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Sunrise Theater scheduled to
by Danette Parrett
features Editor
Sunrise Theater, an
interdenominational Christian
theater troupe of 22 young people
aged 13-19 will perform at
Be hrend , Saturday, Feb. 27. The
free performance will begin at 7
p.m. in the Reed Lecture Hall.
The event is sponsored by
Campus Ministry.
Sunrise theater is based in Enon
Valley, PA. Its founder, Ruth
Brandt, started the theater
ministry in her barn as a
memorial to her husband.
Tiffany Smith, a eighth
semester political science major,
is Brandt's granddaughter and a
student at Behrcnd. She explains
how the theater began and its
focus.
"First of all, Sunrise Ministry
"I know that God Is
not the most popular
among students here
on campus, but the
group has a great
message."
was established. There was no
theater. Then my brother decided
to follow his dream and direct a
small play in our barn. He
moved a couple of hay bales
around, swept the floors of the
barn, left a few mice homeless,
and directed a small play with
family and community members
being the cast. This was the
commencement of the Sunrise
Theater."
As the years passed, the
equipment became more technical
and the cast became larger. Now,
a stage is present, complete with
colored overhead lights, two full
spotlights, a fog machine,
curtains on a metal rod (replacing
two white sheets sewn together
and placed on a cord). In fact, the
hay and straw that once carpeted
the floor of the barn no longer
reside in the barn at all. It has
been replaced by a sound tower
equipped with all the technical
sound equipment. There is a
men's dressing room and a
women's dressing room decorated
with multiple mirrors and lights.
There is a props room, costume
room, and prayer room--where the
cast warms up vocally and then
joins in prayer before a
performance.) In other words, the
upstairs of the barn has all the
essential equipment for raising
pigs, horses and cows.
perform at Behrend
A talented group with a serious message
Sunrise Theater has three main
objectives :
1. To encourage and facilitate
personal, spiritual growth in the
life of each person who
participates in the shows.
2. To clearly present the gospel
of Christ through high quality
shows.
3. Encourage those believers
Jr,..f,
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t
Ai i
,
Lights, camara, action: Sunrise Theater Players are scheduled to
perform Elijah and Room 77 on Feb. 27.
who see our program and even
challenge them to a deeper, more
meaningful commitment to
Christ.
Tim Smith, the founder, is
consequently the director. He has
performances during the summer
months. Last summer, he had
three productions with each
production showing for two
weekends. We have turned a
portion of one of our garages into
a concession stand where
popcorn, nachos, lollipoO,
coffee, etc., are served.
During the winter months, it is
difficult to heat the barn for a
comfortable environment, so Tim
developed a traveling group.
This is the first year he has had
two performances on alternating
weekends. The purpose is to
give the cast members a break.
Each would ideally have an
obligation only once every other
weekend.
The major focus of the group
is God. Tiffany states, "It is He
who has enabled the group to get
this far. He is the One
responsible for the group's
success. All productions have a
Christian influence or message.
All glory is in His name, not my
Features
brother's, not Sunrise Theater's."
The program was create from
Tim's interest in theater. All
through school he had performed
in - every play and musical
available. Tiffany recollects
Tim's homemade performances
for their grandfather.
"Tim would arrange plays for
my sister, myself, and my
brother to put on. He would
write out programs and invite
relatives and friends. He once
wrote a play entitled, "Work I
hate," and [we] performed it for
the family. It was humorous
because my Grandfather Brandt
was a very stem man who was
adamantly convinced he had
grandchildren to work on the
farm. We hated it as Tim's play
pointed out in his not so subtle
manner. My grandfather was
furious."
Every performance has a "love
offering" or a donation. From
the money collected, 10% goes to
a fund for building a youth home.
The theater is a two-fold
ministry. It ministers to those
who hear the performance
through the message it conveys
and it also generates funds to help
in building the youth home.
Tiffany's grandfather was the
reason that her grandmother
decided to build the youth home.
Her grandfather was emotionally
troubled during his youth, and he
grew into an emotionally
troubled man. Tiffany's
grandmother realized the the Lord
could carry so many burdens and
heal hurt emotions. After
volunteering at a youth detention
center, and she realized how many
youth were in need of help and
love. Her grandmother had the
aspirations of building a youth
home because, she wished to help
those youth who were hurt or
disadvantaged. Tiffany's
grandmother had mentioned the
idea of a youth home to her
grandfather before he died, but he
commented that there wasn't
enough room on their farm for it.
Tiffany said her grandmother
didn't give up hope.
"My grandmother knew that
this home was part of God's plan
and that with or without my
grandfather, God's plan would
take place."
Sometime later, Tiffany's
grandfather fell from the roof
cleaning the gutters and met his
death. At the funeral, people
were asked instead of giving
flowers, to give donations, and
thus, the Sunrise Ministry began.
Tiffany finds that John 12:24 is
claimed in conjunction with her
father's death.
"It reads, 'Most assuredly I say
to you, unless a grain of wheat
falls, into the ground and dies, it
remains alone; but if it dies, it
produces much grain.' The
significance is that my
grandfather did just that. He fell
to the ground and died. Through
his death, more people have been
reached than if he were still alive.
Please do not get me wrong. It
was very painful [when he died.]
We just try and see the good from
it."
Thursday, February 11, 1993
When the youth home is finally
constructed, it will be maned the
Ray B. Brandt Memorial Home
in honor of Tiffany's grandfather.
During Tiffany's stay at Penn
State-Beaver campus, she
performed with the group.
Tiffany enjoyed performing with
them.
"Performing with the group
enabled me to do my most
favorite things: share the love of
my life, God, with other people,
and singing!"
"After all the songs arc
memorized, you are able to
concentrate on what the message
you are sharing with the
audience. So many times
whenever I was facing hardship of
some sort, the words of a song
we were singing would slap me
in the face and teach me some
invaluable lesson God wanted me
"So many times
when I was facing
hardship of some
sort, the words of a
song we were
singing would slap
me in the face and
teach me some
invaluable lesson..."
to hear."
Tiffany encourages ali students
to attend the performance to be
held at Behrend on Feb. 27.
"I know God is not the most
popular among students here on
campus, but the group has a great
message. It isn't like going to
church and hearing someone tell
you that you are going to hell
unless you do this or say that. It
challenges both the Christian and
non-Christian. It isn't `preachy.'
Let me say again that it is not
`preachy.' Room 77 is more
subtle in its message and is
applicable to all ages. The other
is the story of Elijah, the prophet
who conveys the truth of the
power of prayer."
To see the music and drama
with a message of Jesus Christ,
come and see Sunrise Theater's
performance. Two 40-minute
musicals will be presented during
the group's Erie appearance. The
first, a drama called Room 77,
tells the story of one special
room at Sycamore High School.
Room 77 will be followed by the
all-vocal performance Elijah.
Sunrise Theater's
performance is free and open to
the public. Refreshments will be
served. For more information
contact Campus Ministry at 898-
6245.