Thank you again, Rich. I feel so uplifted myself and I am happy to see how you transformed and healed the residents. I certainly felt God’s presence and action in your work with them and their response. 
--Retta Blaney
Head of Marketing
EastView Independent Senior Living Residence
Owned and operated by The Salvation Army
Observation after Rich led residents in a sociodrama.
New York City

No, that doesn't stand for "too much information" in this case. It's the Territorial Music Institute for the Salvation Army. I was a special guest, which meant (among other things) that I was featured in a special service, along with the other special guests. We each taught each other something in our discipline in about 30 seconds and then expected the special guest of another discipline to perfect it by the time the 30 seconds was up. It was great fun!

Some of my favorite moments were down by the lake for "Sealed Orders." Students and faculty would get their orders, and when the command was given to open them we would read the devotional in an outdoor amphitheater overlooking a lake and a glowing Cross. It was amazing. As often as I was able, I stuck around to pray with students who lingered. There were some really awesome breakthroughs!

My main responsibility was to direct one of the drama groups in creating and preparing a drama for the final performance through sociodrama, and I think it turned out very well. It is a part of a new series of sketches I'm developing called Theatre for Revival. I think you'll see why:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gOhNAhbDOM?start=1279

We're about to open registration for the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp. Sign up to get the announcement.

This morning I got to chat with with Donald James Parker on his first video interview for The Sword of the Spirit. You can watch below, or if you're receiving this via email, visit www.Blog.RichDrama.com.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LSutNVP8V6g?rel=0

Here are links to some of the things I mentioned:
• Beyond the Chariots
• Providence

Donald James Parker joined us for the premiere of Providence.

• Beyond the Mask
• Alone Yet Not Alone
• The Unexpected Bar Mitzvah
• My other films
• Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp
• Lamplighter Guild
• The Giant Killer and Escape from the Eagle's Nest
• The Salvation Army Territorial Arts Ministry Conservatory
• My Workshops
• Schools where I've taught
• In Chariots of Fire it was Jackson Sholz who hands Eric Liddell the piece of paper saying, "In the old book it says: He who honors me, I will honor.” (I Samuel 2:30) In reality it was an American masseur who gave him the paper.
• Eric Liddell Centre
• On Wings of Eagles
• Judah Ben Hur, the musical in which I performed in Singapore
• Drama Evangelist for the Church of the Nazarene
• My bride, Joyce's performances
• Eric Liddell's student, H. K. Cheng
• Eric Liddell's daughters
• What it means to live in relationship with the Lord



See the rest of Olympic champion Eric Liddell's Chariots of Fire story in Beyond the Chariots. Watch it online and book a live performance.

I've had the great privilege of witnessing your ministry at a Salvation Army music camp in Canada about 10 years ago. I recall your performance on Revelation as John. That awesome ministry and performance has been a great influence. Thank you.
--Peter Park

When I was in college, over 20 years ago, Curt Cloninger, pictured here with Patricia Mauceri and myself, performed his one-man plays God Views and Red Letter Edition in our chapel at what was then George Fox College (now University). It was the first time I'd ever seen a one-man play, and something inside of me leapt!  "I can do that!" I told myself, and here I am having made a career out of it since 1995.  

Seeing Curt perform Witnesses at the TAM Conservatory I was inspired all over again!  His commitment to the characters he portrays, and the fun he has with the audience and with the storytelling, the surprises he plants within the piece all pushed me to take my own work to yet another level.

It's also my prayer that Curt inspires some TAM students to take the plunge and enter into this incredibly challenging and profoundly rewarding work.

The Salvation Army of Australia ran an article on my performance of The Revelation in Sydney.  It's on page 9 of Creative Ministry, October 2009.

Then in January they ran a feature article on my work: Going Solo.

Hope your celebration of the Three Kings is going well.

If you missed our Christmas eCard here it is...

Thank you so much for your prayers for us throughout the year! Despite the economy this year has been rich and full.

Joyce finished her second masters, this one in counseling. We were thrilled to discover that she placed second on one of her national exams!

She was the lead counselor again for the MasterWorks Festival, where Rich directs the theatre program.

If you missed Rich's report from last year's festival be sure to check it out: The Amazing Month of MasterWorks.

Joyce is now developing a counseling clientele, so if you know of anyone in the New York City area who could use counseling, send them to JoyceSwingle.com.

Rich performed, directed or taught almost 200 times in a dozen states, but the highlight was our trip Down Under. Rich was invited to perform The Revelation for the 20th anniversary celebration of The Salvation Army's Sydney Staff Songsters, a group that has performed all over the world. The Australian magazine, Creative Ministry reported the event on page 9 of their October issue.

And here's an excerpt from the performance, filmed by audience member Gay Wilson...


Venues were added to the itinerary in Newcastle, Melbourne and Auckland, New Zealand. Our blog postings are in the August and September archives.

Rich has been invited to perform Beyond the Chariots in Vancouver during the Winter Olympics through More than Gold. During the 2008 Olympics Rich got to perform in Beijing alongside world-record-breaking Olympic champion Madeline Manning Mims, who coined the phrase "More than Gold." All performing artists, including professionals like Rich, are asked to raise their own support for this endeavor which will reach people coming from all over the world. Beyond the Chariots has been translated into Spanish, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, and Korean, so this play about a man who set aside Olympic glory to serve the Chinese people will be well placed. If you would like to give toward this opportunity visit RichDrama.com/Olympics.

Rich was also asked to be on the board of Christians in Theatre Arts and the planning committee for Media and the Arts of The Third Lausanne Congress for World Evangelization, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in October 2010. He was able to connect their visions around CITA's annual sketch writing competition, so that scripts submitted to CITA will be considered for performance at Lausanne. Click here for more info.

We wish you and yours a blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year, and we appreciate your prayers for us in 2010.

You are truly amazing, praise God for his incredible gift to you. What you ministered at Camberwell was significant - it was all part of what He's working at Camberwell, in the Army and in Melbourne! It was great to see you again and to meet Joyce, and I really just wanted to thank you for your example and for Christ shining so powerfully through you! I'm praying for his continued blessing on you and Joyce and your ministry! Come back to Aus soon!
--Nikki Capp
Territorial Mission Development Director
The Salvation Army - Australia Southern Territory