Pirate Jesus

So, we're doing a "Lessons & Carols" Christmas program at our church (December 16 during morning service - in case you're interested...) and we had our first staging rehearsal tonight. The way things are set-up, we've little vignettes interspursed with musical offerings. AZ's roomie Lisa is directing, and she is awesome!

Yours truly is Mary; AZ is Elizabeth and Ty-lar is Joseph. Other friends (read: comedians!) round out the cast of characters, and tonight's rehearsal was a lot of fun . . . and highly amusing.

It started off with Ty-lar wanting to be Pirate Joseph because he happened to be wearing his stripey pirate pants (something about Mary being a lusty wench was thrown around). And CT decided Ninja Herod would be appropos. Once we got to the part where Mary magically has a baby, I was in tears with laughter. How in the *world* do you make a baby(doll) appear without actually having a "birthing" scene...?! Our scenery is simple and scarce, we don't have a lot of bulky clothing items in which to camoflauge the baby, and I was practising with a football-shaped bundle of gold-lame' costume. There was much talk of having the baby thrown in from the wings; Ty-lar having it strapped to his leg under his robes; me carring it diguised as a mystery bundle tucked under my arm, only to be magically revealed as a baby later on. I think we finally decided upon having the baby hidden behind a bale of hay. [Oh Look! A baby! Behind that bale!!

AZ and I were giggling our way through lines as Mary & Elizabeth. First AZ (as directed) read them like some wisened, aged, mentor, with NO emotion whatsoever. Like "kit" on nightrider or something. And then she put on an old lady yiddish voice. It was HILARIOUS. Meanwhile, running commentary from the peanut gallery of spectators did not make it any easier to keep a straight face!

But by the grace of God endeavor we to set this nativity scene. It will be great once we all know what we're doing! But the first crack at things was really funny. I am looking forward to doing this with my friends!