STERLING — Besides Sunday church services, Sterling’s Encounter Church has turned into a theater once a year for the last few years as the church produces faith-related theatrical productions. This year’s theatrical offering will be an original one-act play entitled “Mary, Mary, and Lydia,” to be presented at Encounter Church at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 25-26, and again at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 27.
The original play is about an imagined meeting between Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Lydia of Thyatira. The play was written by Pastor Wayne Beaver and features Sterling resident Piper Harding, Leah Perry of Abilene and Brooklyn Lovin of Merriam. Both Perry and Lovin are former theater students of Pastor Beaver from Cincinnati and have both performed at Encounter Church in previous late summer productions. Pery played June in “Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming” two years ago and Lovin was in the ensemble cast of “Cotton Patch Gospel” last summer.
“It has been an unexpected blessing for me to have Leah and Brooklyn nearby,” said Beaver. “Leah is not only a former student, but she succeeded me as theater teacher at Cincinnati Christian Schools. Then she surprised me by announcing that her husband Carter had been called to be the pastor of Community Bible Church in Abilene.”
Piper Harding is a well-known performer, director, and choreographer in the region. “I am delighted that Piper is willing to join us,” said Beaver, “She is in great demand, and for good reason.”
The production will also include an original song written and performed by local musician Randy Key.
“I met Randy last year when he agreed to accompany and help with ‘Cotton Patch Gospel’,” said Beaver. “He and Bob Boltz and Ben Decker made quite an impressive addition to that production. Although this is just one song, it really should not be missed.” Joining Key on violin will be Melanie Mann who teaches orchestra at McPherson and performs with the Salina symphony.
When asked why he chose this subject matter with these characters, Beaver said, “Each of these three women was important to the early church in her own way. They have been drifting through my thoughts and even appearing in my sermons for the past few months. So much so that the play practically wrote itself.”
So did these three ever actually meet? “Probably not,” said Beaver. “Tradition does place Mary near Ephesus where the play is set, and Lydia would have lived nearby. Mary Magdalene would have needed a good reason to visit. In fact, Lydia may not have come to her faith during Mary’s lifetime. Though in our play, we are assuming that the timing works.”
