Contributed photos
LEFT: Members of the Eagles Christian Theatre Troupe in rehearsal for a production. At right is Eagles Director, Dawn Bennett.
RIGHT: Craig McNally (right) and Claudine Reid in a scene from 'Free at Last', a play written by Dan Neidermyer and Dawn Bennett.

I remain convinced that the vision and concept of a drama rooted in Christian aesthetics is something that can work and work well in Jamaica

- Dr Kwame Dawes, University of South Carolina professor in English and distinguished poet in residence and director of the South Carolina Poetry Initiative.

Mark Dawes, Religion Editor

The 1980s was a period when the Christian theatre was noticeably on the incline. It was a period when Christian theatre was arguably seeking to define itself.

During that period, a number of para-church organisations noticeably promoted drama as a vehicle to promote the Christian gospel. These included Jamaica Youth For Christ, Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, the Christian Graduate Theatre Company and Eagles Christian Theatre Troupe.

Some would argue that Christian theatre is now on the decline, but not Dawn Bennett. Mrs Bennett is director of Eagles Christian Theatre Troupe which has been active giving performances in Jamaica and overseas.

Eagles Christian Theatre Troupe is an offspring of Deeper Life Ministries and the Charismatic Renewal Movement which influenced major sections of the local church community in the 1970s.

All-rounder

She is an all-rounder in the Christian theatre movement. She acts, writes, directs and produces plays. During her early years at Central Branch Primary School in Kingston, she did well in drama competitions. It was from that time that she knew that she wanted to pursue drama.

"My love for drama is deep and strong. It is a passion. And it is what I really wanted to do," she told Mind & Spirit.

She grew up in a Christian home in an age when churches were suspicious of the use of drama for ministry or as she puts it, "I am from the era where Christians do not go onstage."

She, along with her husband, Winston, belong to the Covenant City Church in St Andrew, a member congregation of the Covenant Community Family of Churches.

One day in the 1980s, an invitation was issued to the congregation for someone to begin a drama ministry in the church. Unhesitatingly Dawn responded and so began her association with a group of devoted Christians whose ministry grew and is now known as Eagles Christian Theatre Troupe. In the early days of Eagles, Cheryl Spence was musical director.

In the mid-1980s, Eagles entered the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's drama festival and won six gold, two silver and one bronze medal.

Bennett's career in Christian theatre is intricately linked with Dan Neidermyer of the Pennsylvania-based Maranatha Productions. Neidermyer died in 2007.

Quintessential figure

Bennett described him as a quintessential theatre figure. They met in the 1970s when the Neidermyer came to Jamaica to do a film on the history of the Moravian Church in Jamaica.

He needed a few Jamaican actors and was referred to Bennett. Neidermyer was highly involved in the life of Eagles. He wrote plays, directed and acted.

"My plays must bring change, must help to bring change and transformation in individuals," said Bennett, who reported that she knows of persons who have been influenced to become born-again Christians.

Also, her productions, she said, have also helped Christians to devote themselves to the pursuit of greater holiness.

Two years ago, Bennett was ordained by her local church as minister of the performing arts. A trained guidance counsellor, she went full-time into ministry last year.

Her theatrical talents have not gone unnoticed by other drama groups. She is in demand to do workshops and seminars on Christian drama. Although she has carved her niche in Christian drama, she stressed, "I have never thought of going secular at all. I believe that drama is perhaps the most effective way to spread the gospel. You can invite someone to a play and they will come. But you invite them to church, and they will sometimes think twice."

Based on true story

Currently, she is basking in the glow of her latest production, Free at Last, which was staged in Jamaica between November 30, 2007 and January 6, 2008, at the LOJ Auditorium in New Kingston.

The troupe last month returned to Jamaica after presenting the drama to audiences in Barbados. The play was written by Neidermyer and Bennett, Shaunelle Harris was musical director and Christina Jordon director of choreography. Bennett directed the production.

Free at Last like so many of the plays done by Eagles was based on a true story. It is the story of Wayne Weekes, a Barbadian who left his country for the United States at six years old. At 17, his girlfriend broke up with him. Her family shunned him when they discovered that Weekes had become sexually involved with the girl. That rejection scarred him for life.

He then got into relationships with more than 200 women and was abusive to them. He lived a hedonistic lifestyle, got involved in the drug trade and rose to become a drug lord.

He was hunted by US law enforcement authorities, and one day, his cronies turned on him. They forced him in a car and made him drive with the intention that they would shoot him at a convenient spot.

Weekes deliberately crashed the vehicle in an oncoming police car. The police nabbed him and he was brought before the courts and sentenced to 60 years in prison.

Supported by church

While in prison, he read the Bible and accepted Christ in the privacy of his cell. After four years in prison, he was deported in Barbados where he lived for a while on the streets until a pastor took him in. That pastor turned out to be the son-in-law of Bennett.

Weekes has since rehabilitated his life. He works with a security company and has been married for the last eight years with three children and is active in church.

Bennett, a former life underwriter, has invitations to take Free at Last to England and is pursuing that ministry opportunity.

The drama productions of Eagles are heavily supported by the Rev Stephen Jennings of Mona Baptist Church, St Andrew. He is one of the troupe's spiritual advisers and a member of her congregation led by Pastor Dennis Kerr.

Drama production costs, she acknowledged, are high and so such theatre depends on sponsorship of corporate entities. In this regard, she expressed appreciation to major sponsors Jamaica Broilers Group, Tony Williamson & Associates and businessman Owen Tibby.

Eagles' productions, she said, are also heavily indebted to business persons from her congregation who have been supportive of the ministry of the drama troupe.

Bennett, a graduate of St Andrew High School for Girls, wants to see more drama groups emerging from the local Christian community. Her dream is to open a drama school which will serve the Christian community.

Her advice to fledgling Christian drama groups is, "First, they must know for sure that it is the Lord has called them to do it. If the Lord has not called them, they won't be able to do it. Second, they must get the support from core persons - that means the church. The church is your family. Third, don't be afraid to ask for help."

Dawn Bennett may be reached at dawnben10@yahoo.com. Send feedback to mark.dawes@gleanerjm.com.