Local church uses theater
to tell story of Christ

Music, animals, and elaborate sets provide worshipers with realistic depictions of the birth and resurrection of Christ

By BRIANA HARNER
Reporting
Spring 2003

CAMP HILL, Pa. – Easter dramas in church during Easter time are common, but Christian Life Assembly’s (CLA) version of the meaning of Easter takes drama to new lengths.  CLA provides its audience with an authentic story of the death and resurrection of Christ.

CLA is located in Camp Hill, and is sometimes called the church on the hill.  It has been around for 20 years, and a little over 10 years ago the church decided to put on dramas, one at Christmas time, telling of the true meaning of Christmas, and one at Easter.

“Each year, the plays got more in depth,” said Senior Pastor Paul Wislocky.  “Everything from the set to the costumes is done by members of our church.” 

“With each drama you could see things evolve.  The sets got larger and more elaborate, and the costumes looked more and more authentic,” said Pastor Jamie Kjos.  The church started with a schedule of eight two-hour shows, which has now doubled.  “There hasn’t been an empty seat in the house,” said Kjos.

“What makes the show such a success is that we give the people something to entertain them from the time they walk in the door until the time they leave,” said actress Amber Shawley.  When you enter the church you are greeted by the actors and actresses adorned in their ornate costumes, using dialect from the time of the story.  “It sets the tone for the rest of the evening,” said Shawley.

Upon entering the sanctuary your ears are filled with sounds of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.  The orchestra provides music and live barnyard animals provide the rest.

“A couple years ago, someone brought to my attention how neat it would be to actually have the character of Jesus ride in on a mule for the Palm Sunday scene,” said Pastor Wislocky.  “And the next thing you know we have goats, lambs, and chickens.” 

This year they added doves, a lama, and a peacock.  During the intermission the actors and actresses pretend as though the church has turned into a late day market place, trying to peddle chickens and lambs.

“My favorite part is when I get to try and sell ‘my chicken’ to an audience member,” said Shawley.  “They’re usually surprised by my forcefulness and then usually laugh and ask if they can pet it.”

“People were so excited about the animals in the play that we decided to add a petting zoo,” said Wislocky.  The petting zoo was added three years ago.  After the drama, the parents can take their children, or just the young at heart, to go see the animals.  The animals, however, are just a small part of what makes this experience something to see.

The sets depict scenes such as the Garden of Eden, the temple, the market place, the stables, the Last Supper, and much more.

“Set changes take no more than a minute, so the audience doesn’t have time to lose interest,” said John Damiani, a crewmember.  “This year we added an actual running waterfall for the scene where Jesus gets baptized and new light effects, so that we can have lightning.”  The sets and costumes take months to prepare.  “It seems like after one drama ends we’re already in preparation for the next one to start,” said Damiani.

CLA is a church that prides itself on its worship.  Its style of music comes through in each drama.  Not only do the actors act, but they sing and dance as well.  “The drama is more like a musical,” said Pastor Wislocky.  “It’s amazing how much talent we have in our church.  When you only see people in church on Sunday, you don’t get to see their talents, this allows them to shine.”

Kjos said that the hardest thing is telling the same story in a different way every time, so that way if someone has been to the drama before they are not seeing the same thing twice.

“I’ve been to the show almost every year,” said Mary Landis.  “And every year they manage to do things differently.”

The one thing that stays the same in every show is the death and resurrection of Christ. CLA has gone to extremes to make these scenes look as real as possible.  A warning is given at the beginning of the show that some of the scenes may not be suitable for young children.  “We want people to see what kind of a sacrifice this man made for us.  It’s important for people to see just how bad it was,” said Kjos.

 “Every year I’ve seen the play, the scene of the crucifixion always brings me to tears,” said Jesse Eisenbise.  “It is truly a sobering experience.”

The drama is open to the public and people are encouraged to invite family and friends. You can order tickets by phone or at the church.  “As long as we can continue telling the stories of our faith, we’ll keep putting on the dramas,” said Pastor Wislocky.

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You may email comments about this story to: blh199@psu.edu