Drumming Up Some Drama
By John C. Havens
Does this scenario sound familiar to you? You're the person responsible for drama at your church. It's the first Sunday after New Year's Day, and your pastor corners you during coffee hour:
"Hi, (insert name here). Great job with the Christmas concert. Really enjoyed the cherub sketch. I wanted to let you know I want to incorporate a lot more drama into our services throughout the year, but at the moment I have no idea what topics I'll be discussing in my sermons or what themes I'd like you to cover. As usual, I'll probably have to ask you last minute for a piece that you can write, direct, and put on its feet in a couple of days. Great. Hey, you should try the rice pudding. Really topnotch."
It's not that far-fetched, is it? Whereas some churches have an extensive drama team, others have only one or two people on a team, and they often get slammed with last-minute requests. Well, whether you're in that situation, or you're facing the prospect of a brand-new, and unscheduled, year of drama, here are three ideas to get the theatrical blood flowing for your church.
Ask the Congregation.
If your pastor deems it appropriate, why not put an announcement in the church bulletin asking the members of your congregation what topics they'd like to see covered through drama in the upcoming year? Whereas the drama team and a pastor have the ultimate say in what is presented in the services, there's no reason why the people you're serving can't have a say in what they'd like to see. You might want to make suggestions for people to select, or simply leave space for them to write in their own ideas. This is a great way to help your drama team (or your pastor!) brainstorm, and also might illuminate themes that your congregation really wants covered.
Plan Special Events through Your Drama Team.
Depending on the needs of your church, why not plan special events that revolve around drama but don't necessarily require a full production? That is, have your drama team facilitate an event rather than act and direct a drama. This will allow your team to "rev up" for big services like Easter and Christmas and still stay connected with the congregation. Try renting and discussing a movie with themes that are important to your church or community – this is a great way to have some social time while also exploring cultural trends and Christianity. Try a theatre games night – have fun romping through some theatre or improv games with a youth group or even the whole congregation as a way to show your community the benefits of spontaneity and creativity.
Plan a Retreat for Your Drama Team.
You don't have to go away for a weekend (although that would be nice!) with your team to reconnect, but take the time early on in the year to establish at least one session in which you have no formal agenda so that your drama team has time to socialize and reconnect. It's vital to support each other as Christians and friends as well as fellow drama team members.