" W.W.J.P.? "

- Judy Steers

This blog is going to be written throughout the summer by all the members of the cast and the production team.  Today, I'm musing on the learning curve of being a producer.

It's hard to believe that this crazy adventure started as a 'let's dream big' conversation between me and Jenny while making gingerbread cookies in December, 2008.  It began as a 'what would we do if we could do anything?'  That dream took shape over the following 12 months and here we are, a few days before beginning production month and a summer of...well, who knows.  Something wonderful, something life changing, something based in a good solid story - sounds a bit like Good News.

Meanwhile...

During the last 12 months my role in all this has been emerging as 'producer'.  There's lots of things that a producer does in a typical production - arranging food and transportation, sorting out rehearsal space, hiring, contracts, insurance, airline reservations, and did you know how HARD it is to find an 11 passenger van for two months??  But there are other parts of my 'producer' role unique to this production:  Exploring theological reflection with the cast.  Keeping the company supplied with homemade bread.   Praying together.  Singing together.  Learning how to 'con-spire', that is, to breathe together.  Living and working together to become not just co-workers and colleagues, but to be a prophetic community.  

One of the things that I thought was going to be hard was to NOT accompany the troupe on the tour.  I will see some of the performances, especially the premiere, but I'm not going across Canada (I have other  ministries to focus on, and two adolescents at home!).  Somehow I'm really ok with that.  I didn't expect to be - I thought after all this preparation and planning and dreaming, I would really lament not being able to go with them.  But I like the feeling of empowerment.  Sending forth.  Hearing the stories.  Waving the troupe goodbye as they leave and then watching them on this blog along with everyone else.  Empowering (or producing) is about providing the tools and the space to create and to become, then letting go and watching it unfold.  

Ascension-tide is well timed.  I wonder how Jesus felt at that moment of saying "I've given you what I can, you have all you need, go and do it.... and, tell me from time to time how you're getting on !"  I wonder if we really know how much he believed (believes) in us?