Theatre is a very resourceful art form. Most of the time, when people think of the theatre, they visualize a large, professional house, such as the Pantages, the Paramount, the 5th Avenue or ACT Theatre in Seattle.
There are also the community theatre houses, such as our treasures here in Tacoma, like the Tacoma Little Theatre.
But, theatre can happen just about anywhere. I have seen shows in old studios, church basements and in just about any empty space you can imagine.
The resourceful folks at Paradise Theatre in nearby Gig Harbor are sharing a space with Turning Point Community Church. However, this is not a makeshift church basement production. The space they are sharing appears to be Turning Point's sanctuary.
I have seen this only one other time, when the now-closed Seattle Performing Arts Fellowship shared a sanctuary of worship with Victory Baptist Church in Des Moines. At the time, I thought it was brilliant. I still do. And seeing how Paradise Theatre has gone a step further and made the sanctuary into a "real" theatre space, complete with theatre lighting and sound system, it made me think, "wow!"
Not only "wow," but I have to say, "Praise God!"
The only times most preachers ever mention theatre or actors are when they are delivering a sermon based on Matthew 6, or some similar passage. You see, the biblical word "hypocrite" is based from the same Greek root word as "actor." Thus explains the church's long enmity with the theatrical world.
But, as a Christian AND an actor, I praise God that those walls have come down, at least at Turning Point Community Church. I hope that more alliances between the theatre and God's people can happen. There's no reason why space (and art and the life of faith) cannot be shared more often.
Thank you, Paradise Theatre. Now I know why your company is called Paradise. There will be much rejoicing and singing in heaven one day. Maybe this is your way of telling us that there will be theatre there as well.
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