Lessons from Frankenpastor

The dinner theater has come and gone.  Frankenpastor was a great success; as usual, the Body of Christ at Svea worked together with precision and style to bless the audience for three stellar performances.  In the plot of the musical, the frustrated Loon County Lutheran call committee asks the mad scientist who's renting their basement to build a pastor for them (a la Frankenstein).  When the synod sends investigators to figure out why the church pays its benevolences without a pastor "to guilt them into it," they request a bride for Frankenpastor in an attempt to display "a more complete domestic lifestyle."  Mayhem, romance and the message of God's grace as an agent for change ensue.

Half the cast came down with the flu during the last week of rehearsals and the performances.  "The show must go on!" we declared, and they rose to the challenge.  One of the leading senior guys felt horrible for the last two days, but delivered flawless performances and fantastic energy.

I wondered what the ladies would come up with for decorations - monsters?  Instead, they called upon members who work at a clinic and a research facility, set up test tubes and beakers everywhere, and turned our church basement into a mad scientist's lab.  The servers wore lab coats and had mad scientist hair.  So cool!  It goes without saying that Lois excelled at the set, costumes and props, and that the parents cooked and served a delicious meal.

Every year the second-to-the-last week of rehearsals elicits groans, misery and despair.  The cast thinks the play stinks; they hate the director(s), and they're sick of each other.  Every year the director wonders if this will be the year that marks the end of the Svea dinner theaters.  Then the set goes up, usually the Sunday before Opening Night.  A burst of energy surges forth; people feverishly finish memorizing; we stop picking at every little detail and go through the entire play at each rehearsal; and everyone loves each other once more.   I'm happy to report this happened again this year.  Remember that for next time!