"Two Thousand Years Ago"
On Sunday December 19, 2010, the Voices of Hope choir and the Faces of Hope drama team, together with guest vocalists and actors/actresses from area theatre groups, presented two performances of the original Christmas musical "Two Thousand Years Ago."
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We're In The News!
The Southern Berks News sent a reporter to the performance, and they printed a huge story about "Two Thousand Years Ago," including 2 pictures, that took up the entire top half of the front page of their December 29, 2010 "Faces & Features" section. Here is a scan of that story - it was so wide we had to cut and paste it as if it was a page in a scrapbook! (click on the image and a new window will open)
Read the review in the Southern Berks News
Videos of the Show
We have several videos of "Two Thousand Years Ago" here on the website and on YouTube. If you have video that you took, please send it to Ran Birkins!
Videos of "Two Thousand Years Ago" are on this page
About The Show:
"Two Thousand Years Ago" is a musical love story about Mary and Joseph and the events leading up to the birth of Jesus. The time line for "Two Thousand Years Ago" begins just a few hours before the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, and ends just a few hours after the birth of Jesus. Much of the story is told in the lyrics of songs that are sung by soloists, duets, a choir, a children's/teen choir. The entire musical has 19 songs, and a 10 song "condensed" version was presented at Hope Church.
The musical is based on known facts, most of which can be found in Luke, chapters 1 and 2, and Matthew, chapter 1. "Two Thousand Years Ago" details the tremendous challenges, conflicts and obstacles Mary and Joseph had to overcome in order to make God's plan a reality. Mary and Joseph were ordinary people chosen by God to do something extraordinary for Him; God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus, and He chose Joseph to be the adoptive father of Jesus. I sought to honor their great faith in God, but I also imagined that the depth of their love for each other helped them to do His will.
View the Program for Two Thousand Years Ago
General Background:
Mary and Joseph were pledged (betrothed), but the Bible tells us little else about their relationship. A betrothal in Biblical times was very different than the engagement of today - in Mary and Joseph's time, the betrothal period was one year, and it may or may not have been a loveless marriage 'arranged' by their families. During the betrothal year, the couple got to know each other better through a closely-chaperoned courting process. Each continued to live with their own families during the betrothal, and they were forbidden to have sexual relations. A betrothal committment was so binding that the couple would need a religious divorce in order to annul the contract, and that option that was available only to the man, because women had no say in any divorce proceeding.
The Cast
- Mary: Kathryn Ott - attends Holy Name High School, studies voice under Francine Black and most recently appeared in Carousel at the Genesius Theatre in Reading. Kathryn has performed in numerous theatre productions with the Berks Opera Workshop, Central and Holy Name High Schools, Genesius Theatre and Reading Civic Theatre. Kathryn has attended Elizabethtown College's Summer Music program as a Reading Musical Foundation scholarship recipient, and attended Westminister Choir College's Vocal Institute and served as a soprano soloist for the Institute's closing concert. She has performed solo concerts throughout Berks County and taught VBS music over the summer. Kathryn is a member of the Diocesan, Holy Name, and Holy Rosary Choirs and her school's forensics and field hockey teams. In addition to her vocal work, she plays the piano and flute. Kathryn's future plans include pursuing a dual major in music and civil engineering in college.
- Joseph: Micah Nihart - is a senior and president of the Student Council at West-Mont Christian Academy in Pottstown. Micah sings in West-Mont's concert choir and has appeared in many musicals and drama productions, including his personal favorite, Arsenic And Old Lace. He has also appeared in productions of Hello Dolly, Oliver, Annie Get Your Gun and You Can't Take It With You. Micah will be attending Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA in the fall of 2011 where he will be pursuing a degree in secondary education.
- Heli: Bob Aregood - has been a part of the Reading theatre scene for many years, most recently appearing in Carousel at the Genesius Theatre in Reading. Bob has also performed in numerous theatre productions with the Alpha Omega Theatre, Reading Civic Theatre, Reading Community Players and Fleetwood Community Theatre.
- Ruth: Daria Fontana - was a drama and acting major at New York University where she studied under Stella Adler. Daria has taught high school drama and is now studying voice under Jonathan Reinhold, and she also sings with Boyertown Area Community Choir.
- Gabriel: Al Hartman - his smooth and powerful voice has blessed congregations for many years, both as a choir member and a featured soloist bringing special music.
- Elizabeth: Cris Yahner-Divadkar - made her stage debut at 4 years old singing with her father's blues/country music band which played in clubs up and down the New Jersey coast. At 5 she started ballet at Radio City Music Hall, then began violin lessons in 2nd grade, and was twice selected to play in the Maine State Orchestra. Cris was the lead alto in her high school, also sang in the a capella choir and performed Handel's Messiah at the University of Maine with the State Choir. Throughout high school Cris sang in an a capella "barber shop quartet" and in church choir, and has been in many plays, "minstrel shows" and community productions.
- Zacharias: Shawn Boettlin - is making his stage debut in our show; his only prior performing experience was as a youth when Shawn was a clown for several years in competitive units and holiday parades. Shawn is a trustee at Hope Church, and also a member of Hope Builders, the Welcoming Team, Stewardship Team and Celebration Team. Shawn laughs and says, "You don't realize the amount of work that goes into these things until you become a part of it. Now I know!"
- Rebecca: Morgan Bergey - loves that music and theatre are such a big part of her life, and is making it hard for little brother Jake (he's playing Aaron in our show) to keep up with her theatrical and musical accomplishments. Morgan sang in the music programs and had a role in the 4th grade play "Rats" (led by Hope Church's own Sara Fralich). In middle school Morgan joined chorus, was chosen for select chorus and performed in the drama as a gypsy, then was selected to perform in junior county chorus. Morgan also had parts in the musicals Peter Pan as Jane, Cinderella as Cinderella, and as Jasmine in Aladdin. This is her first year in high school, and Morgan is an honor student, a member of the field hockey team, announcers club and a part of marching/concert bands; she also plays flute, piccolo and piano. Morgan is a part of concert choir, select chorus, and she will be in the musical Footloose in the spring 2011 as a city girl! You can also see Morgan on many Sunday mornings singing in the praise band at the 10:45 service here at Hope!
- Aaron: Jake Bergey - this little brother is not content to stand in his big sister's Morgan's shadows (she's playing Rebecca in our show); he's showing that he too has awesome talent and has been acting "off stage" forever! He was chosen for the 1st grade play as the littlest elephant (how ironic), and then performed in "Rats" as the Mayor and was also in other music programs in elementary school. In middle school were he is now in 8th grade, Jake sings in chorus and was selected into select chorus. Jake has also had fun in musicals; he was the comic relief as the King in Cinderella, the Genie in Aladdin and in the Spring 2011, Jake will be the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. Jake also plays the saxaphone and enjoys creating cartoons, cooking, and helping with the "little people" during nursery and children's church as well as attending youth activites here at Hope.
- Narrator/Story-Teller: Jen Choudhry - is the leader of the Celebration Team at Hope Church that meets weekly to plan the coming Sunday services, and she also frequently serves as Worship Leader. As a special education teacher, Jen has often led literacy workshops for parents and is an experienced public speaker. Jen is excited to be making her theatrical debut as our narrator and "story-teller."
- Others appearing include: Austin Boettlin, Henry Boettlin, Sara Ann Boettlin, Mariah Grady, Victoria Hoffman, Faith Roach and Jayden Roach.
- Director: Matthew Hoffman - serves as director and wrote the script for the Hope Church production of "Two Thousand Years Ago." Matthew has a degree in Musical Theater from Kutztown University, has been singing in choirs since he was in kindergarten, and was a longtime member of the Madrigal Choir and the Jazz Singers at Kutztown University. Matthew has appeared in numerous plays and musicals over the years, including professional work at Muhlenberg Summer Theater in Allentown, PA. Locally, he has worked with the Alpha/Omega players in Jesus Christ, Superstar and The Secret Garden, and at Genesius Theater in The Man of LaMancha. Matthew loves his wife, Dietlinde, his children Bishop and Victoria, and the Almighty God that has forgiven his sins.
- Musical Director: Ran Birkins - wrote the book, all lyrics and music and created all of the soundtracks in "Two Thousand Years Ago." Ran has been writing songs "forever" and began using his talent for the Lord when he accepted Jesus as his personal savior in 1981. He frequently sings in church, and the Christian songs he considers his best work include "Keep Christ In Christmas," "Nothing To Us," and "It Might As Well Have Been Me" (of course, some of the songs from "Two Thousand Years Ago" would also be on that list). Ran has always strived to write "message music" or "story songs" - where there is a deep meaning or moral to the story - and even the songs he writes that are NOT overtly "Christian" still reflect strong, positive values that Ran believes are pleasing to God. Example of Ran's "message music" include "Number 29" and "I'm The One," patriotic songs like "One Nation Under God" and "In God We Trust," the anti-drunk driving song "Every 15 Minutes," the pro-life song "The Least Of These," and his wedding song "With This Ring." And no list of his songs would be complete without "The Second Of September," the song Ran sang to Jan at their wedding.
- One final acknowledgment: A heart-felt thank you goes to Dietlinde Hoffman and Jan Birkins for the incredible and amazing dedication, assistance and support (ideas, suggestions, costumes, set decoration, props, publicity) - plus they had tons of patience with their husbands! Matthew and Ran thank God every day for providing them with these godly wives - they are truly Proverbs 31 women!
