The Belhaven College theatre department presents its season opener, Ecclesiastes on September 16-20, 2008, at the Flexible Theatre located at 835 Riverside Drive. Curtain time is 7:30 PM for all performances. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens, and can be purchased by phoning the Belhaven Theatre Box Office at (601) 965-7026 or e-mailing boxoffice@belhaven.edu.
Ecclesiastes is a theatre piece created by collaboration between actors and musicians to express, visually and musically, the central themes of the biblical book of Ecclesiastes. The text used is a translation by Dr. Dan Fredricks, Senior Vice President and Provost of Belhaven College.
The cast includes Erin Brownfield, Kerri Courtney, Scott Gaines, Becki Haynes, Marla Hershberger, Brandon Holman, Christopher Loecher, and Moriah Whiteman. Collaborating musicians include Joel Delatte, Daniel Johnston, Joanna Kenyon, and Dr. Andy Sauerwein, assistant professor of music and composer-in-residence at Belhaven College. Ecclesiastes is directed by Joseph Frost, Chair of Belhaven Theatre Department.
Cast member, Scott Gaines, says Ecclesiastes is “not your typical rendition based on the Bible. Everyone can draw something different from it, I think.”
“When you read the Bible, sometimes you only take what you want to hear. With this portrayal of the Scripture, even the things you don’t want to hear are put in front of you visually,” says cast member and musician, Becki Haynes.
“Curiosity,” is what Brandon Holman hopes the audience will take away from Ecclesiastes. “Hopefully it will make them wonder; make them want to research deeper into who God is and what He’s done.”
Dr. Andy Sauerwein, musician, agrees. “The temptation is to have something presented clearly. God talks in ways that leave us wondering.” He hopes audience members will leave with a “renewed curiosity about what God is saying through Ecclesiastes,” and invites everyone to come and experience as, “We are singing a new song.”