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August 11, 2008

Kids' musical to rock church services

Will perform 'Simon Says: The Rockin' Trial of Simon Peter'

By Robb Murray

MANKATO — These days, when you think musicals and kids, you may think of Troy and Gabriella and the rest of the cast of “High School Musical.”

Come this weekend at church service time, parishioners at Christ the King will be thinking more along the lines of Simon Peter, Jesus, and perhaps those crazy Samaritans.

About 50 kids this week will rehearse and practice a play that will take the place of church services Saturday and Sunday. It’s called “Simon Says: The Rockin’ Trial of Simon Peter.”

“We’re looking forward to this,” pastor Patrick Patterson said. “It’s a fun concept. It’s not what we’re used to in traditional worship.”

The idea for doing a musical came to Christ the King via Chuck Hoogland, the church’s music director. He’d known about the idea for a few years and had heard about it at conferences he’d attended.

This particular play, he says, is one that resonates with the kids. It centers on a trial, and Simon Peter is the accused. He’s been charged with fraud because he has declared Jesus is the son of God, the Messiah and Savior.

A series of New Testament characters comes forward, however, with eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ work and present a pile of evidence to support Simon Peter’s claims.

In this production, the kids with speaking parts were cast after auditions in May. They had their scripts for a few months before Monday. All kids were given the music beforehand and encouraged to learn the songs before they arrived.

“The kids are really excited,” Hoogland said. “Some of them are driving their parents nuts playing this music so much.”

This week they’ll spend their time learning stage movements and dance choreography.

Directing the play is Jim Hatleli, a teacher at Eagle Lake Elementary and longtime member of The Merely Players.

“Everyone’s working together as a team right now,” he said. “It’s like a puzzle. I’m working on one piece, the choreographer is working on another piece.”

The kids, in addition to learning a little bit about theater, are also getting a dose of Bible education. As they play the parts and perform the play, the play’s message gets reinforced within him, Hatleli said.

Many of the kids are used to putting together a theater production in one week because of the popular Prairie Fire Theatre productions offered through Community Education.

Hanna Rehome, 13, has done several Prairie Fire plays, including one year where she played the lead in “Cinderella.”

“I thought it’d be fun since it’s with my church and I’d be with a lot of my friends,” she said. “I really enjoy (theater), and I hope to be in plays when I’m in high school.”

Claire Patterson, 11, daughter of Pastor Patrick Patterson, said she’s got six lines in “Simon Says.”

“And I already have them memorized,” she said.

Like Rehome, Patterson has done several Prairie Fire plays.

“I thought it’d be cool to do it at the church,” she said.

The performances are free. They are 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 8:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

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