My twenty cents keeps moving!

Apr. 3, 2007

The Hiding Place

My husband and I were just involved in a production of The Hiding Place (a musical version!) I have been trying to figure out a way to explain to you how powerful it was. If you've read the book or seen the movie, you already know how compelling the story is. Here in our community theatre, it is the play that almost wasn't. We faced so many obstacles and adversities to put on this production, that we knew it was a significant story that needed to be told. It was obvious that the enemy didn't want this message out there. This is the 3rd time our director has tried to cast this show, and this time she refused to give up. I have no idea how many people quit the show in the process-- I can think of at least 7 and I wasn't involved from the beginning. Also, the ones who stayed in the show faced challenges-- my father had a stroke and I had to go to Virginia; the man who played Casper ten Boom had to go to New Mexico to see about his daughter who had sudden kidney failure; one of the musicians lost her father. But I think the obstacles only served to strengthen us and our resolve to make it happen. The director had people doing 2 and 3 parts; she cut some parts that we simply could not pull off without more people; I'm told that one cast member who quit paid a teenager $50 to take his place. In the end, it was worth it. The cast was comprised of 4 really strong actors with vast experience and a handful of newbies like myself who were in their first role. We struggled with lines and blocking and timing. The veterans were unbelievably good, and the rest of us had mercifully little stage time. I was the prison guard and I had about 10 lines-- I would go onstage, yell, and slam the door. Lather rinse repeat. I said things like

Prisoners are to remain silent.
Solitary prisoners are not allowed to talk.
Quiet-- just take it.
Eat it.
Solitary prisoners are to remain silent.
What's all the comootion in there? (my favorite)

The prison scene was very moving. You hear Betsy telling Corrie to give thanks in all things-- even the fleas. Then you hear the story of how the prison guards leave them alone for Bible study because they don't want to come in the barracks because of-- you guessed it-- the fleas. They sing a song that says
hank you, Lord,
for the trials that come my way.
In that way I can grow each day
as I let you lead,
And thank you, Lord,
for the patience those trials bring.
In that process of growing,
I can learn to care.

But it goes against the way
I am to put my human nature down
and let the Spirit take control of all I do.

'Cause when those trials come,
my human nature shouts the thing to do;
and God's soft prompting
can be easily ignored.

The last scene takes after Betsie dies-- it's just a simple monologue spoken by Corrie in the middle of the stage with one spotlight on her. The lady who played her was so talented (she was also the director). When she spoke, you believed she was Corrie. When she cried, you felt her pain and cried with her. And she ended with the story of her release-- a week before all prisoners her age were executed. She said that it was a "clerical error? No, it was the grace of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Betsy and Corrie

Jason as Lt Rahms

In prison, Corrie, Betsy and prisoner

Praying at the Ten Boom table (Jason is the Jewish cantor in the brown wig)


The Ten Booms praying at the table (before Corrie got her wig)

cast pic-- that's me in the back looking like a nun (it was the period costume, but it made me want to burst into "Climb Every Mountain" which didn't fit my character at all!)

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