Monday, February 23, 2004
Ted & Lee and Ken Medema bring biblical humor to Goshen College March 4
GOSHEN, Ind. -- Sharing their unique combination of humor and theological exploration, theater artists and comedians Ted & Lee will perform their new show, "Fight for the Blessing," with well-known Christian musician Ken Medema on March 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Goshen College in Sauder Concert Hall.
"Fight for the Blessing" is the biblical story, using both theater and song, of Jacob from birth to blessing to flight to reconciliation with his brother Esau. Ted Swartz plays Jacob to Lee Eshleman's Esau, wrestling angel, and Laban. At the keyboards, Medema, an internationally-known keyboard artist, composer and singer of more than 30 years, advances the story through song, musical backgrounds and as narrator and occasional character (including father Isaac who, like Medema, is blind).
The audience contributes to the story as well; some of the narration appears in words on a screen to be read aloud by the crowd. And mid-way through the show, members of the audience are invited to share their own stories of conflict/forgiveness to which Medema responds with improvised songs.
Actors and writers Swartz and Eshleman, collaborators in comedy and theater since 1987, first wrote a scene for this show three years ago for the Lutheran National Youth Conference in St. Louis, Mo. The speaker that evening was South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu; the theme was reconciliation. Also on the bill was Medema, performing a song called "Healing of the Heart." The scene, Jacob and Esau's reconciliation after 20 years apart, fit well with Medema's song and they joined together a year later in a video, "Bridge to Forgiveness," produced by Mennonite Media.
A longer presentation was commissioned by and presented for the National Youth Convention of the Church of the Brethren in July of 2002. Further collaboration and writing between Ted & Lee and Ken developed into the full-length play which premiered in April 2003. This popular production was also given at the 2003 national Mennonite convention in Atlanta.
Tickets for the performance cost $15 for general admission, and $10 for seniors, students and GC students. For ticket information and reservations, call the Goshen College Welcome Center at (574) 535-7566.
Sauder Concert Hall is accessible to people using wheelchairs and others with physical limitations.
Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values -- passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership -- prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, Kaplan's "Most Interesting Colleges" guide and U.S.News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit https://www.goshen.edu/.
Editors: For more information, contact Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.
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