Outreach Drama Planned for Thanksgiving

The first rehearsals for Geunter Rutenborn’s The Sign of Jonah almost felt like a class reunion!  One of DIM’s fondest memories has always been the summer 1997 production of A Man for All Seasons.  So when Raymond Jones, Daryl Jones and Stefanie Kelly all rejoined rehearsals for Jonah, it just felt like old times all over again.

By necessity, DIM is bigger and better and than ever! A unique outreach-oriented drama, The Sign of Jonah features a large cast of characters in an ensemble performance.  The setting is Berlin, Germany, but could be any modern city.  The angels have gathered to stage their own version of the Nuremburg trial; but it turns out everyone is to be brought up on charges, even the witnesses — even God!

The play is an ideal outreach vehicle for anyone who has ever suffered through some great catastrophe in life, and has never been able to let go of the feeling that, somehow, someone somewhere ought to pay for it.

The play is directed by Greg Wright, who was pleased to be able to draw on such a deep pool of talent to complete the casting.  DIM regulars George Rosok and Linda Woltz will make their first appearances in leading roles, and other regulars in the cast include Patty Cram, Laura Brunk and Jenn Wright.  Two newcomers join us as well:  Elizabeth Woltz and Tony Duram.

Greg was thrilled to come across this public-domain script.  Originally written by Geunter Rutenborn, a German minister, The Sign of Jonah was translated into English in 1962; and in 1989, the play somehow passed into the public domain, and is no longer available in print.  Greg found a battered old copy in a drama store in West Seattle, and DIM has published its own edition for use in this production.

After talking over several options, DIM settled on Thanksgiving weekend for performances.  We know that many of our core audience will be unable to attend due to conflicts with family travel; but for those who are in town, what better option is there for holiday entertainment than a free, full-length Christian drama? 

Bring your friends and family!  The Sign of Jonah is scheduled for three performances, Friday through Saturday, November 24-26^th, at 7 PM.

Come see what the fuss is all about!

Community Activity Continues

The Haunting of Hill House finishes its three-weekend run at Redwood Theatre Friday and Saturday, November 3 and 4 at 8 PM.  DIM veteran Mike Brunk has now completed his second directorial assignment with the Redmond community theatre troupe.  Last fall, Mike directed Ten Little Indians for Redwood, featuring long-time DIM trouper Lyla Moreland.  That production won several awards, including best show.  Redwood is thrilled to have Mike working with them, and hope that he continues to be on a roll.  Tickets are $10, $8 for students and seniors.  Call Redwood at 206-525-3493 for more information.

Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass is set to run for four performances in one long weekend, November 9-12 at Puget Sound Christian College.  Thursday through Saturday performances are at 8 PM, with a Sunday evening show at 5 PM.  DIM founder and PSCC drama instructor Greg Wright has assembled a mixed cast of adults and students for this intense drama.  Evan Woltz returns for his third student appearance, and Edmonds resident and DIM associate Mike Way (Saint Joan) anchors the cast with his veteran presence.  The cast also includes former Mrs. Washington Tammie Kay Arnim, and Greg Wright himself in his first major stage role in nearly a decade.  All seats are $8.  Call PSCC at 425-775-8686 for more information.

Jenn Wright and Dave Stark have also renewed their commitment to community outreach this year, repeating as two-thirds of the judging panel for Redwood Theatre.  The third member of the panel is the brand-new Sonia Gunn; that is, Mrs. James Gunn (Saul in In the Presence of Mine Enemies).  Congratulations to James and Sonia, who were married in September!

Summer Programs Report

So what was up with DIM for the last half of the summer, huh?  It seems like we disappeared into radio silence for quite a while!  Well, the first half of the summer was extraordinarily busy, and the group decided to take August and the first part of September off!  So, here’s some tidbits of news about how the summer wrapped for DIM.

l        For the second year in a row, the Normandy  Christian Church entry in the Des Moines Waterland Grand Parade won an award.  This year, the award — for participation in the July city-wide parade — was given to the church’s entry titled Knights of the Kingdom.  The entry was sponsored by DIM.  The award was one of three made in the novelty category, and the group was recognized right alongside the Seafair Pirates, a perennial favorite!  The marchers included Laura Brunk, Patty Cram, Lyla Moreland, Mary Beth Moreland, Greg Wright, Jenn Wright, Jack Drake and Lorraine Drake.  Costumes were designed and sewn by Lorraine and Lyla.

l        DIM also staged the second of its comedy hours for the Normandy Arts Fest in July.  Oddly enough, one of the crowd favorites was a simple sketch concept titled The DIM World Tour.  The sketch was a simulated slide show of various world locales featuring frozen poses of DIM members in front of a blank screen.  George at Loch Ness nearly brought the house down, as did Mike wrestling dolphins in Australia.  Lorraine Drake made her debut with DIM in a sketch titled If Women Hunted, which proved a favorite with men in the audience.  Greg and Jenn also demonstrated the dangers of improvisational comedy sketches in their sequel to the Sam ‘n’ Ella Sings routine (we promise this will head in a more edifying direction!), but the highlight of the night was definitely the DIM Mocumentary EEE-Towt!, featuring George Rosok.  Folks were literally falling over laughing.  The program concluded with the audience-pleasing Chi-Rho Dating Game.  If you get a chance in the future, be sure to check out the as-yet-unscheduled edition of the DIM Comedy Hour.  It’s better than anything on TV.  (Okay, so that’s not saying much!)

Chi RhoCapper

The final installment of DIM’s popular serial drama, The Chi Rho Files, will hit the boards early next year.  This series of dramatic one-act plays was started as an experiment in group writing, but has gone on to have a life of its own.  The first installment, Investigations of the Unorthodox, introduced audiences to an alternate present: a present where Jesus Christ died in Philadelphia in 1963, and young disciples struggle to define Christian community and sound doctrine.  The Assignment led us inside IU Central, a training unit for anti-Christian Jewish zealots; and The Power Unleashed led us to a hotbed of persecution in Guatemala.

The fourth script has yet to be written, but be prepared to bid adieu to some of your favorite characters in what promises to be a full-length drama scripted by DIM members.