RABBIT TRAILS: DISPATCHES FROM THE SHED

Ted & Company TheaterWorks has been launched! The new logo has been designed and the first shows under the “new” company have been given. The official “launch weekend” took place March 27-28 in Harrisonburg, where audiences of 550 over the two nights laughed and cried together as they watched Ted and some of the Company perform What Would Lloyd Do? and Tattered & Worn. The next two months are primarily designated as writing months, with Ted and his wife Sue, spending 6 weeks of this time in Chicago. Ted & Jeff Raught are performing Tattered & Worn at St. John Neumann’s in Canton, Michigan from May 8-13. Ted has been commissioned to write a play about missions for the Mennonite Church Convention in Columbus June 30-July 5. Titled “Speak Up: I Can’t Hear Your Life”, Ted is asking questions such as: “Why service? Why church? Should you consider a term…

Our last posting wished you a Happy New Year and here it is Valentine’s Day already, with Lent fast approaching. Just in time for your Lenten services, new downloads have been added to our store. Last Supper/Footwashing, The Arrest and Denial, The Upper Room and Breakfast on the Beach bring to life these days in Jesus’ life – as seen through the eyes of disciples Peter and Andrew. Video footage was originally shot for the Good God Theater curriculum (see below) and all 32 scenes will eventually be made available as video downloads. Ranging in length from five to ten minutes, the downloads can be used as part of your worship service or in a Sunday school or youth group setting. Also new is the video download of the favorite clip from Fish-Eyes, Feeding the 5,000. Check out all our video downloads here. Good God Theater, Act 2: New Testament…

We head into 2009 with some apprehension about how a ministry of story and laughter will fit into the economic crunch we are all experiencing. But we feel good about the shows that are available for performances, the new shows that are being written, and the scripts that we continue to work at making available in print and downloadable formats. If you’re looking for entertainment for your church, your school, or your business in 2009 we hope you’ll consider one of these options: TED ALONE Book Ted for a one-day or weekend workshop. Through performance and discussion, Ted will help your group find the unseen characters and dramatic possibilities. If you’re planning a conference, Ted has created a wealth of material around specific scripture passages that can be incorporated into your event presenting the scripture through drama in each session. TED & TRENT Trent Wagler joins Ted for this newest…

Looking for an unusual stocking stuffer? A gift for someone who doesn’t need another gadget or another knick-knack? Give the gift of laughter with one or more of the DVDs available from Ted & Company. Of special interest this Christmas season – the DoveTale DVD. It’s the re-telling of the Christmas story with typical Ted & Lee humor and magical moments – with a delightful Mary played by Ingrid De Sanctis. For one viewer, DoveTale provided laughs for weeks after watching the play, when he substituted his own wife’s name in Joseph’s lines, “Yes, Mary. Right away, Mary. Anything you say, Mary.” Make watching this DVD an annual event with your family and friends. DoveTale is on special for the month of December – call in orders only. Call 540-560-3973 to order. This is a secure line, so leave your credit card info, (name, address, card number, security code on…

We’re pleased to announce the arrival of the DoveTale Scriptbook! Consider the following options to use this Christmas play during this Advent season: DOVETALE SCRIPTBOOK AND PDF The long-awaited DoveTale script is back from the printer and also online as a download. Interesting that the project took 9 months – and sometimes even felt like birthing a baby! But we’re excited about the book – which includes pictures, side notes of helpful hints or fun vignettes about writing or performing the play. Also included is a history of the development of the play. Although written and performed originally with three people, this can be easily adapted for up to 10 characters. Two script options: 1. DoveTale Scriptbook (four is the minimum required for performances) Details / Buy If you want to purchase additional books, call 540-560-3973 for a special discount not available on the store. Note the special Performance Pack which…

Our accountant told us that it takes a company two years to recover from a catastrophic event, in our case, the death of Lee. It’s been a little over a year and the changes have been significant, and yet some things remain the same. We’ll try to catch you up. First, we’ve decided to stay with the name Ted & Company TheaterWorks – at least for now – because it so aptly describes what we’re about: Ted Swartz writing and acting, along with a variety of other actors – & Company. For now this feels good – and allows us to spend our energies on creating new shows and figuring out direction, rather than coming up with a new name and all the related new materials that would need to be created as a result. Sheri Hartzler continues to work as Ted’s agent, although her work has expanded to include…