It’s been a difficult year and a half - crippling for many. And it’s not just the adverse things beyond our control that have been crippling. What seems unique in this time is our inability to tolerate one another. It seems impossible to believe that those on the other side of whatever ideological divide we might be tuned to are in fact good at heart - maybe even like-minded in some way. There’s a lyric from an early Sting song that says, "I hope the Russians love their children too.” He wrote that song early in his musical career, when a wall divided East and West Berlin, and the world was haunted by the lingering residue of the Cold War. The divide he wrote the song for pales in comparison to the acute divide we feel in our own province and country - even in our own neighbourhoods and communities.
How did we get to such a place?
Jesus
had apt words for times such as this. He called for us to love our enemies and
to bless those who persecute us. I am reminded of the image of a painted faced
young woman placing a daisy into the rifle barrel of a military policeman
during a Vietnam war protest. To what end?
I’m
sure in her courageous idealistic mind that could well have been inspired by
Jesus words - to miraculous end.
I’m
reminded of Scrooge’s tenaciously loving nephew Fred, who invites his miser
Uncle to Christmas dinner.
It’s
not an accident that Dickens sets up Scrooge’s change of heart with a naively
spirited invitation from a relative. Why invite someone to dinner who will most
likely ruin the event? What possible good can come of that? What is so powerful
about the invitation is that it not only shows us how bereft Scrooge is, it
also shows us how radiant the bearer of a hopeful invitation to the most
miserly among us can be. Nephew Fred is a walking lantern of grace.
This
November and December, we’re bringing A Christmas Carol, starring Nathan
Schmidt as a street-wise Storyteller who plays all of the characters, back to
our stage. Because the story is a reflection of what we believe. People can be
transformed from bitter to radiant through divine encounters.
To
miraculous end.
The
thought that the dead of winter could be the most hopeful and heart thawing
time of the year will be reflected in this year’s Rosebud School of the Arts
student production of “Christmastide: Music and Stories of the Coming
Light.” Along with an ensemble of students, David Snider is compiling a
beautiful collection of Christmas stories and songs that embody the title. He
will also direct the production - beautifully lit with lantern light - on the
Studio Stage. And Peter Balkwell of The Old Trouts will aid in the
visual movement of the piece. It’ll be evocative and wonderful - a perfect
companion to A Christmas Carol.
A
visual and poetic feast to miraculous end …
And
of course Christmas brings with it the Annual Rosebud Christmas Concert December 5th under
the direction of Bill Hamm. The theme - hope. Hope that in the face of
restrictions and frustrations and a seeming lack of trust, music will soften
our hearts toward one another.
An
event which holds the promise of miraculous end.
But
even before all of that, we’ll reopen our Opera House Stage this October 15 - 31 with a guest production called Tomatoes Tried Killed Me But Banjos Saved My
Life. It’s a true story about a Corporate Executive named Keith Alessi
whose life is changed when he chooses to follow his passion for playing the
banjo. What is so wonderfully wonderful about the show is he fact that Keith
Alessi is performing it himself. It’s his story! And he shares it with warmth
and humour and music.
A
true story with a miraculous end.
Why
such obsession with miracles? The truth is the past year and a half has been
filled with miracles. It’s a bit of a miracle that we’re able to emerge from
COVID. There have been financial gifts -small and large - that can only be
described as acts of grace that have kept us going. To us, such gifts are
miracles, because they have kept the lights on in a dark time. What do we do in
the face of such kindness but pass on the good news that there is indeed grace
in the world, for new beginnings, for changes of heart, and for light in dark
times. Rosebud Theatre and School of the Arts exist to trumpet that news out
into the world.
There
is hope!
There
is reason for optimism!
And
we believe stories of grace are the tonic that can heal hearts-made-hard in
divisive times.
We’re
back on stage and our doors are open. Please join us in the anticipation of a
miraculous end.
Morris
Ertman - Artistic Director
