The Wise Men’s Gifts

by Paula Gail Benson

 

Each year, I delight to work with my St. Paul’s Players drama ministry (at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Columbia, S.C.) to create a dinner theater event to celebrate the holiday season. Our effort this year was called THE CHRISTMAS HOUSE, based on a short story by Judge Bert Goolsby, “The Gift House.” A family’s summer ritual, during the hottest days to keep cooler, is pondering what might have happened to the three gifts (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) the wise men or kings brought to the baby Jesus in the cold of winter at his birth in Bethlehem.

In his story, Judge Goolsby tells the tale as a remembrance. For our production, I had a Pastor give the account as part of his Christmas Eve sermon. He stood at a podium and behind him, our actors first played out a summer’s evening on the porch, discussing as family members what might have happened to the gifts. Then, they took on separate roles as historical characters as the Pastor gave that narrative.

While over time, the gifts have taken on symbolic meanings (gold for kingship, frankincense for priesthood, and myrrh for burial), according to the story, there is no clear record of what happened to those gifts and whether the Holy Family had time to take them along when they traveled to Egypt to avoid Herod’s slaughter of the innocents (to eliminate a potential rival king). Over the years, people speculated about the house where the Holy Family had been living and whether the gifts might have been hidden there. When an Arab named Abdullah acquired the house, he received money to let people search the house. No gifts were ever found.

Then, during the crusades, a Knight, Sir Robert, arrived in Bethlehem. He always questioned if he had fulfilled his destiny. When he discovered he had become a leper, he was encouraged to go the house where the Holy Family had lived to see if he could find the gifts. Like those who had searched before him, he found nothing. However, when the owner Abdullah saw Sir Robert’s leprosy, he offered to help. Abdullah brought out a container of ointment that had been hidden away in the house (and perhaps was the wise men’s gift of myrrh). The ointment cured Sir Robert’s leprosy.

Our cast featured: Sid Ballentine (Uncle Ned/Abdullah), Brenda Byrd (Mother/Miriam), Janie Fulmer (Aunt Dora/Naomi), Olin Jenkins (Pastor), Randy Nolff (Uncle Jed/Sir Geoffrey), and Mark Wade (Uncle Fred/Sir Robert). Lights and sound were managed by Billy Itter. Carol Rabon Itter assisted with box office. Pat Itter prepared our programs. Our church secretary, Alice Richardson, cooked a wonderful meal of lasagna (meat or vegetable), salad, garlic bread, desserts, and beverages. All were delicious!

For each production, we select a cast project or local entity or charity for which to collect funds. This year, the program was Linda’s Love, operated by Lexington Medical Center Foundation and providing holistic emotional and psychological support for patients and their families. The fund was established by Jeffrey Angstadt in memory of his late wife Linda, a breast cancer survivor with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a unique understanding of the value of compassionate care. Contributions provided for programs to assist suicide prevention, behavioral health collaborations, cancer transitions, perinatal loss, and caregivers. We were incredibly pleased to raise over $500 for Linda’s Love.

 

Photo of Cast and Crew by Heather Coats

Do you look forward to a special event to celebrate the holidays? 

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by Paula Gail Benson 

COVID changed a lot of activities, including one that is dear to me: working with our actors and crew in our church’s drama ministry. In 2020, we had to cancel our bi-annual production of the Living Last Supper (just after we had received a new back drop for the stage) and our last December presentation was given in 2019.

Finally, this year, we were able to resume the Living Last Supper at Easter. As the Fall approached, I began getting a lot of questions about what we would be doing for the holiday season.

 

I had planned to write a new musical based on a short story by a good friend, retired Judge Bert Goolsby. I spoke with him and his wife Prue in the summer and both were enthusiastic to see his “A Christmas Tale,” in which a drunken Santa Claus must be defended by a disgraced attorney, presented on stage.

Then, in October, I received a call that Prue was in the hospital. She had pancreatic cancer.

I went with a friend and former co-worker to visit her. We were fortunate that she was still able to communicate with us. Again, I mentioned writing a play from Bert’s short story. He and Prue encouraged me to do so. In fact, Bert asked if there was a role for him.

Since it takes place in a courtroom, we needed a judge. Bert was a natural.

There wasn’t time to write music, so I concentrated on developing a one act, which I called A Santa Claus Story. Then, I received word that Prue passed away.

Bert continued to say he wanted to go forward with the play. I assembled a group of actors. We had numerous obstacles to overcome. One actor had COVID and did not test negative for the virus until the end of our rehearsal period. Fortunately, he was a quick study. Another actor was helping as a care giver for a person in another state. It became difficult to get everyone together for a run through, but we persevered.

 

We presented the production as a dinner theater. The price of the meal had gone up by a third, but we kept the charge to the audience low and subsidized the remaining costs with contributions.

In addition, as we usually do, we selected a “cast project” for which we solicited donations. This year, the project was the Veteran Experience Action Center (VEAC), a program sponsored by the American Legion Department of South Carolina in partnership with the SC Department of Veteran Affairs and US Veteran Affairs Regional Office, that assists eligible veterans and their dependents with any questions they have about VA healthcare benefits including VA disability claims, appeals, or other healthcare issues. We were incredibly pleased to raise $700 for the VEAC.

Thanks to several co-workers who volunteered their time, talents, and items they found and created, we were able to decorate the set and the tables, giving our auditorium a festive atmosphere. Our cast included: John Arnold as Nickie Claus; Mark Wade as the attorney Alva Fortuna; Tim Clark and Janie Fulmer as members of the Manger Society (collecting for charities); Jan Jenny and Brenda Brinkley Byrd as a couple engaged for 15 years; Sid Ballentine as the arresting and prosecuting officer; and Bert Goolsby as the judge. Billy Itter ran lights and sound.

 Have you been able to resume theatrical activities since COVID?