Never in my wildest imagination did I think that spending an hour and fifteen minutes listening and interacting with a one woman show – would lead me to grasp such insight and excitement about how the Arts could build my deeper connection with the earth and the Creator. Presented in a way that made me laugh, sing, ponder and reflect about the goodness of God and the profound opportunity we have been given to pull back from the edge of destruct ion and despair, I was filled with hope for the future of our good earth. This project, conceived and executed with the cleverness and multifaceted talents of this faithful “preacher’s kid” is deeply powerful and should be seen on as many Campus’ across this country as possible. The twenty or so of us gathered in a cramped performance space were given a gift that I shall not soon forget – and an exposure to personal, community and spiritual treasures that will feed my soul for many years to come. If you get the chance – see this magical performance and find yourself laughing, humming and crying; and wanting to understand more about how our faith can inform our vision of the Judeo-Christian story that will move us to action.
The Rev. Dennis j. Parker
Campus Minister – Portland State University, Portland OR
The gifts of God. Creation, continuing. Community, called and sojourning. Jubilee and joy. The myth of scarcity and the promise of abundance. Threat and promise. Corporate and individual responsibility. Economy and ecology, story and theology.
The challenge to wrestle with and reflect on these themes and more is offered in engaging form by Tevyn East by Leaps and Bounds.
“And God saw that it was good.”
Tricia Dykers Koenig, Covenant Network National Organizer
I have just returned from attending the theatrical performance of Tevyn East in Leaps and Bounds. What an astonishingly powerful and profound piece of work! This one-woman performance, rooted in biblically based Sabbath economics, far surpassed in content and theatrical excellence my wildest expectation. There was a beautiful weaving together of the strains of Sabbath economics, from both the Old and New Testaments, within the contemporary economic situation so as to give fresh meaning to the scriptures and renewed hope to an alternative way of life. Although the stage setting was simple, it was so creative. The singing, dancing and spoken word were a seamless tapestry that flowed together into an energizing and compelling story of new possibilities. I would recommend without any hesitation that churches, colleges and universities, as well as any organization or group interested in the “abundant life” and future of the earth, avail themselves to this exciting and promising work of faith.
Nelson N. Johnson, Pastor of Faith Community Church and Executive Director of the Beloved Community Center of Greensboro, North Carolina.
When you bring together dance, theatre, the spoken word, and the biblical story you get more than the sum of their parts. You get a challenging, prophetic monologue narrating over 6,000 years of history told from the balcony looking down on humanity’s interaction with the Earth and God’s people. Tevyn East, a one-woman narrator in the grand story-telling tradition, takes you on a journey that opens the past to critical reflection, the present to prophetic challenge, and the future to new possibilities—a journey sorely needed in our consumption-oriented, profit-driven, and industrial/technological world. Drawing from the best of modern biblical scholarship, Tevyn embodies the values of a God-centered world to challenge today’s followers of Jesus to live in a world where everyone has enough, everyone has a seat at the table, and we give back to the Earth God gave us. You’ll take away a deeper appreciation of how our complicity inhibits health in self, community and world and how informed people can make a difference. The performance is about an hour and fifteen minutes in length and is suitable for middle-high school youth through older adults. The stage is set simply and with versatility to fit any space. The performance can stand alone, but you will want to plan for a discussion/reflection period following the performance to get the most from it. Three hours total would be ample. A printed reflection process and resource overview are available to guide your discussion.
Von Clemans, Associate Pastor for Adult Education, Myers Park Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, North Carolina
