Once again this year we reached out to our community through our Christmas production called "The Real Story of Christmas." We really wrestled with the decision due to COVID-19 but once we talked it through, we realized that we are now averaging about 60% of our pre-COVID attendance week-to-week. Last year our production reached over 11,000 people! So we felt like if we reached 60% of that many folks it would be a HUGE win for our church! We knew that we could do this and still meet the Phase 2 distancing requirements that the governor has put in place here in Louisiana. Our efforts resulted in almost 7,000 in attendance over eight performances with 429 people praying with us to receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior!
For years we did a different production every year. It was fun and allowed us to really dig deep creatively but we knew if we ever created something that really struck a cord with the community we would want to try and build on it. We have friends around the country who have done that and it has worked so well for them. Six years ago we performed "The Real Story of Christmas for the first time and people LOVED it! We had about 4,500 people come out that year. We made the decision to begin to build on this momentum and, as I mentioned, five years later we saw over 11,000 people show up. Many are telling us this has become an annual tradition for their family and we love that! I think one of the things people love the most about this show is the nostalgia. The production features Santa and Mrs. Clause beaming in through satellite from the North Pole while their tiny elves act out the most beloved Christmas stories of all time.
They share Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, The Night Before Christmas and even The Cajun 12-Days of Christmas featuring our own Cajun Comic, T-Frog! Each one of these stories are followed by great pop Christmas songs that everyone is familiar with and fond of - Run, Run Rudolph by Meghin Robin, Winter Wonderland by Taylor Wheeler, Santa Clause is Coming to Town by Bud Plake and The Voice finalist Hunter Plake and Papa Noel by Kathy Pooler. Each of these performances are accompanied by incredible choreography designed by Kathy Pooler, Michelle Jaqua and Laura Lubeck. Our elves in 'Band Land' were led by Jermaine Francis and featured arrangements created and produced by Coy Watson. These stories are told by the elves to a little lost rag doll who considers herself a misfit. Santa and his elves are determined to convince her that every toy is created with purpose! To that aim, they move from the fun, cultural stories to the real story of Christmas -beginning with The Little Drummer Boy, which ends in a spectacular rendition of the classic song performed by Jonah Slason and Hunter Plake, incorporating drums galore and stunning choreography. Coy Watson has written a beautiful song that capsulizes the message of the production performed by Jane Lantier and featuring a number of video testimonies that demonstrate that those who have received Christ as Savior are the real story of Christmas! The grand finale is a medley of beautiful Christmas hymns performed by Donnie Bolden while the Nativity is presented with live animals, shepherds and wisemen. There is always a collective gasp when the camels enter the room!
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The set designed and crafted by Rhett Wyatt is Branson-worthy if not Broadway! The costuming designed by Holane Davidson is delightful. Our plan is to offer the show again next year, hopefully post COVID and see if we can exceed 12,000 in attendance! I hope you plan on making it out to the show and I hope you have discovered the real story of Christmas yourself!
