Northwestern’s Theatre Department has many opportunities for performances, such as plays and musicals, a children’s show and one-act plays. One group specifically known for its ministry outreach is Drama Ministries Ensemble (DME).
DME is led by Assistant Professor of Theatre Molly Wiebe Faber. Wiebe Faber said DME is “a theatre ensemble that emphasizes the performance of scripture.” She also mentioned how Scripture is read a lot during church services, chapels, worship nights, etc. While that is not a bad thing, sometimes hearing Scripture constantly read in the same way can cause it to feel “dead” in a way, Wiebe Faber said. DME brings Scripture alive in a unique way. Wiebe Faber and her students see it as a way to “provide the church and people with a fresh perspective of what God has to speak to us.”
This year’s theme for the group is titled “Parables of the Kingdom.” DME has taken parables from the books of Matthew and Luke that include mentions of what the Kingdom of God is like. Important questions that are asked include, “What does it look like to be members of the Kingdom?”. And “How should we live our lives as members of the Kingdom with a king who looks like Jesus?”
One way the ensemble answers these questions is by studying the parables before putting together a scene. Each DME member has a parable assigned to them. At the start of rehearsals, they start with a devotion from the member assigned to the parable they block out on any given day. The group then discusses the parable before acting it out, which establishes the focus point for the rehearsal.
The group meets three times a week, which consists of two rehearsals and one morning of prayer. Wiebe Faber believes that Friday morning prayer is the most important time for DME because it is where they have an opportunity for good community building, which leads to good performances.
DME’s performance schedule varies from year to year. For example, DME typically tours over spring break. This year they are planning on attending the “Calvin Worship Symposium” in Grand Rapids, MI in early February. Coincidently, the theme for the symposium is also “Parables of the Kingdom.” There, they will have an opportunity to attend workshops and learn more about what it looks like to be a worship ensemble and how to effectively lead people in worship. In the evenings, the group will be performing in churches around Grand Rapids.
Another outreach opportunity DME started last year was an after-school “Kids Club.” Wiebe Faber said this is a free program where once a week, parents drop their kids off for an hour to learn about and practice theatre. DME members perform Bible stories for the local children and afterwards, everyone discusses how acting out the stories help them to see and understand the storied better. Last year, this event was held on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 pm in April. The hope is to do something similar again this year.
DME’s first performance will be on campus during chapel on Friday, November 15. They will have two more performances on March 22 and 23, which will be open to the public. The group also hopes to have performances at a few local churches in the Spring. They are excited for another year to be able to share God’s Word with people.
PHOTO CREDIT – MARISSA LERAAS
Members of Drama Ministries Ensemble are excited to perform
