Lights, Camera, Action!
The lights were dimmed, the fog was light, and the snow sprinkled out of the snow machine just as the town awakened in Union Square.
Just two weeks before Christmas, Christian Life
Assembly church presented the production of The
Christmas Post. Over 15,000 tickets were sold to the public, which included friends, locals, family, and even people out
of the state. The cast and crew of the production started the audition process
back in August, while the directors had to decide who would play the lead
roles. Over the past four months, everyone put in the many hard and long hours
so that their message of Christ would reach and change lives. A team of
construction workers had volunteered to build a huge set that would display
Herzog's Department Store, the Barber Shop, and the Candy Store. Prop management,
makeup artists, hair stylists, costume designers, construction workers, musicians, directors, cast members, and kitchen workers volunteered their own personal
time to come and work together to create the heart of the show.
The setting of The Christmas Post began in 1947, just two years after World War II
ended. After her husband was killed in action, Alice Garfield, with two small
children, took a seasonal job at Herzog's Department Store. Alice wanted to
make Christmas extra special for her kids, with full knowledge of the toy car
and bicycle that each of them wanted. Her daughter, Katie, had secret plans of
her own. With her hair tucked under her cap, she roamed the streets of Union
Square selling newspapers, hoping to purchase a silver locket for her mother.
Both mother and daughter worried about earning enough money for these gifts,
that they lost faith in God. With her ship-shape, military boss, Alice couldn't
afford any more excuses on her last day. But after the store closed, a man
needed just one more item and begged her to open the store. Putting the man's
needs above her own problems, Alice opened the store and when the whole town
found out, the biggest disaster was created. Ribbons, packages, golf balls, dolls, and streamers galore trashed the entire store by the time the Sargent Buchanan blew his whistle. Just as her boss was about to fire
her and garnish her wages, his own father, the previous owner, walked in and
raved about the Christmas Eve Madness
Sale. With the help from her manager Dixie, Alice learned a lesson or two
about keeping faith alive even when someone's lost all hope. Alice was able to
keep her wages and even brainstormed a few of her own ideas for the store. One
last customer entered the store, picking up the silver locket in the window.
While they counted their money, Katie stood face to face with her mother, ready to
purchase the gift. Both shocked, they realized the truth and the real meaning of
Christmas. Katie held a picture of her daddy that would lie on the inside of
the silver locket and hang around her mother's neck. A yellow toy car and blue
bicycle were brought out and excitement filled the entire store. Both had
realized that with a little more faith, they would find a way to make Christmas
come alive, and they did successfully.
Beneath the blonde curls, Lisa Alioth played
the lead role as Alice. Lisa started getting involved with the church
productions back in 1992. Her inspiration and passion for theater began when
her musical father started a singing group with her siblings. Ever since then,
she got involved with school musicals and really began to love it. In past
productions, Lisa had several roles, but this was the biggest role yet. When
she found out that she had received the lead role as Alice, she was overwhelmed
with joy. Lisa only hoped that she could portray her character as the audience
would imagine her. Before she performed, Lisa would sit backstage and go
through her lines and pray in order to prepare herself for the show. "The Christmas Post encourages people to
have faith, especially during times of trouble." Being a part of these
productions was a ministry to her and in the end, the amount of lives reached
was the main purpose.
After singing the final song, Alice collapses on the shelf, kicking her shoes off in complete and utter exhaustion.
By handling one more sale, both Alice and Katie are able to buy their special presents for each other. Excitement filled their spirits as Katie took off on her new bicycle and Alice held her silver locket.
Toys and candy are displayed on the shelves of Herzog's Department Store, with customers grabbing and buying the merchandise.
Finding the faith to believe, Alice realizes that her fears of failing her daughter are minor compared to God's peace.
In the dressing room, Bree Powell raps a strand of pearls around Jessica Emrich's neck, showing the glamorous trends of the 1940's.
Gallery from The Christmas Post
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