DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN #5

(From my column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, November, 1986.  Bracketed information has been added.)



Pat Edmonds and Terry Beasley

Everyone has heard it said, “It is always darkest just before the dawn.”  At Stained Glass Theatre, that period of complete darkness came as we finished our second season.  We had hoped that with Terry Beasley on our staff, we could turn things around.  Terry, our new warrior, hit the ground running and must have scared Satan, for he began to heat up the battle.  Satan’s big “new weapon” (to us anyway) was serious internal dissension:  hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and bitterness.  It was powerful and it took us completely by surprise; we did not even know how to deal with it. For a few horrifying days, it seemed as if Satan had defeated us.  Then, as before, God stepped in and worked a miracle.  He brought healing and opened our hearts to fill them with understanding and forgiveness.  Only then could we see the real enemy:  Satan.  Through God’s grace and love, we survived a nearly fatal blow, and we were unified with the resolution that if we ever folded, we would at least go down together.

We completed the second season in July.  By this time, we were over $1800 in debt, in addition to a $2000 bank loan.  We were far behind on salaries, and Pat decided he must work outside the Theatre.  (The foolish boy thought he and his new wife needed to eat.)  Facing two months of down time between seasons, with rent, utilities, and loans to be paid, salaries to be met, and no income except about $175 in monthly pledges and a few travel company bookings, it looked as if we had come to the end.  All around was darkness.  We couldn’t even see the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.”  We were weighted down with despair and defeat.

On an afternoon in July, Pat, Terry and I met in my back yard to decide the fate of Stained Glass Theatre.  The time had come to either make plans for the third season or give up and quit.  Honestly, giving up seemed like the best option.  It didn’t seem logical to keep going against such odds.  Yet deep within me, something—God, I’m sure—kept saying, “Hold on!  Hold on!”  After hours of discussing, we finally voted to go for the third season.  Out of desperation, we decided to increase the number of plays per season from three to seven, feeling that this might be the key to turn everything around.  We knew that it would either work, or it would kill us.

After our backyard planning meeting, I was hanging on physically, but spiritually and emotionally I was defeated.  My mouth said “yes” to a third season, but my heart said “no.”  I felt all was lost, and I kept asking, “Why go on if no one cares or attends?”  Even some of my best friends had never seen a show at SGT, which led me to believe that even they didn’t care.  Yes, I was having a real “pity party.”  I was weary, defeated, and hurt.  It was during this time of personal struggle that God began to move in the spiritual side of my life.  Looking back, I know God was preparing to break me spiritually.  And that would dramatically change both my life and the direction of the theatre.

Two weeks later, with negative feelings still in my head, I went to Houston, Texas, to participate in a national Christian theatre conference sponsored by the After Dinner Players.  It was there that God worked another miracle in SGT’s history.  The Lord brought me to my knees, shook me up, and filled me with the power of the Holy Spirit by working through the spirit of Jeannette Clift George, the founder and director of the A.D. Players.  In Mrs. George, I could feel the love of Jesus.  I saw in her the Spirit-filled leader that I should be.  Through Jeannette, God spoke to me and gave me an answer to my defeated heart.  She said, “Just as Jesus asked the fishermen to cast the net one more time, that is all He asks of us—to keep casting the net.  We don’t have to worry about the catch.  He will take care of the catch if we are obedient and keep casting the net.”  The words were so simple, yet so powerful.  God told me not to worry about the empty seats at SGT, but rather to simply keep doing what I was called to do.  I left the conference a new person:  filled with answers and with His Holy Spirit.

This experience may seem too personal to be included in the SGT story; however, the change the Lord made in my life has so directly affected the theatre that I felt it should be included [if people are] to fully understand the rest of the story.  Before that time, I had been walking and leading SGT with my natural self, trying to make it work with my own power.  Now, I am walking in the Spirit, relying on God’s power.  Praise the Lord for another miracle!  [Thank You, Father! Praise Your Holy Name! Jehovah!]

COMING NEXT: OUR FIRST HOME OF OUR OWN                

We move again and experience yet another great miracle.

CHRISTIAN THEATRE IN SHOWBIZ PIZZA? #4

(From my column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, October, 1986.  Bracketed information has been added to clarify some items for the blog.  I have no pictures from our time at ShowBiz Pizza.  If anyone has some and sends them to me, I will add them later.)

 

Even though we had experienced difficult times during the first year, we began our second season [of Stained Glass Theatre] full of hope and expectation. We felt sure that we had learned from our mistakes and that things would be easier the second year. Ah, yes, we were such foolish dreamers! As we look back now, we can see that it was not our first year that was the real testing—our wilderness—no indeed! The nightmare struggles of the second year made the first year seem like a pleasant dream. Satan began to move against us with full force. The battle was on! Unfortunately, we were not prepared. We had not put on the full armor of God of which Paul speaks (Ephesians 6:11-17). We were greatly lacking in faith and righteousness. Therefore, when the battles came, we tried too often to fight with our own power and strength. It was not enough; it never is. Nonetheless, we fought on without the spiritual maturity to see why we were failing.

The first major crunch of the second year was the worsening of an old problem—finances! As the rent increased to $600 per month and attendance remained up and down, we had to let two of our paid staff go, which left Pat [Edmonds] to carry the load alone. This proved to be too much for one person, so other problems began to surface. Then in November, just two months into the season, we were informed that we would have to vacate the building. The owners of the restaurant wanted to install a bar in the basement where we were. Ironic, yes? 

We quickly began a search for a new home. We found that a small theatre inside ShowBiz Pizza was for rent. The rent was more than we could afford, but we felt that it was an answer to prayer since it met our needs. 

After the move, things did not take off the way we had hoped. We lost some of our regular patrons, or they lost us, we were not sure which. We also had trouble attracting new patrons. Attendance remained generally low all winter and spring. We faced new and ever greater financial difficulties. During that period, it seemed to me that we lived from crisis to crisis. But God kept us going. We had some good nights plus some good gifts. 

By late spring, we felt that someone needed to help Pat. But who? Who would even consider what we could offer? With the qualifications and talents we needed, who would work with a company that half the time could not even pay the salary of the one employee it had? Pat and I had a talented young man named Terry Beasley in mind. Terry was just graduating from college with plans to teach. He had been performing with SGT for over a year, and we knew he was the one we needed. It all seemed like an impossible dream. Then God worked another wonderful miracle. He placed a call in the heart of Terry to serve Him through SGT. Terry accepted the call, for at least one year’s full service. He did this at great personal sacrifice and against the wishes and concerns of many who felt he would be wasting his education and abilities. Now we had a new warrior in the battle for survival. Praise God! It was a battle that we believed was all but lost. But God knew the battle was not over. Victory was ahead! [Thank You, Father! Praise Your Holy Name! Jehovah!]

COMING NEXT: DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN
When we were defeated in spirit, God worked a Spiritual miracle in our hearts and gave us new hope and vision.

SEEDS OF JOY # 3

(From my column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, September, 1986.)

Yes, God had given us a building rent free! However, there was much work to be done. We began working day and night to turn the basement of a restaurant into a theatre. It seemed a monumental task for a few young artists (and one old one) with limited funds and time. Seats had to be found and installed, a stage, scenery, and seating risers had to be built, carpet found and laid, lighting and sound systems installed, letters, news releases, programs and publicity written, printed and mailed, interviews and commercials recorded, and costumes made. 

Pat Edmonds directing rehearsal

All of this and more, plus one other small detail—a show had to be rehearsed and readied for production. Yes, the task seemed too great, and I often found myself asking, “Why am I doing this?” Somehow, through sleepless nights and exhausting days, God gave that little group of dedicated actors and technicians the strength to get it all done on schedule.

Pat Edmonds and Ward Franz

Denise Boutwell and Ward Franz

October 27, 1983, Stained Glass Theatre, the Midwest's only full-time Christian theatre, opened its doors for the first time with a special premiere performance and dedication ceremony. The play that night was SEEDS OF JOY, and because of that, “SEEDS” has a special place in our hearts.

Seeds of Joy clown tent

Nate's office

The first season was underway. As it turned out, it was a season of ups and downs, blessings and disappointments, good nights and bad, and always (and I do mean always) a financial struggle.

Our biggest disappointment of that first season was attendance. It soon became evident that Springfield had not been holding its breath, waiting for the arrival of a Christian theatre. We did have some overflowing nights, but those were the exceptions, not the rule. Many times we played to less than ten people. It was hard not to get discouraged and want to quit, but God kept our spirits up most of the time.

With low attendance and little (if any) pledge support, there was the ever present specter of having to close down simply because we couldn't meet our bills. Even before we opened, the restaurant sold, and with the new owners, the free rent soon went to $100 a month, then $200, then $400, and finally $600. There were many times when we couldn't pay salaries for the three who were working for us. The times were hard, and we just didn't see how we could keep afloat, but just when it would seem that all was lost, God would give us another miracle. I recall one such miracle. After a show one night, a man and wife heard us say that we had to have at least five hundred dollars or we couldn't open the next show. They left and came back a few minutes later and handed us five one hundred dollar bills! They told us God spoke to their hearts and told them to give us the money. Needless to say, we all cried tears of joy and praised God that night. We know that God kept Stained Glass Theatre going that first year, and we give Him all the praise and glory. Thank You, Father! Praise Your Holy Name! Jehovah!

COMING NEXT:  CHRISTIAN THEATRE IN SHOW-BIZ PIZZA?
We are forced to move and face many trials but God calls a new warrior to join the battle for survival.