In the life of a musical, there are many, many milestones. Under the leadership of the Director, the actors must learn their lines, where to go when, to become their characters. The Choreographer must teach the moves to all who will dance. The Choral Director must ensure that all who will sing know the music and lyrics. The orchestra must learn to play every song and instrumental piece. Over the course of many rehearsals, these are all honed into a (hopefully) well-oiled machine ... a vibrant piece of art that will entertain and enthrall the audience.
But, of course, there’s more: the somewhat hidden parts.
For weeks on end, the various stage crews build everything that must appear onstage; the walls, doorways, buildings, platforms, etc. Others dedicate their time and talents to costuming, lighting, sound, marketing, ticket sales ... on and on. In my theatre days, we didn’t have the phrase, “It takes a village.” But that’s what it takes.
At the moment of change —the moment that would stay with me for the rest of my life— we had finally come to Dress Rehearsal; the night before Opening Night; the night before the public would actually appear to serve as the final arbiters of all our work. As Stage Manager, it was my job (I thought) to ensure we were ready. As I surveyed the various personnel under my direct charge, I saw that all were diligently performing their tasks; from lighting and sound preparation, to the last minute checks of a large house that had to move about the stage on large (concealed) wheels, to those assigned to ensure the actors were located properly for their entrances to upcoming scenes.
It was at that moment the Director approached me and asked the question I was expecting: “Are you ready?” He had asked that question before, and I had always answered honestly, even if the answer was not always that we were 100% ready. Complete honesty was the only way that relationship could work. That night, though, I could happily, say, “Yes. We are ready.”
He looked me in the eye, saw that I was certain, and then spoke the words that would mean so much to my young life (and all the years to follow). “Good. Then, the show is yours.”
He had never said anything like that, before.
In my head, I was thinking something like, “How can it be my show? This is his show!” I’m not sure exactly what words I said in response, but I got across that I didn’t understand. He smiled and explained. The Director was going to be sitting in the audience for the performance; as, in fact, were all the other directors, designers, teachers ... all those who had worked so heard to hone this into art. None of them would be on the stage for the performance. None of them would be backstage. Whatever we delivered to the audience from this point forward, it was entirely up to us.
From this point forward, I was in charge.
Though I hadn’t been consciously aware of it, I was one of those pieces that had been honed over the preceding weeks and months. He had been preparing me for this moment, the moment when I would be fully in charge of whatever we brought to that audience.
No one had ever said anything even remotely like that to me in my entire life. No one had ever placed me in charge of anything. The impact on me was ... transformative. And, even though there were many ups and downs over the next few nights —and, indeed, over the rest of my life— that moment, and all it meant, remained with me. It has been a reservoir of confidence to draw on in good times and bad.
I had been elevated ... by the only person with the power and authority to do so: The Director.
I immediately recalled this moment when reading this week’s selection from the Letter to the Hebrews. It is what the Hebrew writer was explaining about Jesus. God, the only person with the power and authority to do so, elevated Jesus to be “the heir of all things,” to inherit a name above any angel, to be the one who “sustains all things by His powerful word,” to sit down “at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
And how did that happen? Jesus obeyed.
He obeyed God in all He did throughout His three decades on this planet ... including, most importantly, to willingly become the ”pioneer” of our salvation through suffering and death. Because of his unfailing obedience, Jesus now speaks for God.
It’s His show.
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PHOTO: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth864976/
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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 22 (27) (October 7, 2018)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//
Job 1:1, 2:1-10
Psalm 26
Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 8
Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12
Mark 10:2-16
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Join us Friday morning for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. We still meet at 8:00 at the Waco “Egg and I” restaurant for an interesting hour of scripture, discussion, prayer, laughter, and food. We would love for you to be there with us (If you don’t see us, ask the hostess).
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