slideshow

Nola Sizemore

Staff Writer

“The First Works of Christ,” a one act play, will be presented at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Pathfork Holiness Church.

This annual play is based from the King James version of the Bible and follows the life of Jesus from his birth, baptism and leading off into his temptation in the wilderness.

The play’s finale, staged in dramatic fashion, portrays Jesus being lifted up and ministered to by the angels in the wilderness after he overcomes the tempter.

It is directed and designed by Derrick Moore, of Pathfork, whose professional credits include working with actors Mike Myers from the Austin Powers movies and Phillip Oscar winner Seymour Hoffman.

Moore uses a decade of theatrical experience to provide a dramatic production. Using great detail from true to time costumes to the carefully placed lighting cues, there is also an LED water machine, which actually projects moving water during the baptism of Jesus.

The scenes are transitioned through the narration of angels, who go unnoticed by the actors on stage and are only seen by the actor portraying Jesus, who this year is Brandon Roark, and the audience. Projections are used to run into the actual built scenery, making the possibilities of jumping scene to scene limitless.

“Unless an actor forgets or misquotes a line, we try to be painstakingly careful to only use the words given in the scripture,” said Moore. “I want the plays we do to be enjoyable for everyone. With so much of my life spent on people’s entertainment, I told the Lord when I moved back to eastern Kentucky that I would dedicate the rest of my life trying to bear fruit. My main goal with these plays is to tell the most important story every told, the way I imagine it was intended — as it was written.”

Hoping each year to improve the plays he directs, Moore said it takes time to accumulate all the items needed to have the plays true to life.

“I look forward to doing this every year,” said Moore. “I encourage everyone to bring your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or anyone else who will benefit from seeing the re-enactment of “The First Works of Christ.”

Reach Nola Sizemore at 606-573-4510 or at nsizemore@heartlandpublications.com