Scandinavia and Beyond

During a performance of I Dreamed I Was Free in the Nordic Black Theatre
in Oslo, Norway. 

We had a BLAST in Europe! Thanks in large part to the prayers and financial support of people on this list, we were able to perform in every Scandinavian country and beyond, eight nations in all. We're still trying to catch up after that trip of a lifetime. You can see the reports so far at www.RichDrama.com/EuroTour2018. More to come.

This summer I got to perform in San Diego in a new audio drama that brings Scripture to life with a focus on God's plan of redemption. It's so well conceived and written! I was thrilled to be a part of it, and I was performing with some seriously great actors, directed well by John Fornof (Adventures in Odyssey). The sound design by Luke Guenot is extraordinary, too. It's just a fantastic project all the way around.

Visit www.RichDrama.com/TheAdventum to see the dozen roles I got to play and how to get your CDs or downloads.

While you're waiting, you can watch a short film Joyce and I were a part of, "There," written, directed and produced by William and Morgan Willer, two of my students at the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp. You can watch the film now, and find out about their next project at www.RichDrama.com/There.

A whole lot more has happened since my last report to this list, but you can catch up at www.Blog.RichDrama.com, www.Facebook.com/RichDrama and www.Instagram.com/RichSwingle.

We so appreciate your prayers and support!

Here's today's post on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

Today's #VerseOfTheDay is surely cherished by the persecuted church. Praise the Lord for our religious liberty... as long as we choose to keep it. #WestchesterChapel prayed for the persecuted church yesterday, and @raeoflight04 taught on Psalm 119:49-56: "The Word Secures Hope." Hear it at www.WestchesterChapel.blogspot.com (11/4). Her opening illustration of the overnight watch on the anchor made me think of how spiritual revivals have begun, in part, when people were praying in the night. Last night I found myself awake thinking through everything I'll need on my journey (www.RichDrama.com/Schedule), so I turned it into prayer for national revival. Bring it, Lord!

A post shared by Rich Swingle (@richswingle) on Nov 5, 2018 at 8:31am PST

Scandinavia

This outdoor performance
was steps away from what used to be
John Woolman's orchard.

My one-man play I Dreamed I Was Free  (formerly A Clear Leading) has been accepted for the fall lineup at the Nordic Black Theatre in Oslo, Norway!
The theatre focuses on stories about people of color, and I Dreamed I Was Free tells the true story of how John Woolman spoke out against slavery a full century before the Civil War in America. 

In addition to renting the theatre in Oslo, Rich is hoping to offer workshops which will help local Christian actors develop and perform their own dramas.

The Nordic Black Theatre is holding the date of September 1, and they've given us until the end of June to secure funding. 

Please pray about partnering in ministry to the most secular nation in Western Europe. It is estimated that 45% of Norwegians are atheists, as compared with 5% in the US. 
Funds will go toward 

*Theatre rental
*Travel, board and lodging for Rich and Joyce Swingle. Joyce will serve as stage manager and production manager.
*Travel, board and lodging beyond Oslo. 

Our goal is to perform in every Scandinavian country as opportunities unfold.  Visit www.RichDrama.com/Scandinavia to give.

We are not a non-profit organization, so donations are not tax deductible. 

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I Dreamed I Was Free tells the story of Quaker abolitionist John Woolman, who spoke against slavery a century before our Civil War.

Eric Liddell Joins the Global Hymn Sing

Keith and Kristyn Getty have invited the world to a Global Hymn Sing this Sunday, February 25, 2018.

The hymn they've chosen is "Jesus Will Reign," which Eric Liddell led a crowd in singing just before boarding the train which started his trek to China. His Olympic gold and bronze medals, not to mention his world record in the 400m, opened up many prestigious offers in Europe and the U.S. But he left it all behind to serve the Chinese as a teacher, track coach, and missionary for the rest of his short life.

I've been portraying Liddell since 2004 in my one-man play Beyond the Chariots, and I planned to dramatize Liddell singing "Jesus Shall Reign" in a follow-up film to Chariots of Fire, but we were beat to the finish line.

I just found out about the Global Hymn Sing, so I thought the best way to dramatize the event, given the short time constraint, would be to portray him reflecting on that event at a point of his life that gives us a peek into the life he sacrificially chose.

You can download this video to play at your church at www.RichDrama.com/EricLiddellHymnSing this Sunday, or at any upcoming service. Permission has been granted from copyright holders on this arrangement.

Be sure to register for the hymn sing, so you and/or your church can be added to the map.

If your church doesn't participate in the Global Hymn Sing, join me Sunday, February 25, at 5pm Eastern, and I'll do a Facebook Live hymn sing. I'll say a bit more about my connection to the story, and then we'll all sing with an Olympic hero well before the closing ceremonies to the Pyeongchang Olympics begin in the Eastern Time Zone, and hopefully in time for you to get to an evening service. It will broadcast from www.Facebook.com/RichSwingle, but if we're not Facebook Friends, I'll post it at www.Facebook.com/RichDrama by 5:15pm Eastern.

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See the rest of Olympic champion Eric Liddell's Chariots of Fire story in Beyond the Chariots. Watch it online and book a live performance.

Henry Box Brown answers a 20-year prayer request

A prayer of my heart twenty years ago is about to be answered!

I heard about the Christian Cultural Center, the largest church in New York City and one of the largest independent churches in the US, shortly after moving here in 1993. As I started to develop my own one-man plays it was on my heart to perform there some day.

I play an abolitionist in Henry Box Brown, a musical that tells the story of a slave who ships himself in a box from Richmond, Virginia, to Philadelphia and freedom in 1848. Though it's not one of my one-man plays, this musical is answering my prayer of two decades, because we'll be performing at CCC three times:

February 10, 8 AM and 10:30 AM
20-minute version
Directions at www.CCCInfo.org, where you can live-stream the 10:30 AM Eastern service.

February 15, 10-1pm
Full musical
Click here to register (first come first registered)

Hope you can see this miraculous production live or online!

You can see my Facebook Live announcement by clicking here.

Since recording that registrations were opened for the performance on February 15, and you can find all the details on this page, which you can find at www.RichDrama.com/HenryBoxBrown.

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Another reason I'm excited to be a part of Henry Box Brown is that I've been performing my own one-man play about an abolitionist since 1995. A Clear Leading tells the story of John Woolman, a Quaker who spoke against slavery a century before our Civil War.

Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp Deadline Extended

Rachel Marley (left) and McKenzie Harris experienced another blessing from their association with the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp.  They just performed in a God-honoring professional audio drama for Lamplighter Theatre that they learned about because they had been students at the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp.

Our camp is more than a fully immersive training experience. It begins before students arrive on campus with online tutorials we've put together, so that once they arrive we can immediately jump into production on a short film. All four years that I've taught at Film Camp I've been able to coach our students for an audition for a live film project. Several of our students have landed roles or been hired on crew because of that process. 

But the benefits of Film Camp extend beyond our week together. Whenever I hear about film, stage and radio projects that are planning to honor the Lord I send out casting notices to all of our acting camp alumni.

 If you or someone you know is interested in acting now is the best time to register for the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp.

 Due to some logistics issues we were not able to get the word out in a timely manner about our early bird special to some of our potential acting camp students. In order to be fair with all who are interested in attending either the acting or filmmaking camps we have decided to extend the $150 early bird discount until the end of the month.

The registration website has already been updated to the full price since the early bird discount expired on January 15th. However, we have created a special discount coupon code that you can use to get the same discount. Here’s how it works. Register for either the 2018 Rocky Mountain Christian Acting camp or the Filmmakers camp from our regular camp registration page and enter the following coupon code on the payment screen to receive the discount.

Coupon Code: EB2018 Acting Camp Registration SiteFilmmaking Camp Registration Site

The discount coupon is only good through January 31st and only while we still have space available. Once the camp is full registration will be closed so register now to assure your spot and to take advantage of this extended discount.

 If you choose the 3 payment option the $150 discount will be applied to your initial payment. So the first payment will only be $150, the second and third payments will be $300 each.

 Hope to see you in the Rockies!

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Join us for the 2018 Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp.

Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp Early Bird Deadline and Post-Camp Production

With three of our alumni,
  Joyce Swingle,
  Gwendelynn Martindale, and
  Morgan Willer.

Today is the deadline for the early bird special ($150 savings) at the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp, where I've been teaching film acting and coaching students in our short films since 2014. There is a three-payment plan you can use to spread out the payments while still getting the discount: www.ChristianFilmmakersCamp.com.

 I just got to perform the lead role and coach the other actors (including one of our alumna, Rebekah Stought) in "There" a short film by two of our alumni, William and Morgan Willer. In all we had six alumni from our program involved in the production, and the Willers managed to pull together over a dozen professionals in all!

Two other alumni, Rebekah Stought 
and William Willer.

Before we left they showed us a rough cut, and it's going to look extraordinary! I'm so proud of the Willers and our amazing team! 

While we were on set, one of the six alumni of the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp, McKenzie Harris, was cast as the lead in Lamplighter Theatre's next production! We also know Rachel Marley, was cast as the friend of the lead. Rachel has been my student several times at two different performing arts training intensives, and she was on our performance team in Sochi during the 2014 Olympics.

Rebekah Stought performed with me in the last two Lamplighter Theatre productions.

McKenzie Harris Photo by Ivy Schexnayder

I'll be teaching and directing at the Lamplighter Guild this summer, and their early bird discount (also a savings of $150) deadline will be at the end of January. You can hear my interview with Mark Hamby, the executive director of Lamplighter Ministries here. Click this link, to play it.
 
I was happy to volunteer my time to the Willer's project, but they agreed to let me perform my one-man play Views of the Manger in their barn on Epiphany, and offer an acting workshop after we wrapped the film. After Views of the Manger we gathered to praise the Lord for what He accomplished through the piece, and a five-year-old prayed the most beautiful prayers! I asked if I could interview her about the play, and here's what she had to say. Click this link, to play it.

If you want to know more about starting a relationship with Jesus Christ visit www.WestchesterChapel.org/Salvation.

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Remember, registration is now open for the 2018 Lamplighter Guild and Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp.