Christmas Musicals for Church
Issue link: http://read.jwpepper.com/i/519438
ious historical characters to appear and disappear through controlled lighting. It will also be helpful to control lighting on the choir. Costumes Because the set and lighting needs are so minimal for In His Presence, the visual focus of your production will be the costumes. They should be constructed/assem- bled with careful attention to color, detail, and historical authenticity. Three characters – Kyle, Capt. Wilcox and Pvt. Jensen – are members of the United States Army serving on a military base and so would probably be wearing contemporary combat uniforms (ACU or Army Combat uniform). The wearing of official military uniforms by individuals who are not actually members of the armed forces is a sensitive issue and one that should be carefully considered for this production. Here are the facts: • It is legal for actors to wear actual military uniforms as part of a theatrical or film production. (Supreme Court decision, Schacht v. United States, 1970) • Non-military (non-actor) individuals may legally wear uniforms as long as they do not include unit patches, rank, medals, or name tapes; in other words, a "bare" uniform. Even within these legal parameters, there are many military members and veterans who very understandably believe no one should wear a regulation military outfit except an individual who has earned the right to wear the uniform by actually serving in the armed forces. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to honor this perspective and purchase or create non-official "uniforms" out of generic camou- flage material. Do not try to replicate the uniforms with patches or insignias but leave them bare. All three characters should also wear laced-up combat-style boots. The historical characters should be costumed in appropriate period dress. Helen Keller (1906) can wear typical turn-of-the-century attire: a long skirt, a high-col- lared blouse with a brooch or pin, and her hair dressed on top of her head. (Al- though her teacher, Anne Sullivan, is frequently pictured with dark glasses [Ms. Sullivan had partial sight], Helen Keller never wore dark glasses.) James Mont- gomery (1816) would wear clothing from the Regency period in Great Britain: narrow full-length trousers, a pleated or ruffled shirt, and a vest out of silk or bro- cade. Charles Wesley (1739), who was ordained a priest in the Church of England in 1735, should appear in his formal Anglican robes. This black robe is floor- length and full-sleeved, resembling a contemporary commencement gown. The white collar features two starched rectangular lapels. Most formal portraits of Wes- ley show him wearing this vestment. (And yes, Wesley almost certainly wore a wig, but you needn't go to that extent; fastening a large bow to the back of the actor's head should suffice.) Luke (first century) is costumed in a standard 130 For Preview Only