ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Those looking to fellowship and help kick off the Christmas season will soon have just that opportunity.
South Church of God will be presenting its Christmas show, titled 'All Came to the Manger' for three shows – Wednesday, Dec. 3, Thursday, Dec. 4, and Friday, Dec. 5. Doors will open at 5:30 each evening, with the show starting at 6 p.m., and all shows will be at South Church of God at 635 N. Washington Ave. Tickets are available first come, first served at the Leader & Times office at 16 S. Kansas Ave. The menu will be pork loin, mashed potatoes and gravy, carrot salad, dinner rolls and chocolate cake with cherries.
Director Carolyn Granite said the show has been worked on since earlier this fall.
“It was either August or September when we started planning everything out for the show. We always want to do the Nativity story from a different angle, and we chose to do it from the viewpoint of the shepherds since they were the first ones to come to the manger after Jesus' birth,” Granite said. “They were the first evangelists and were the first ones to go out and spread the word about Jesus being born. I've enjoyed seeing the sets come together and seeing the costumes get worked on and all of those details. We've got a great story for the play, which is also really exciting. We're just looking forward to people coming and hearing the reason why we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus.”
Granite said the annual show is an overall great time for attendees.
“It's a great time to get the Christmas season kicked off and share the season's true meaning while tackling the Nativity story from a different angle. The food is also always good, and it's a great time for everyone to fellowship and meet,” Granite said. “It's a great way to help kick off the Christmas season, and we always try to have the show earlier in the month so we don't interfere with other churches' plans if there's something they're putting together. Like I say every year, it's great having a dinner theatre like this in a smaller community like ours, because this is typically something that's performed in bigger cities like Wichita or Kansas City. This is something people get to experience right here in Liberal, and it's always a good performance. It's all just a really good experience and it's something not everyone has experienced before and the way we present the story is great and it's really special for the community.”
With opening night being around the corner, Granite said there is a lot of excitement among the cast and crew, which she hopes will rub off on audiences.
“I think everyone's really excited, and we're all working together really hard to bring the show together. There are always a few bumps during the rehearsal process, but I think we'll have everything fully ready to go by the time December rolls around. I'm looking forward to seeing who all comes out and seeing everyone in the audience,” Granite said. “We're hoping for a full house every night, and I hope the story truly touches people's hearts and gets them in the mood to properly celebrate Christmas. I love being able to put this together for the community, and we've done this show every year since 2012 except for two years due to circumstances beyond our control. It's our way to give back to the community and help them kick off the Christmas season.”
Granite added putting together the annual show is always a great experience for her.
“I love seeing everything come together and seeing the final product and seeing how the songs and script come together. It's always great hearing the comments from the people in the audience about the hard work done by everyone involved, and it does take many volunteers to pull something like this off,” Granite said. “Like I said earlier, we're still working on costumes and finalizing some details, but everyone's really excited and it's a great way to talk about the true reason for the Christmas season. I'm glad everyone's looking forward to putting the show on. It's always been a passion of mine to get across to people the real reason for the season, which is the birth of Jesus and what that means for everyone. The gifts and waiting for Santa Claus and all the family fun are great, but the true reason we celebrate Christmas is the birth of Jesus, and I've always wanted to help spread that message. My husband was originally from Pennsylvania, and there was one Christmas several years ago when we went for a visit there, and I remember we were driving through some really small mountain town and saw a static Nativity scene outside a church, and I thought we should do something like that in Liberal but with some motion. I wanted to bring that kind of experience so people could have it right here in Liberal and not have to drive multiple hours.”
Overall, Granite said, she hopes for another successful Christmas show.
“I would just invite everyone and anyone to come out and enjoy the production. I hope a lot of people come and enjoy the story, the meal, the music and the evening overall, because it's a great time for everyone to fellowship,” Granite said. “The Christmas story is always a great one to tell to people around this time of the year, and I hope to see a lot of people from the community turn out. We'll continue talking up the show in the coming weeks, and I hope we have a bunch of people come out!”
