Southwestern College Collegian

Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: Collegian Front Page

Alan Twitchell, leadership graduate student, plays the role of the old shepherd in "Eagerheart" in December 2006. The Christmas play is performed every year by Campus Players. This is the 75th year for the production. The music department will accompany this year's production.

In 1932, "Eagerheart" premiered during chapel. The tradition continues to evolve. This year marks the 75th anniversary, so the music, theatre and communication departments are combining for the largest production in school history.

Traditionally, "Eagerheart" is performed in Helen Graham Little Theatre. It will still be performed there at 1 p.m. on Dec. 1. Two other performances will be in Richardson Auditorium. The first will be at 8 p.m. on Dec. 1 and the second at 3 p.m. on Dec. 2.

"Eagerheart" is based on the legend that the Holy family, Christ, Joseph, and Mary, travel the earth each year on Christmas Eve. On their journey they bless one deserving home by spending the night there. Different meanings of Christmas and Christ are revealed by the characters Eager Heart, Eager Fame, Eager Sense, the shepherds, King of Power, King of Wisdom, and King of Love. Each character is tested by a poor family begging for food and shelter.

The play was written by A.M. Buckton in the late 1800s and will be performed in the medieval style. Roger Moon, director of the theatre program, said, "This style of play is used to teach. There is a foreshadowing of the play, the actual play and a summary of the moral lesson."

The style in which the play was written also affects the characters and where scenes take place. "Back in the medieval days, people had no sense of history or geography, so there could be the King of England, Jesus, and a Roman Caesar in one play," said Moon. "The scenes could also jump from a castle to Bethlehem to Rome."

For example, the Kings of Power, Wisdom, and Love remark they have been searching for "He who is 2,000 years our king," and then exit the stage to go to a castle. The historical accuracy of this would not be questioned by medieval audiences. Modern audiences are asked to suspend reality in order to see the larger moral point of the tale.

Continued...

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