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Production Offers Compelling Story of Mark's Gospel
By Craig Pinley
EXCELSIOR, MN (March 31, 2004) - The gospel story is told in a variety of ways
during the Lenten season in order to spur interest in the life, death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
For one Covenanter in Minnesota, the telling of the gospel story has
been a hallmark of his acting career during the past two decades. Tom
Stolz of Excelsior Covenant Church has been telling The Gospel
According to St. Mark at his family's Old Log Theater since 1986 -
the Lenten performance runs through April 10 with seven shows in all.
The 100-minute presentation takes the King James Version word for word.
Stolz tends to be the center of attention in the British farces and
comedies he usually does. The Gospel According to St. Mark is
different as he wears an ordinary dark blue suit rather than dressing in
garb from ancient times. "I try to disappear in the telling," he says,
and he has been told that his manner in delivering Mark's gospel makes
the book more real for those who hear it.
The first time Stolz began seriously working on The Gospel According
to St. Mark was in 1984. The first performance occurred two years
later and since that time it has been seen in churches, colleges and
theaters across North America and Switzerland.
"We've done religious plays at The Old Log since we've had the theater,"
said Stolz in discussing how he developed his upcoming work. "We had
done The Cotton Patch Gospel, which is a modern-day version of
Matthew's gospel, as if it were taking place in Georgia. Instead of a
crucifixion, there was a lynching, for example. We had such a great
success with it that I thought I'd try a different version for the next
Lenten season."
Stolz says the concept of telling the gospel of Mark isn't anything new
- it has been done in some form for hundreds of years. But, he had
viewed a West End production in London by Alec McGowan and thought he
could make the story his own. For Stolz, the gospel story of Mark has
evolved much like his faith has, making the presentation even more
meaningful.
"For me, it's not a theatrical presentation - I come from a believer's
point of view," he says. "It's life changing in that regard. In reading
it over and over, there's always something new. Every year there's a
different section that becomes my favorite part. And because it's
memorized and in your mind, other scripture that has a relation to it
can be cross-referenced in your brain and that's helped me in my
(overall) understanding of scripture."
Stolz says memorizing the 16 chapters of the gospel of Mark was as
difficult as doing the actual performance. He had an accountability
partner, Peter Studer, help him with the chore and that made a big
difference. He learned the gospel over the course of a year and a half
as he juggled other performances. Now he carries a pocket New Testament
with him to work on his memorization when he has a spare moment during
his busy schedule.
"Memorizing is hard work, especially when you have to memorize a part in
10 days," says Stolz of his regular routine for plays. "I do everything
to avoid picking up that script and memorizing it. That's where the
procrastination came from. Part of memorizing is in believing you can do
it. But there were times I had memorized only up to Chapter 6 and I
didn't think I'd have it in my brain to do it. But I don't find my
memorization of Mark is amazing; it's the book that's amazing."
Stolz grew up in Excelsior and now resides in a house he played in as a
kid, located within 100 yards of the theater in which he now works. He
attended a Roman Catholic parish during his childhood, met his wife Pat
during high school, and began to attend Pat's home church, Excelsior
Covenant, after they married.
Pat's aunt, Adola Anderson, was an Evangelical Free Church missionary in
Congo. Tom's grandfather was a minister. Such family influences, along
with the mentoring and friendship of countless others, are considered
real blessings to the Stolz family. Tom and Pat have four grown children
who are living elsewhere - a new life stage - and have been reflecting
on their journey much as they stay involved with their church and the
theater.
A few years ago, Stolz wrote a musical biography of gospel legend
Mahalia Jackson, documenting Jackson's rise to the top and what happened
after she got there. This gospel musical features 22 songs, including
some of Jackson's greatest hits, such as "Move On Up A Little Higher."
Mahalia is about salvation, says Stolz, and his upcoming
performance is another way of proclaiming the salvation that he has
experienced as he grows in his own Christian walk.
"This is an outgrowth of all of the prayers and the great training and
learning I've gotten, the people that have come alongside me," said
Stolz. "I'm thankful for the heritage of those who've come alongside us.
Now we're handing to other people what has been handed to us.
"The gospel is transforming and I'm a perfect example of that," Stolz
continued. "That's why I'm doing it, so that people will be transformed
by the word of God when they see it. My story and my wife Pat's story is
a story of grace. After 35 years of marriage . . . we're now starting to
be able to look at our successes as the grace of God. And The Gospel
According to St. Mark is an outpouring of that grace."
The Old Log Theater originally opened as a summer stock company in 1940
in a log stable - Tom's dad, Don, bought the building for a dollar. In
1960, a new theater was built, and the operation became year-round. The
theater has entertained more than six million patrons since opening its
doors more than 60 years ago. It includes a 655-seat auditorium and a
400-seat restaurant for before-show dining.
There are 8 p.m. performances of The Gospel According to St. Mark
on April 2 and 3, a 3 p.m. performance on April 4, and 8 p.m.
performances on April 8, 9 and 10. The Brothers Frantzich, a trio with
Evangelical Covenant Church connections, will provide music to help tell
the story. Tim and Paul Frantzich attended Minnehaha Academy in
Minneapolis, a school sponsored by the Northwest Conference.
For more information on Stolz, The Old Log Theater and The Gospel
According to St. Mark, call 952-474-5951 or visit the theater
website at www.oldlog.com/StMark .
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
