Righteous Insanity

Midsummer - opening in ten days

I'm directing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for the third time. The production opens in ten days at Hayswood Theatre in Corydon, Indiana and runs for three weekends. I can honestly say I have never been more excited about a play opening in my life. 

I've directed a lot of shows, and had some great casts. The cast of "Midsummer" is far and away the most fun I've worked with. From day one, this cast bonded together. They bought into the vision I gave them for the show, and they made it their own. For every gag I've put into the show, there are at least 2 contributions that came from the cast - some unbelievably outrageous. 

What's really fun is that I am working with several students - current and former - and some old friends in addition to a lot of new ones. It's been fantastic to see these diverse talents come together and collaborate. 

I'm very proud of this cast and this show. It's far and away the funniest show I've ever directed. If you're in the area (Corydon is about 20 minutes from Louisville), I highly recommend it. 

For reservations, call 812-738-2138. 

Remembering Billy

I know, two memorials in one day. Heavy stuff, but they both deserve their own mentions. 

Like most folks, I first became all too aware of who Billy Mays was thanks to his trademark delivery in the OxyClean commercials. He was loud, obnoxious, unforgettable. I even wrote a script where Billy Mays goes on a blind date and ends up hooking up with another woman in the restaurant - who is hard of hearing. 

But Billy was not simply a pitchman for hire. When you saw Billy hawking a product, you could trust that Billy himself had fully tested the product himself. You could trust that Billy had that same product in his house. It wasn't just a paycheck. It was something he used in his home life. Billy had to believe in a product before he would attach his name to it. If you were a young inventor, you wanted Billy to believe in you, because Billy would make a believer of others. 

Billy knew there was power in his name and in his delivery. He was careful where and how he used it. If you remembered him, he was happy, but he was happier if you remembered the products he pitched with such passion. That, after all, was his job, to make OxyClean a part of your life. In that regard, Billy Mays transcended the role of salesman to become an evangelist (as Seth Godin likes to say) for the products he endorsed. 

In many ways, Billy symbolizes the kind of people who filled the early church, especially the apostles. Paul, Peter, John, and the others were loud and vocal pitchmen for Jesus, whom they called Christ. But they were not guns for hire. They were men who had tested and proven God to be true, and seen for themselves the transformative power of Christ. They knew that nothing could cleanse a heard like the blood of Christ - not even OxyClean. The Faith was a part of their daily lives. It was in their homes and their hearts. And like Billy, it was more important that you remember the name of Jesus than the name of the man who shared that faith. 

Wouldn't it be fantastic to see more believers in today's church like that? People who weren't just repeating something they heard, but sharing what Christ had done for them? People who had Jesus in their hearts and homes and wanted other people to know that same, transforming power? 

I don't know where Billy stood with Jesus. But I am praying for his family, and I will miss him. As a business person, there's a lot to learn from a man like Billy. As Christians, there's something more we can learn. Are we mere pitchmen, or are we true evangelists for the Lord? 

RIP, Billy. 

Remembering Michael

I'm a bit late with this, but it bears posting. The first non Disney or "Peter Pan" label album I ever owned was Michael Jackson's Thriller. I was in early elementary school when I first heard "Beat It." And then came the video that will never be topped, "Thriller." Michael Jackson was simply the most creative and innovative person in pop music. He continued to push himself creatively with "Bad" and "Dangerous." I was in high school when the latter came out, and I remember the exciting world premieres for "Black or White," "Remember the Time," and "Jam." 

Creative as he was, Michael was a very troubled person. He was pushed into the limelight too early, his childhood stolen. No doubt that contributed to his many, many issues as an adult. He was not a person to emulate as a real-life role model; Michael had no real concept of what reality and real life was. But as a creative force, he is someone to celebrate and remember, while we pray for those left behind - especially the kids, whom I can't stop thinking about. 

RIP, and thank you for the music. 

Writing for Kids... and "Big" Kids

A good children's ministry writer never forgets that there are adults as well as kids watching and listening. This is a chance to minister to adults, but also a chance to entertain and delight them. There's no better, easier way to do this than to throw in a name, a line, or some other reference that the kids will miss and the adults will get. Some examples from my own writing:

 

- Name a character after an old TV or movie character: Kelly Kapowski, Alex P. Keaton, Richie Cunningham, or the unforgettable STEVE HOLT!

- Use a quote from a movie. I'll never forget seeing my friend Scott double over with laughter during a children's service when he heard an actor yell, "What in the wide, wide world of sports is-a goin' on here?" I also tossed a Nurse Diesel line (from the movie "High Anxiety") into a Father's Day skit as a treat for my own father: "Those who are tardy do not get fruit cup."

- Use a sound clip from a movie. I just wrote a skit about a radio call-in show where listeners call in with their confessions. The script calls for three sound bites from "The Goonies," where Chunk confesses the worst things he's ever done to the Fratellis as the DJ's, live actors on stage, react in horror.

- Use an old SNL character, or another classic character, in a sketch for the kids.As long as your script doesn't depend on the audience knowing the character, this works on any audience. You can recreate the Church Lady, Hans and Franz, Wayne's World, or the Knights who say "Ni" for kids. (Where do you think the French Peas in Veggie Tales came from? The French Taunter in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," of course.)

- Throw in a musical number, something REAL old school... how long has it been since you've done the Macarena?

- Do it with costumes. Don't draw attention to them, but dress your actors like characters from an old movie. If you go all out and hold nothing back, they WILL get it.

 

Seth MacFarlane is a master of this type of gag. So are the Veggie Tales writers. And it does make for a special treat for the kid in your adult sponsors.

Twin Peaks

Long ago, I began recommending the soundtrack from "Twin Peaks" to other drama leaders. The music from the classic cult TV show is a jazzy, eerie collection of tunes that are ideal for dramatic scenes and mimes. We used two cuts from the soundtrack during the original production of "Aliens," and we also dramatized the story "The Room" from Joshua Harris' "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" with another track. 

While we're on the subject, the TV series is an enduring and fascinating piece of television history. David Lynch's style was in your face, over the top, and just plain creepy. It only lasted two seasons, but the show paved the way for future shows like Picket Fences, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and even Lost. 

If you get sucked in, Twin Peaks will give you creepy dreams. It may give you nightmares. It will also leave you craving cherry pies, donuts, and good, black coffee. You'll become obsessed with the brilliance and charm of Agent Cooper and the myriad of bizarre characters in the town of Twin Peaks - every one of them with shades of light and dark. Some very dark. 

Twin Peaks now ranks as my second favorite TV show, sandwiched between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Arrested Development, but it's still as captivating and entertaining as the first time I saw it. Thank heavens they finally put it out on DVD and restored its original cinematic beauty. Now, I can actually see the fish in the percolator. 

The Sensitive Christian Man

I love to read. I love fiction, and I love non-fiction, and I've read dozens of books over the years about faith, God, and becoming a godly man. I read "If Only He Knew" by Gary Smalley at least three times before I met my wife (who will probably tell you I still don't "know"). Same goes for John Eldredge's "Wild At Heart." I read books by Colson, Stowell, Farrar, Swindoll, Dobson, and many others. Yes, I even read "Jabez."

I like to read, but the simple truth is most guys don't. And every guy could use a little spiritual help, right? So how do you reach those guys who aren't exactly readers?

Might I suggest "The Sensitive Christian Man."

The Sensitive Christian Man is Scott Hope, a self-righteous know-it-all who is pretty much the embodiment of how the world views Christians today. Scott has his own talk show in which he addresses issues like marriage, parenting, money, prayer, integrity, lust, evangelism, and singleness. Scott, of course, gets everything wrong, but thanks to intelligent guests like his best friend Don and his "own personal Timothy" Mike, the truth comes out every time.

Written originally as a series of video scripts, "The Sensitive Christian Man" is now available through Righteous Insanity's drama catalog. There are ten short dramas that can be performed as part of a series or individually. There's no over all story arc, so no need to schedule around the dramas. Use them where you need them.

For years, I've written dozens of scripts for women's ministries and women's retreats, but not so many for guys. My hope is that "The Sensitive Christian Man" will not only fill in the gap for men's ministries that could use a little drama, but that they will encourage and teach guys of all kinds. Our wives, our kids, our churches, and our communities need us to be the best models of Christ we can be. Let's not let them down!

"The Sensitive Christian Man" is available at shop.righteousinsanity.com

You can also see two of the skits performed by puppets on our youtube channel, www.youtube.com/johnritc  

Isaac Watts 2.0: Sojourn's "Over the Grave"

If you're not from Louisville, you may not have heard of Sojourn. My guess is you will soon. Sojourn is a church started by young believers, many of whom were denied a place to gather and worship in their home churches once they graduated high school. They have grown together as Christians and a church, and now occupy a former school in Louisville that is bursting at the seams. 

From day one, Sojourn has been a very artsy place. They're located right near the artsy section of town, and the church roll is full of musicians, poets, visual artists, and the like. Their church space even doubles as an art gallery and a concert hall. As the church grew, the talent level grew, and as iron sharpens iron, the worship team at this church has sharpened into a very fresh, original sound. 

Universal Records took notice, which is why their fifth album (due out very soon) will be on the Universal label. "Over the Grave: The Isaac Watts Project Volume One" is their take on the great hymn writer's works. They had the album release party last night, and the reviews are already popping up online. Here's two to wet your appetite: 

http://www.saintlewismusic.com/BlogEntry.aspx?site_id=10347&entry_id=155817

http://purgatorio1.com/?p=857#comment-1322151

In the interest of full disclosure, I should add that the worship arts pastor is my brother, Mike, who drove me to near insanity playing the same stupid Spin Doctors riff over and over and OVER again when he got his first guitar. Obviously, that practice has paid off. Way to go, Mike!

"Educational" Theater

I'm directing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for the third time. This time's different than the previous two. We're using the un-cut script, and the cast voted to do it with a 1980's look for the Athenians. Needless to say, I am having a lot of fun incorporating the look and the music of the 80's into Shakespeare's greatest comedy.

 

The trouble with incorporating nostalgia into your theatrical work is that all too often it becomes a reminder of you own age. Two nights ago, one of the cast members was talking about another song from the show, Run DMC's "It's Tricky." The actor remarked that it's one of his favorite songs, I told him that it still takes me back to 1986 - sixth grade - and the junior high pep rallies when the cheerleaders would do a dance routine to the song. The actor's response? "Yeah... I wasn't born then."

 

Ouch.

 

Despite moments like this, it's worth it to bring back the classics now and then because you get to educate the younger generation about things long past. For example, we've decided to open the second half of the show (Act 4) with a re-creation of Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible" video. The fairy costumes lend themselves perfectly to the look of the classic video, and the actor playing Bottom (one of my students at Christian Academy) is a natural ham for this sort of thing. Of course, not a single one of them was born when "Simply Irresistible" was playing on MTV, so they've all had to do their research by looking it up on Youtube.

 

Even I've found educational value in this play. After months of listening to The Smiths on XM44 (a band that little John, who always liked the new wave groups like the Thompson Twins, missed out on the first time around), I finally had an excuse to download some of their music. Now if only I could find an excuse to download Echo and the Bunnymen...

Catalog update is finished!

Hey, folks. The RI drama catalog is now fully up to day, with over 980 skits and over 1000 resources total! Check out the new material, or get all of the new stuff (most originally featured here on this blog) at http://shop.righteousinsanity.com

Interview on Blog Talk Radio!

Just wrapped an interview with Harold Cameron on Blog Talk Radio, discussing singleness, positive living, and my book "Throwing Eggs in the Shower." You can hear the interview (6/17/09) at the website below:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/haroldsays