About 50 homeschooled children from ages 4 to 17 have been practicing hard, making costumes, learning history, singing old songs, and performing three patriotic plays under director Betsy Moody, a local mountain homeschool mother and drama instructor.

"A Tribute to America" has already been performed twice at our mountains' Community Church, and the final performance is tonight, Thursday, May 12 at 7:00 p.m. (admission free).

Be prepared for a great history lesson in the guise of three dramas, patriotic songs, and a Chorus dressed in red, white, and blue.

"The Great Declaration" tells of the makings of the Declaration of Independence and the years that followed our young nation. A large cast represents such figures as General George Washington, John Adams, Abigail Adams, Patrick Henry, and Benjamin Franklin, and a Chorus of 12, among others who shaped our Declaration and the early years of America.

"A Star for Old Glory" (with only four cast members) is the shortest play and shows a day in the life of Betsy Ross as three girls visit the seamstress and find out how a five-point star was chosen for our American flag.

"Sing, America, Sing" was the longest play, bringing the viewer through American history from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, The Spanish-American War, World War One and Two, and to the Nuclear Age. Figures such as Sir Francis Scott Key (writer of our National Anthem); Andrew Jackson (President); and Daniel Boone (Pioneer) have short dramatic scenes. Then come the unknowns who helped shape our nation: sailors, lumberjacks, pioneers, soldiers, slaves, railway workers, mule drivers, and cowboys--all accompanied by the Chorus of 12 who place state placards on an easel, while announcing the state's name and statehood date.

Only the spunky Betsy Moody (who has a long history in drama) could have made such an ambitious production a success.

So don't miss the last performance--tonight, Thursday, May 12 at 7:00 p.m. at our mountains' Community Church (admission free and refreshments provided).

Over 20 mountain homeschoolers performed three plays and two songs at a local Community Church on December 17 and 18. Under the direction of Betsy Moody, these children (ranging in age from three to seventeen) accomplished the feat of frequent costume changes, scene changes, props, multiple roles, and lines that even veteran actors might have trouble remembering.

"I wanted to offer a low-cost drama class and stage experience to the local homeschoolers," Moody explained. "There's always a need for the Arts in education."

Moody has homeschooled her children since kindergarten when she began teaching drama. Soon she was in charge of the talent show at the annual CHEA (Christian Home Educators' Association) Homeschool Fair in Ontario. After that, a group of parents asked her to produce a play called "The Prize," and her group traveled around Southern California, appearing at the Los Angeles Fair, schools, and retirement homes.

"I like to encourage kids--something they don't get enough of," Moody added. Her own children, twins John and Jackey, are now 19 years old and finished with homeschooling.

After weeks of rehearsal, the children opened on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. First up was the Civil War Christmas scene from Little Women by Louisa May Alcotte. Heather Wilbanks played Mrs. March; Cherise Anderson was her oldest daughter Meg; Katie Hatch portrayed the artistic Amy, Rachel Wilbanks the sweet and frail Beth; and Yvette Leggewie the spirited Jo who held the family together through her own dramas, writing, and creative ideas.

"I'm the man of the family now papa is away," Jo announced to her sisters as they all awaited their mother's return from sewing for the troops.

After planning their Christmas gifts and remembering past birthdays when they got to open their "bundles," the four girls decided to buy Christmas presents only for their mother and not for themselves. When Marmie finally appeared at the door, they eagerly greeted her, helping her remove her cloak and fetching her tattered slippers which were warming by the fire.

They gathered around her as she read a letter from their father who had volunteered as a Chaplain in The Union Army. Beth cried at the wistful words, and even strong Jo was moved by the self-sacrifice of her father. Marmie ended the scene with the idea of her daughters--like Christian in Pilgrim's Progress--bearing their burdens until they fell off as they approached the Celestial City.

"Our burdens are here, our road is before us," Marmie explained.

"We ought to have a roll of directions, like Christian," declared.

"Look under your pillows Christmas morning, and you will find your guide-book." Mrs. March promised.

The four little women considered their mother's words, and the scene ended. (Note: the girls got Bibles for Christmas)

Then the entire cast appeared on stage to sing "Thy Word" complete with candles. Several children had short solos, even little Jehannah Yeasley, age three, who held the cordless mic as if she was born for the stage.

The next drama was a little-known 19th Century play written by Kate Douglas Wiggin and called The Birds' Christmas Carol. Heather Wilbanks narrated the bittersweet tale of a loving family in "a rambling old house in the fashionable section of the city . . . where they were as happy as birds, and the house they lived in came to be known as the Birds' Nest."

The scene opens with the three Bird boys (Matthew Hatch, Jonah Yeasley, and Curtis Anderson) and their grandmother (convincingly played by nine-year-old Becky Gray). They are waiting for the newest Bird to come to the Nest--a baby girl born on Christmas Day. The scene changes to the bedroom of Mrs. Bird (Jessica Williams) who is holding the newborn baby.

"Isn't she the most beautiful baby you have ever seen?" Mrs. Bird comments as she gaze at her child. Mr. Bird (Chad Anderson) compliments his wife by saying, "That's to be expected, considering that her mother is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

In the distance they hear the choir of a local church singing. Mrs. Bird decides to name the baby Carol, since she is a Christmas Child.

The next Christmas shows baby Carol (little Jehannah Yeasley) sharing her cake with her brother Donald.

"Why does she do it?" he asks.

"I hardly know, except that she is a little Christmas child, and so she has a tiny share of the most blessed birthday the world has ever known," Mrs. Bird replies.

But joy turns to sorrow as Carol slowly becomes sick and frail. Mr. and Mrs. Bird grieve as the Doctor (Ben Johnson) confirms that Carol will not live past her ninth birthday.

"Is there no hope?" Mrs. Bird asks through tears, and the Doctor merely shakes his head.

On her Ninth Christmas, young Carol (beautifully played by Macy Wilhite) invites her favorite Uncle Jack (Jeremiah Yeasley) to help her throw a party for the poor children who live in the garden cottage.

The scene changes to the bustling Ruggles household where Mrs. Ruggles (Sarah Gray) instructs her brood of six about manners. Peter (Jonathan Williams) complains that he has so much manners now that he won't be able to eat any food; big sister Sarah Maud exclaims that she can't watch out for the manners of five other children; and the little ones (Peoria/Becky Gray; Cornelius/Harrison Gilbert; Clement/Nicolas Koher; and baby Kitty/Jehannah Yeasley) just try to repeat their mother's instructions.

The Ruggles arrive at the Bird household and are amazed at the dining table full of silverware, crystal, and exotic food. After dinner they receive presents while little Carol, smiling with the joy of sharing, looks on.

Mrs. Bird tucks her daughter into bed for the last time, opening a window so that the child can hear the choir sing and see the first star of dawn.

"This morning I woke ever so early, and one bright, beautiful star shone in that eastern window. I never noticed it before, and I thought of the Star in the East, that guided the Wise Men to the place where the Baby Jesus was. Good night, Mamma. Such a happy, happy day!" the child declares. Her tearful mother leaves her room, and little Carol quietly slips away.

"The loving heart had quietly ceased to beat, and the 'wee birdie' in the great house had flown to its 'home nest.' Carol had fallen asleep! But as to the song, I think perhaps--I cannot say--she heard it after all," the Narrator concludes.

The entire cast sang another song, and Intermission was enjoyed along with milk and cookies.

The final play, "The Humblest Place" by Graham DuBois is a Nativity story from the point of view of the greedy Innkeeper Ethan (shrewdly performed by Nathan Schoonover) who turned Joseph (Jeremiah Yeasley) and Mary (Katie Hatch) away from his Inn. Ethan's wife Martha (Emily Gray) disagrees with her husband's idea of profit and pleads that he takes pity on the travelers:

"I'm afraid I'll never be able to make you see. Try to understand what the rest of us feel tonight--the soft but brilliant light of yonder star, the tender hush of expectancy, as if the whole world were waiting for the birth of a new hope . . ."

His servant girl Sarah (Bonnie Johnson) disobeys her master by giving the couple her own place in the stable. A group of shepherds drop by to sing carols, further annoying the Innkeeper. Then a stately Servant Lady (Cherise Anderson) dressed in red satin and a flowing gold cape, comes in holding treasures and offering silver coins for a room.

"The King will be born here tonight as my master--a Wiseman from the East--has told me. He will be born in the Humblest Place, and I have come to assist the mother," she states.

After this enters a tall man in a black cape. He is Herod's Man (Chad Anderson) sent to search for the new King and report back to his jealous master.

The Innkeeper still doesn't believe. Only when the three Royal Wisemen appear does Ethan the Innkeeper begin to believe the evidence before his eyes--that the King of Kings was born in his stable.

"Is it too late?" he asks the Wisemen. "Isn't there something I can give him?"

"Give him the best gift of all," one Wiseman (Jonathan Williams) replies.

"What is that?"

"Yourself," another Wiseman (Matthew Hatch) answers as the third Wiseman (Curtis Anderson) explains what that means.

A curtain is lifted from stage left, and the audience sees the Nativity scene, complete with several shepherds (including little Jehannah Yeasley), the Wisemen, their Servant Lady, Mary, Joseph, the babe in the manger, and an Angel (Jessica Williams) who reads,

"Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'" (Luke 2:10-11)

The lights came on, Director Moody introduced the large cast, dressed in Nineteenth-Century period costumes or First Century robes. And the audience was amazed that so many homeschooled children could work together to produce three separate plays in honor of the Christchild.

As for future drama plans, Moody admitted, "I'm not sure yet. It takes a huge commitment of time, money, and resources." At the closing performance on Saturday night, two of the young actors presented Moody with a card signed by the cast and their parents--and a dozen red roses. Jen Yeasley was applauded for her tireless help as Stage Manager, and a tired group of children hastily put away their Christmas robes.

Last Friday and Saturday night (Jan. 21-22), the Rim High Performing Arts Center was transformed into a jungle. At 7:00 p.m., cannibals danced and tumbled across the stage, brandishing spears and machetes. They represented the native tribes of Papua New Guinea, where betrayal, warfare, and cannibalism were the way of life in the Twentieth Century.

The frenzied war dance, face paint, shell armlets, and grass skirts were replaced by the serence American scene of a young college couple named Carol and Don Richardson who danced out their wedding in classical ballet. The young couple settled into their first home, had a baby daughter, and felt God's call to travel across the world to Papua New Guinea--to share the Gospel with the Sawi tribes who had asked for help for their warring people.

Don Richardson narrated the story, and real black-and-white video documented the Richardson's hazardous journey. After hiking, canoeing, and climbing mountains, the Richardsons arrived at a Sawi village in 1962. The villagers made the missionaries feel at home, even helping to build their jungle house. Illiterate and in need of basic medicine, the tribes were glad to receive reading lessons and healing from their oversees visitors. A level of trust was established between the two very different peoples. The Richardsons learned the Sawi's language and told them the story of how God sent His Son to save all people, dying for their sins and sorrows and rising again to give eternal life.

But the constant feuds, battles, and retributions continued. The Sawis thought Judas, the Betrayer, was the real Hero of the Gospel, for they valued treachery above all--yet they were afraid of their own deaths. The Richardsons saw several of their jungle friends killed. Realizing that perhaps he had been wrong to bring his young wife and daughter into such a violent situation, Don Richardson packed their bags on the eve of another rumored war.

Then Don's closest friend, a Sawi chief, said,

"Do not leave us. I have an idea to end these wars."

Don apprehensively waited, and when the opposing tribe confronted the Sawi, the Chief brought out his only son (his astonished wife running behind) and gave the baby to the enemy Chief. In turn, that Chief gave his baby son. For this was the one way to bring peace ("cool waters" as the Sawi say in their own language). Each tribe would raise the other's baby as their own, thus preventing further attacks.
And so the cannibals realized that the true hero of the Gospel is Jesus, the Peace Child for all the world.

After the dramatic dance presentation, several troupe members agreed to an interview.

Rachel Bravo (Sawi warrior), is a mountain native and a Rim High graduate. She explained her reason for being part of the "Peace Child" Experience:

"I felt like it was what God wanted me to do, and I've always loved to dance," she declared. "I danced in the mountains' School of Dance for years. I went to Bellhaven College in Mississippi for 2 semesters and studied dance, but I felt really drained because I was just practicing but not performing. It's like having a sled in the summertime--you've got this great tool but can't use it. So when Sidewalk Productions (a division of Youth with a Mission) called me, I said 'yes.' We practiced for 2 months on the YWAM base in Montana, then took the show on the road, all over the U.S."

Anne Defario (another warrior) learned performing arts in New York. "I enjoyed street performing, so being part of 'Peace Child' is great," she explained, adding that "Peace Child" would be performing in California, Oregon, and Washington before returning to Montana for a break the end of March.

Grace Bedard from New Hampshire played the part of Carol Richardson (perhaps the most demanding role, as she has to climb a ladder while holding a babydoll and looking graceful). "This is my fifth year of ballet, and I've been working hard at it. It's really awesome to be able to use my passion to reach other people. I love being able to dance, see the country, and work with an awesome group of people. I read the book 'Peace Child' in high school, so when they called to ask me to dance, I knew the story. My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 91:11: 'He shall command His angels over you, to guard you in all your ways.' (no doubt a comforting verse for Carol Richardson, missionary adventurer).

When asked what she wanted to do after "Peace Child," Grace exclaimed, "I hope to dance with Ballet Magnificat in Jackson, Mississippi!"

Amber Good, the Backstage Manager and Booking Agent, shared some of her duties. "We have two shows a week for the next few weeks," she stated. "It's fun being in different cities. When working backstage, I do lighting, curtains, props, and even the steam that goes out of the jungle statue's nose."

"The best part is seeing God work in people," Amber concluded.

" 'Peace Child' is a true story, and it touches the lives of everyone who sees it."
For more information, read "Peace Child" by Don Richardson (available at your local library or Online). For more information about Youth with a Mission, go to www.ywam.org.