The best thing we do,

This morning as I was praying for a safe journey to one of my favorite places (Stratford, Ontario and the Shakespeare Festival Theatre), a recent memory popped into my head.  One of our casual supporters had recently said to us “the best thing you do is organize those trips to Stratford, Ontario to show the kids REAL theatre.”  At the time, I smiled and nodded and thanked him for his kind words, while silently shaking my head and thinking – oh well, he just doesn’t  ’get it’.  

This morning, I wondered how many other people just don’t  ‘get it’ – why we feel driven to continue growing Alphabet Theatre.  You see, the AT mission isn’t really to put on a good show (though we DO and you should come and see a performance.  Organizing the Stratford trip is a bonus – an extra pleasure to share with people who mean the world to us.  So, in case you’re wondering what we really DO,  here’s a little list (bonus points to those of you who just started to hum the list song from the Mikado)

At Alphabet Theatre, we give kids a safe place to be a kid.  Having fun and doing theatre is just the skeleton for the work of the flesh at AT.  Here are some of what we at AT do to put meat on the bones: 

We sit with kids. 

-          While the ambulance arrived to take the bloodied, suicidal, teen to the hospital

-          While the drunk parent forgot to pick them up so the sober parent had to do it

-          While the tow truck was called because of the car accident on the way to rehearsal

-          While they cried about disappointing their parents

-          While they cried about breaking up

-          While they cried because they hated themselves and couldn’t imagine anyone being able to love such a flawed person

-          While they told about their father walking out

-          While they explained about their brother’s disability

-          While they struggled to understand the ins and outs of friendship

-          While they struggled to understand addiction

-          While they worried about their health problems

-          At their loved ones funerals

We talk with kids

-          When their eating disorders get the best of them

-          When they call at 2 in the morning because they have questions about their sexuality

-          When they wanted to hurt themselves or someone else

-          When their anger gets the best of them

-          When they want to give up

-          In the middle of the work day because they need advice

-          In the early morning hours when they couldn’t face another day

-          When they needed a different perspective

We Celebrate their achievements

-          At their concerts

-          When they passed their drivers exam

-          At their games

-          At their schools

-          At their graduations

-          At their weddings

-          At their children’s births

We accept their failures

-          Their bad grade in the one class they hated

-          Their failure to pass the drivers exam

-          The time they over scheduled and had to give up something to make something work

-          The night they drank too much

-          The time they almost missed a performance because they we partying

-          The time they made a bad decision and had to face the consequences

We give them opportunities to serve

-          Invitations to help with younger children

-          Invitations to help at Community Dinners

-          Invitations to help with special events at churches an in the community

-          Invitations to help others in the community

-          Invitations to visit shut ins

-          Invitations to share their time and talents in new ways

We give them opportunities to learn

-          To understand slavery in a more intimate way

-          To understand the Holocaust in a more intimate way

 

We encourage them to try new things

-          Sewing costumes

-          Making props

-          Building sets

-          Cleaning balconies

-          Organizing and taking care of costumes and props

-          Running lights

-          Painting

-          Designing t-shirts

-          Designing posters and programs and flyers

-          Taking on bigger roles or solos

-          Joining the group instead of standing on the outskirts

We give them a place where they can create something that’s bigger than an individual.

We love them

-          In the dust

-          In the angst

-          In the drama

-          In the pain

-          In the questioning

-          In the process

-          In the mistakes

-          In the successes

-          In the near misses

-          At their highest and lowest

Because THAT is the BEST we do at AT.  We live the love of Christ.  That is what we are called to do.  That is what it’s all about, Charlie Brown.  

So the next time you’re sitting in the audience (which I hope and pray will be at one of our Cotton Patch performances this November).  Realize that your presence is helping us change lives, one ticket at a time.