around.
Don't have 14 brass players in your group if you don't want to hear them. It is very frustrating to play an entire pageant at piano or less because the choir can't balance eight trumpets. Point directional brass towards the center and have them play into dampers or foam. Make sure to conduct the orchestra even when the choir has long sustained notes. You can do it! Go live!
Stephen Cross
Associate Minister of Music / Instrumental
First Baptist Church
Benton, Arkansas
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