Knowing
Introductions: Sarah Thomas, Victoria Reynolds Farmer, and special guest Sophia Kay
Journey to Bethlehem as a Christmas/holiday movie – what are our favorite Christmas/holiday movies?
- Is/are your favorite(s) overtly religious/Christian, or are they secular?
- What is it about your favorite(s) that keeps you watching it year after year?
Brief discussion of motivation for this episode
Brief background of the movie
Reading
The movie as a musical geared towards an “all ages” audience
- The casting: Broadway-experienced actors, Christian music recording artists, sitcom actors, unknowns, etc., and the effects/results for the audience
- The creative team: prior experience with Glee, etc.
- The staging/choreography and score
- Easter eggs: Fiddler on the Roof, Jesus Christ Superstar, potential Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat set references
Character Studies
- Mary
- Her first song/first part of the movie = wearing gold like Belle
- Her song after Gabriel’s announcement = a little “Breath of Heaven”-esque? What do we make of it as a possible counterpoint to the traditional “I Wish” song in musicals?
- How does Mary’s portrayal–including the comments made about her by other characters–inform the audience’s understanding of her place in salvation history?
- Joseph
- Meet-cute = A little “Aladdin meets Jasmine in the marketplace?”
- Betrothal scene/song = “you’re not the only one who wasn’t given a choice”
- How does this song/this moment work with or against a Christian/Catholic/Orthodox understanding of free will/the fiat (this might also work with discussion of Mary)
- His song’s staging
- Echo of Mary’s song
- Colors/visuals/choreography
- What is our assessment of Joseph’s portrayal in this version of the nativity story? As a character about whom comparatively little is revealed in Scripture, does this portrayal do him justice?
- Antipater
- As an historical figure (albeit not mentioned in Scripture)
- Link to Sophia’s slideshow about Antipater here
- As a counterpoint to his father
- As someone who is meant, perhaps, to be the most relatable to the audience?
- How does “In My Blood” contribute to this understanding?
- Final encounter @ the manger w/ Mary and relationship to fiat
- As an historical figure (albeit not mentioned in Scripture)
Adaptation of the nativity itself: successes/shortcomings?
Passing On
Sophia – Herod the Great: A Jewish King in a Roman World by Martin Goodman; the song “lowercase t” by Kirrilee Berger
Victoria – Godspell; 13 the Musical
Sarah – Unsung Hero; “The Small One” (Disney featurette, 1978)