The Swingles' Dramatic Developments

Christians love you, Mayor Bloomberg

2012-02-06T09:29:00.039-05:00

Dear Mayor Bloomberg:

I've long been a fan. I've voted for you each time you've run. You've done so much for our great city, and for that I'm very grateful.

When I visited the 9/11 Memorial I was thrilled to see that you took such a strong leadership role in making it such a powerful tribute to our city and those that gave their lives to protect it that dark day.

I was on Times Square in September of 2009 when you so graciously addressed the 60,000 Christians gathered for Prayer on the Square. You asked us to do our part to help this great city. We certainly have. We've volunteered billions of dollars worth of volunteer hours to help New York on many levels. I've served many meals to the homeless of this city through a church meal program. I've served at church supported after-school programs. I spoke to one pastor who saw the murder rate in their neighborhood drop to zero after they established themselves in a community center. I know of many churches who have used their own funds to paint and renovate schools where they provide rent at times the building is not in use, and I was thrilled to read about how many churches are providing homes for public schools that have overgrown their campuses.

Haven't we answered your request? So, why are you forbidding us from renting space at public schools during off-hours? And why would you give a two-month eviction notice to 160 houses of worship who are now competing for space in one of the toughest real-estate markets on earth? We presented over 20,000 signatures asking you to let us continue this practice, which has been allowed in every major city in the US since our nation began. So why did you send a letter to our state congress asking them not to pass legislation that would allow this practice to continue?

Because houses of worship meet during off-hours at public schools and pay rent there is no conflict with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The phrase "Separation of church and state" is nowhere in the Constitution. It is a handy phrase for those who want to control the freedom of speech when it comes to religion. The Establishment Clause says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech..." By locking out houses of worship this policy is impinging on the free exercise of worship, and by controlling what groups can say (Bible study but not worship) it is abridging the freedom of speech. So the current policy of the New York City school board tramples on two elements of the First Amendment in order to avoid the appearance of a single school establishing a single religion. Muslim, Jewish, B'hai and Christian groups are all being evicted, so there's no chance of Congress establishing a single religion by the city allowing diverse houses of worship to rent from public schools. In the New York Times Speaker of the House, Sheldon Silver was quoted as saying, “It would open up the schools to anybody. It might include the Ku Klux Klan." Not that the KKK meets for worship, but they already have access to our schools. That was ruled on by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1978. Also, if state law allows houses of worship to rent from public schools it would be entirely possible for all four evicted groups to rent space from the same individual school because they meet at different times, all off-hours for the schools. But if concern for the perception of school children is the real reason for the eviction then you would force all schools to vacate churches as well.

It feels like religious persecution. I'm grateful that the Senate passed the bill with a veto-proof supermajority of 54 to 7. One of the strengths of our great nation has always been the freedom to worship. But this eviction honestly casts America in a poor light compared to many other countries known for their intolerance of religion.

Last month the Czech Republic decided to give billions to its churches because it stole property while operating under communism. I've worshiped legally in a government office in Hong Kong. Though their government grants more religious freedom than China, they are a Special Administrative Region of that officially atheist government. I also worshiped in a church in Shanghai built by communist government funds. China actually publishes more Bibles than any other country on earth according to their visa application website.

This is where our love for you kicks in. I cannot speak for all of the Jewish, Muslim, B'hai, or even Christian people that are facing eviction and, for many, closure or severe decrease in numbers and therefore income, by being given such a short eviction notice, but I can say for all of us that seek the heart of God that we love you despite this persecution. This is your last term as mayor of this great city. We don't want your lasting legacy to include the persecution of houses of worship and taking hundreds of thousands of dollars away from our public schools that will no longer be paid to them in rent.

When they were working on the mosque near Ground Zero you said: “We in New York . . . are Americans, each with an equal right to worship and pray where we choose. There is nowhere in the five boroughs that is off-limits to any religion. By affirming that basic idea, we will honor America’s values, and we will keep New York the most open, diverse, tolerant and free city in the world.” Please honor your own words.

My wife and I pray for you daily. We certainly pray that you will change your mind and allow houses of worship to continue to meet in public schools during off-hours. But we also pray for your health, your well-being, and for your peace.

Respectfully,
Rich Swingle
Resident of New York City

Edwina Findley interview

2012-01-31T20:08:00.005-05:00

MasterWorks master class instructor Edwina Findley was just interviewed by the NAACP. She had a lot of great insights for young actors, and even mentioned MasterWorks!

CITA Secondary School Festival

2012-01-31T18:18:00.000-05:00

I was thrilled to be a part of the Christians in Theatre Arts Secondary School Festival again this year. It was hosted by the Salvation Army's Kroc Center in Greenville, SC.

I got to adjudicate, perform and teach. I was glad it worked out for me to also sit in on the master class with Emmy award-winning and Tony-nominated producer, director, song writer, Dani Davis. Her work with the students was transformative. The group she worked with in the afternoon, from Artios Academies, won in the ensemble musical theatre competition, so they were asked to perform it again at the end of the evening program. They took Dani's suggestions and ignited the piece to a totally new level!

I'm hoping we'll draw some of those talented young people to MasterWorks this summer.

The Lamp

2012-01-25T22:30:00.001-05:00

We just watched The Lamp, directed by Tracy Trost, who directed me in A Christmas Snow. It is absolutely phenomenal! It stars Academy Award winner Lou Gossett Jr. and my ACS cast mates Muse Watson and Cameron ten Napel. Great work, both of you!

It's a powerful story about how we can believe a lie and wrap our whole world around it as if it's the truth, or we can believe the truth and it will set us free.

I once heard Janet Bachelor, co-writer of Batman Forever, say that when she read The Lord of the Rings it made her search for a world that matched Middle Earth, and what she found was that it only exists in Christianity. That's exactly how I felt about The Lamp. It's the kind of fairy tail that points right to life in the Kingdom.

It's a brilliant story beautifully told.

As a part of the opening sequence you'll see the book version of A Christmas Snow by Jim Stovall, who also penned the novel for The Lamp and The Ultimate Gift. (By the way the film version of The Ultimate Gift was cast by Bev Holloway, who has taught a number of times at MasterWorks.) A couple of other nice touches: The director makes his cameo as the "Handsome Jogger". Danny Cahill, who was the biggest loser on The Biggest Loser, played the food critic in A Christmas Snow, and a guy at the gym in The Lamp. And in both films Jim Stovall, who can't see, plays a driver.

Now I have to get back to that opening sequence: None of the characters spoke for six minutes, but the way the story unfolded without words was masterful.

2012-01-22T22:52:00.001-05:00

This sermon goes into more depth on John 2, the passage to which I alluded last week. It also has a powerful close by my bride, Pastor Joyce. This also has an interview with the brother of one of my MasterWorks students who inspired the Giants to be "All In".

Call to worship and prayer by Pastor Linda Warren.

Pastor Randy Solomon preaches on Luke 2:13-22.

Closing comments and prayer by Pastor Joyce Swingle.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Pastor Randy mentions a young man who inspired the NY Giants with the phrase, "All In," which is now their motto. Here's an interview with that young man, Gian Paul Gonzales, the brother of a MasterWorks Festival student Rich Swingle taught.

The story of the missionary to the Stone Age tribe is in the book Bruchko, which is how the tribe pronounced the author, Bruce Olsen's name.

The Scarlet and the Black

2012-01-16T21:36:00.000-05:00

This powerfully shows the heroic efforts of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty to save thousands of Jewish and Allied targets from the Nazis of occupied Rome.

It was made for television before there was a rating system. In theatres it would probably receive a PG rating today because of its subject matter, frightening images, some vulgarity and violence.

Unity in Worship

2012-01-15T23:02:00.019-05:00

Opening story by Rachel L.

Rich Swingle preaches on John 4:1-26.

The song referenced at the beginning of the sermon is Come, Now Is the Time to Worship.

For more details on John 4 review A Samaritan Woman in which Patricia Mauceri followed Pastor Joyce's sermon with testimony linked to that passage.

Here's more about how the veil in the temple being ripped is mentioned by sources in addition to the Bible: Mysterious Events in the Year 30 AD.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Unity in the Father

2012-01-08T21:24:00.000-05:00

Pastor Joyce Swingle launches our Unity Series preaching on Psalm 133. She discovered the key to the passage is that our unity must come from submission to the Father.

Closing comments by Pastor Rachel Taylor.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Mighty Abraham

2012-01-05T22:41:00.001-05:00

This is my audition for the upcoming film, Mighty Abraham.For more details about my personal connection to this story and how my grandfather came back from the dead visit Blog.RichDrama.com (1/2/12).

The production team is wanting to use the casting process to start a buzz, so I'd be grateful if you could help in three ways:

1) Like the YouTube page and leave a comment.
2) Like the Facebook page and leave a comment.
3) Share the Facebook page on your profile page by clicking the Share button at the bottom of the Facebook post.
4) Like my IMDb page. (It's just below the ad, which I cannot control in any way.)

Thanks so much, everyone!

How Cliff married the family

2012-01-02T22:53:00.005-05:00

In 1942, Jimmy Ostema, the first husband of Hilda Triezenberg, had taken a trip to Chicago, which was almost 200 miles away from their home in Charleston, Illinois, to show his newborn baby, Judy, off to friends and relatives. On that trip he got sick, and his temperature rose to 108 degrees.

Their daughter Jeri, who was 17 months old, was singing to her father, but she and Judy, 9 weeks old, were both pulled away from him for fear that they contract spinal meningitis, the source of his illness. Hilda begged the Lord to keep her 26-year-old husband alive to help her raise their two daughters. Hilda asked the Lord how they could ever crawl out of $600 of debt, which would have been almost $8,000 in today's economy, if Jimmy didn't get better. But he got worse. His heart stopped beating, and he was declared dead. Hilda was sobbing and sobbing and still praying when he came back to life! He said, "Hilda, I'll miss you and the girls, but it's so wonderful there! I've seen the Lord. It's far better to be with Him. He will give you another husband who will be a father to our daughters. Let me go." He lived another week, but Hilda eventually told the Lord she trusted Him to take Jimmy home.

At the funeral many expressed their grief for the family by slipping Hilda money. Every year on the anniversary of Jimmy's death Hilda would sit her girls down and tell them about their father. In the same way the people of Israel celebrated passover every year so that each generation would remember the Lord's protection and deliverance long after they begged Him to stop talking to them directly, Hilda told the girls about their father's love for them, about how he would play his trumpet to draw people to their Bible Center so they could understand their Heavenly Father's love for them. She told them about his glimpse of heaven, about how they counted up the gifts from Jimmy's funeral on their bed, and about it all adding up to $600. It was exactly what they needed to escape debt! When my brother Bob and I came along, Grandma would tell us those stories, too. There were many times that she would tell us how the Lord would guide her by providing an exact amount needed for a ministry endeavor to which she felt called, and that intimate language she shared with the Lord was first spoken and understood at her husband’s funeral.

When she was only three years old, Jeri shared these amazing truths on Moody Bible Institute's radio program. Hilda and Jimmy had met while students at Moody. Cliff had attended the school at the same time, but they hadn't known each other well. The station received numerous calls from people who had given their lives to the Lord because of the young evangelist.

Jimmy's father, a retired minister, was invited to shepherd the small congregation of the Bible Center, but on his first Sunday he told them that he knew of a young Moody Bible Institute graduate who was working on his masters degree: He recommended Cliff Miller to fill the pulpit as an interim preacher.

Meanwhile Hilda and the girls went to live with her widowed father. A little over three years later he remarried, and Hilda thought it wise to re-empty her father's nest. She found a place back in Charleston. She was told about the young man now preaching at the Bible Center.

Here's Cliff's description of how they met from his memoirs:

I was speaking... one Sunday morning early in 1946 when a young woman with two little girls came through the front door. After the service I went to the door to greet people. One of the little girls (Geraldine) grabbed my leg and announced to her embarrassed widowed mother that she wanted a daddy, too! Well Geri probably started something..."

So on September 28, 1946, Cliff married the family.

God Is Our Leader

2012-01-01T21:28:00.001-05:00

This New Year's Day service concludes Rich Swingle's Views of the Manger Series with "The New King". Pastor Joyce Swingle preaches on Psalm 90 and then leads in communion.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

An Unexpected Surprise

2011-12-25T14:56:00.000-05:00

Pastor Randy Solomon preaches on Luke 2:1-20.

Pastoral prayer by Linda Warren.

Additional comments by Claude Chew.

"Harvey Silverstein" by Mac Nelson is performed by Rich Swingle. Thomas Tornado Tinglehoop (mentioned in this version of the sketch) is the hero of Jim Warren and Rich Swingle's children's book Thomas Tornado Tinglehoop and the Three Christmas Clues.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Here is Rich's performance of Harvey Silverstein The Innkeeper on the other side of the wall from what is believed to be the actual manger in which Jesus was born. Our guide to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem said it's over 9 out of 10 probability that it's the actual manger because a Byzantine church is built over a little chapel enclosing a stone manger. It is the oldest church on earth that is still being used. It was built within 100 years of Jesus' death, so it was the grandkids of those who were there that identified it as The Spot.

"Harvey Silverstein" © Copyright 2011 by Mac Nelson and Rich Swingle.

A Picture of Our King

2011-12-24T22:54:00.001-05:00

Pastor Linda with the
painting to which she
refers in her sermon.
Painting: "Father's Prize"
by Pastor Linda's mother,
Edith DeCecca.

Pastor Linda Warren preaches on Isaiah 11:1-10.

Call to worship by Rich Swingle.

Scripture reading by Chris L. and Tamara W. (NIV)

Pastoral and closing prayers by Joyce Swingle.

Testimonies by Claude Chew and Pastor Randy Solomon.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Edward Hicks(1780-1849)

Kazakhstan connection

2011-12-23T13:34:00.000-05:00

As I was getting on a connecting flight in Charlotte I saw a fellow wearing a Beijing Olympics sweatshirt. I found out he competed there for Kazakhstan, so I told him "Salamatzas ba" (hello in Kazakh) and we chatted until they called my boarding zone. As I was on the phone telling Joyce about how cool the encounter was he sat next to me! I told him about my performances in Beijing during those Olympics, and he showed me his photo with Michael Phelps. He's a Christian, and he showed me the cross on his necklace. He explained that it's a bit corroded from the chlorine because he wears it during his practices and competitions! We prayed together on the tarmac, especially that when he competes in March to qualify for the London Olympics that he will succeed. Join us in praying that he will, and that he will carry his witness there to people from around the world. The person who taught me Kazakh phrases runs a theatre in Almaty, Kazakhstan, so I'm praying that my new friend can connect with her during his month home.

I was transferring notes from an old draft of Views of the Manger, so I was able to give him the script to read on his next leg to Kiev. Pray it has a lasting impact.

Advent of God

2011-12-22T17:37:00.000-05:00

Joyce preaches on Matthew 1:18-24, and I continue my piece "What!?" from my play, Views of the Manger. Additional prayers and comments by Bill Huisman and Pastors Linda Warren and Randy Solomon at Westchester Chapel.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Love bade me welcome

2011-12-22T09:12:00.001-05:00

This is one of five poems by George Herbert that I performed at The Kennedy Center in 2002. It was hanging on the wall in the room where I stayed while in Chicago with the father of Melissa Lorraine, who performs the one-woman play, Juliet: A Dialogue About Love. Wheaton College Church, where I miraculously performed that night, had asked the Melissa's parents if they'd host me. Later he realized Joyce and I had hosted Melissa in '07. I had met her at a speed networking session at a Christians in Theatre Arts conference, there in Chicago. We had two minutes to share about our work. She said, "I'm going to perform at the Fringe Festival this summer."

"So am I!" I bellowed. "I'll see you in Edinburgh!" Turns out she was performing at the New York Fringe Festival the same weeks we were performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. So we let her apartment sit.

So her folks returned the favor. I asked Melissa's father about the significance of the poem, and he shared that after many years of rejecting the love of God and her family she used this poem, which she wrote and framed for her father's birthday present, to let them know that she had accepted Love...

"Love bade me welcome, but my soul drew back

Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyes Love, observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in

Drew near to me, sweetly questioning

If I lacked anything.

"A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here."

Love said, "You shall be he."

"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? Ah, my dear,

I cannot look on thee."

Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,

"Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame

Go where it doth deserve."

"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"

"My dear, then I will serve."

"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."

So I did sit and eat.

~George Herbert

On the Christmas card Melissa wrote, "Please forgive the five-year-old quality of this gift...I wish it was just a little bit prettier. But know that the reason this is your gift today is because I finally and fully know Him and I have at long last pulled my chair up to His feast...."

Melissa's dad invited me to read a chapter she wrote in Mere Christians: Inspiring Stories of Encounters with C. S. Lewis. I was sobbing after Melissa's profound retelling of how she found Jesus in a very secular theatre company commune in Hungary by reading pages from C. S. Lewis' book, Surprised by Joy, which her sister had selected for her.

The Shepherd's Daughter in the Shepherd's Cave of Bethlehem

2011-12-20T21:13:00.002-05:00

Joyce performed this piece that she wrote in the Shepherds' Cave of Bethlehem during our trip to Jordan and Israel through CITA to the Nations.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Margot Morrell

2011-12-14T23:06:00.000-05:00

I ran into Margot Morrell tonight at MasterMedia's Christmas party. She's written books on Ronald Reagan and Sir Ernest Shackleton, who led his crew of 27 through the frigid wasteland of Antarctica. She encouraged me to turn them both into one-man plays. I'm intrigued...

Putting up our tree

2011-12-12T22:14:00.002-05:00

Advent of the Lord

2011-12-11T21:44:00.001-05:00

Rachel Taylor preaches on Mark 1: 1-8 after Rich Swingle's performance of the first half of "What!?", a sketch from his one-man play Views of the Manger.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Interview with Donald James Parker

2011-12-11T19:19:00.000-05:00

Here's my interview with Donald James Parker on his show Weilding the Sword of the Spirit:

Listen to internet radio with Donald James Parker on Blog Talk Radio

Here are the links I mention on the show:

Beyond the Chariots: RichDrama.com/BeyondtheChariots
Plays: RichDrama.com Click on Feature Length Plays in right index
A Christmas Snow: RichDrama.com/AChristmasSnow
MasterWorks Theatre report: RichDrama.com/MWF
List of former master class instructors at MasterWorks: click here
MasterWorks Theatre Program for 2012: RichDrama.comMWFTheatre2012
Filmography: films.richdrama.com
Writer's Block: RichDrama.com/WritersBlock
Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action: RichDrama.com/IvyLeague
Graceworks: GraceworksInc.com
Itinerary: itinerary.richdrama.com

Christmas Greetings!

2011-12-11T17:55:00.009-05:00

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

We pray all God’s best as we enter into this season of celebrating our Savior’s incarnation and birth as the Baby Jesus. May all His Love flow over and in you this holy time.

The Swingles had another eventful year:

Joyce completed her first year as lead/senior pastor of Westchester Chapel Community Church of the Nazarene aka WCCC (WestchesterChapel.org). She has had the blessing of celebrating Christ in this beloved community for almost 15 years and has seen the Lord bring people to Himself, grow them into steadfast, faithful and Spirit-filled believers and mature them to continue to witness to His Love and Presence. God has blessed this little group of the faithful through a time of reconstruction and return to the core of the faith: Christ Alone. It has been an eventful and rewarding journey.

This was Rich's busiest year. He was in front of groups teaching, speaking, preaching or performing over 275 times on three continents, four nations and 17 states. He broke another personal record by performing nine of his 11 productions (only A Clear Leading and The Revelation were left out of the lineup: RichDrama.com), including two new offerings: Paradise Lost (which you can watch in its entirety) and Shepherds Reflect on Psalm 23 (which you can hear in its entirety).

Rich and Joyce performed, taught and or preached in four nations this year: Jordan and Israel in May as Rich co-led a Christians in Theatre Arts (CITA.org) tour: CITAToTheNationsJordanAndIsrael.Shutterfly.com. Taiwan and Singapore (Rich only) in the fall as both Swingles taught at a Spiritual Life Week at Morrison Academy and Rich went on to Singapore to perform Beyond the Chariots for a packed-out event for Singapore Youth Day. Joyce went back to the US to preach in Pittsburgh. There was a twelve hour period where the Swingles were performing for 12 hours straight in both hemispheres!

The Swingles also had the incredible experience of appearing as husband/wife, father/mother of nine (pictured in the photo card above) in the lovely film Indescribable (RichDrama.com/Indescribable), which tells the story of God’s love. The film is expected to be released next summer.

Rich enjoyed unusually joyous camaraderie on the set of Writers' Block (RichDrama.com/WritersBlock), a comedy about two screen writers forced to hole up overnight and turn out a blockbuster script. The Presence of the Lord was so strong on the set that the participants still share the wonder with each other.

We too want to share the wonder of the surrendered life with you. We’ve been preaching for some time at WCCC on the freedom that is in Christ and have walked with Him through the shedding of sins and idolatries of all sorts. (You'll find some messages on WestchesterChapel.org at the bottom of the center column, including recordings of Views of the Manger as Rich shares it week by week this Advent.) The result for those who have allowed God to work has been an increasing freedom in the Spirit -- freedom to enjoy God’s Presence and to serve as He calls in joyous, fruitful measure. We pray just such blessings for you this season and in the year to come.

In Christ Alone,

Rich and Joyce Swingle

P.S. If you're still looking for some gift-giving ideas consider some of Rich's projects:

A Christmas Snow (also check out your local listings)

God of Hope

Sponsor a child as a gift to someone you know and to a child in a developing nation: RichDrama.com/Compassion.

P.P.S. Here's Joyce's performance of her one-woman piece The Shepherd's Daughter, performed in the Shepherds' Cave of Bethlehem.

Here is Rich's performance of Harvey Silverstein The Innkeeper on the other side of the wall from what is believed to be the actual manger in which Jesus was born. Our guide to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem said it's over 9 out of 10 probability that it's the actual manger because a Byzantine church is built over a little chapel enclosing a stone manger. It is the oldest church on earth that is still being used. It was built within 100 years of Jesus' death, so it was the grandkids of those who were there that identified it as The Spot.

Freud's Last Session...again

2011-12-09T22:50:00.000-05:00

Joyce and I saw Freud's Last Session tonight. I loved it for the second time! The difference was that in Atlanta C.S. Lewis had more fans, and here in New York Freud seemed to hold sway. Still, Truth was spoken, and hopefully there will many that turn up the music, as Freud does in the end, and wonder.

Have you registered for the Secondary Festival yet?

2011-12-09T13:51:00.000-05:00

I'll be adjudicating and leading a workshop at this event...

When the New Year begins, registration for the CITA Secondary School Theatre Festival CLOSES. Don't miss the deadline! Registration closes on January 3, 2012.

We are happy to announce that several college representatives are on board to interview and recruit students at the festival. We will also be presenting two $1,000 scholarships to the best male and best female senior performers.

If you would like to bring students or if you are a college representative and would like to meet prospective students, be sure to check out our website for information on festival registration, hotel information, and more! Also, "like" us on Facebook to receive helpful tips on how to prepare for the festival! You DO NOT want to miss this wonderful event!

Advent of the Light

2011-12-04T21:34:00.004-05:00

Pastor Linda Warren preaches on John 1:1-18 after Rich Swingle performs Part 2 of Views of the Manger, "Guess What", the story of Gabriel's announcement to Mary. In this recording Pastor Joyce Swingle lends her voice to Mary's reaction to the news.

Pastoral prayer by Joyce Swingle.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Butterfly Circus

2011-12-02T11:06:00.002-05:00

I have a friend who performed a minor role in Butterfly Circus, which won $100,000 for first place at The Doorpost Film Project Competition. It was also recently featured the Searching for Sanctuary Film Festival at Biola University. It's a profound look at hope despite unfortunate circumstances.

The Spiritual Life of MasterWorks

2011-11-29T22:05:00.000-05:00

Here's a video on the spiritual life of MasterWorks, created by MasterWorks Theatre Department alum, David Kavanaugh. It opens with the Bible study that Joyce and I had the pleasure of leading, along with Terry Ewell, who composed new music for Paradise Lost, in which I performed earlier this year.

God of Hope DVD now available

2011-11-29T19:46:00.000-05:00

In this section of the larger God of Hope project, which includes a book, music CD, audio book and DVD, I play the Apostle Paul.

When Paul begins telling his story, his hatred of Jesus' followers -- of these traitors to Israel -- is obvious. Paul describes the trial of Peter, the bloody stoning of Stephen, and then his life-changing encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. realizing he has been an enemy of God, the terrified Paul believes the situation is hopeless and that he is to be severely judged, but instead he receives God's grace, unlimited love, and the assignment to tell the world that Jesus is King. Paul speaks of rethinking his convictions and learning that God's secret plan is to defeat evil through His Son Jesus.

For the next thirty years, Paul tirelessly and fearlessly preaches the gospel that Jesus is King. Paul also confesses that he is burdened by guilt for his persecution of God's people. Emperor Nero is also persecuting Jesus' followers, and Paul is taken out to be executed. Jesus has not returned, but Paul knows he has fought the good fight and kept the faith. He knows that nothing can separate him from God's love as revealed through God's son Jesus. Before he is executed, Paul calls on the readers to have a spirit of power, of love, of self-discipline; to stand firm in the faith as they wait for Jesus to return; and to do everything in love.

Video and audio excerpts are available here: God's Story.

Quotes
Your performance, GOD OF HOPE, was anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit of God!! Enjoyed it very much... Thank you for blessing the Nyack students with the gift that God has given unto you for His glory!!
--Latricia T. Moore
Pastoral Ministry student (class of 2012)
Nyack College, Manhattan Campus

Rich - I wanted to thank you once again for the awesome performance yesterday at our church! It was a powerful message from the life of Paul who seemed to step out of the pages of the scriptures yesterday. The papers stopped rustling, the auditorium grew silent as the Spirit of God moved amongst us. And I'm SO glad you worked extra hard to prepare this new play as it was exactly where our church has been and exactly what we needed!
--Scott Cornett
Pastor
Bethel Baptist Temple
Cincinnati

I really enjoyed your dramatization/sermon of Saul/Paul! You have a gift!!! Hope you can come back and visit soon!
--Sarah Beth Zylka
Cincinnati

Thank you for coming to our church today. Everyone so enjoyed you!!! I was truly impressed by your drama of Paul's life.
--Mark Doeding
Cincinnati

It was great to have you minister to our people. You certainly did make Paul come to life. Thank you so much.
--Larry Cornett
Pastor
Bethel Baptist Temple
Cincinnati

Rich recorded the voice of Saul/Paul for the Audio Book and performed for the DVD of God of Hope. They are both available now.

Registration Deadline Approaching for CITA Secondary Festival!

2011-11-28T08:44:00.002-05:00

I'll be adjudicating events and leading a workshop...

Everyone at CITA hopes that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a great start to the holiday season! We also wanted to remind you that the registration deadline for the CITA Secondary Festival is January 3, 2012! Come take part in this exciting opportunity for students.

Two $1,000 scholarships will be offered to the best male and female performer. Representatives from several colleges will also be attending, including Anderson University, Rocky Mountain College, Asbury College, Abilene Christian University, Lee University, North Greenville University, Indiana Wesleyan University and more!

The CITA Secondary Festival is an opportunity for students who share their common faith and passion for theatre to connect with one another during a weekend of workshops, professional performances and student performances for ajudication.

For more information, please visit our website!

Also, "like" us on Facebook and receive updates about how to prepare for the festival!

The Covenant Keeper

2011-11-27T22:16:00.001-05:00

Rich Swingle performed his sketch "The Covenant Keeper" from his Christmas play, Views of the Manger, and Pastor Joyce Swingle preached on the text the piece dramatizes: Genesis 15. This service closes the Freedom Series and launches a five-part series which will include each sketch from Views of the Manger.Opening prayer by Pastor Linda Warren.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Wielding the Sword of the Spirit with guest Rich Swingle

2011-11-27T20:23:00.000-05:00

I'll be interviewed by talk show host Donald James Parker on Dec. 11 at 6pm ET. You can also call in and ask questions. I'm looking forward to it. Click here to listen live.

Views of the Manger throughout Advent

2011-11-26T19:06:00.005-05:00

I'll be performing my play Views of the Manger throughout Advent and Christmas at Westchester Chapel. Each week I'll perform one of the sections of the play:

Sunday, November 27
The Covenant Keeper: Abraham looks forward to the Christ

Sunday, December 4
Guess What?: Gabriel brings the Good News that the Light of the World is about to shine

Sunday, December 11
What!? part 1: Mary tells her fiancé, Joseph, that she and her elderly cousin are with child

Sunday, December 18
What!? part 2: Joseph sees that his fears were unfounded

Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25
Harvey Silverstein: The innkeeper had no idea who they were

Sunday, January 1
The New King: Wise men cross the earth to worship Him

After Rich performs in the main service he'll bring the sketch to the nursery. On December 18 he'll perform Thomas Tornado Tinglehoop and the Three Christmas Clues for the nursery in lieu of What!? part 2.

Join us each Sunday at 11am at The Crowne Plaza, 66 Hale Ave, White Plains, NY.

Audio recordings will be posted to WestchesterChapel.org.

Freedom from the Fear of Circumstances

2011-11-24T08:10:00.000-05:00

Rich Swingle preaches from Matthew 14: 22-33 on Peter's walk on water. Opening prayer by Pastor Randy Solomon.

This sermon is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.Here's footage of Rich performing the role of Peter walking on the Sea of Galilee from their May 2011 trip to Jordan and Israel with Christians in Theatre Arts:

Rich alluded to The Tree of Life by Terrance Malick:

The First Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T22:59:00.000-05:00

Tonight at our Thanksgiving Eve service one of our pastors, Randy Solomon, told the story of the first Thanksgiving. It's such a powerful story of the Lord's grace on those that came to America for religious freedom. You can read about it in Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving, which you can download now on a Kindle:

The Jeweler's Shop

2011-11-22T20:43:00.003-05:00

This year the MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program will be going to New York City after our final performance in Winona Lake.

Because this will be our first on-the-road experience, we decided to keep things simple with our play. We'll be performing The Jeweler's Shop, written by Karol Wojtyla, who later became Pope John Paul II. Before he was a priest he was an actor and playwright through the Rhapsodic Theatre in Krakow, Poland, during Nazi occupation. Their focus was on simplicity of production so that the full attention could be placed on meaning and acting.

Besides simplicity, we specifically chose a lesser-known play because New Yorkers have access to popular plays with A-list actors. We wanted to choose a play that would be intriguing to audiences in both Winona Lake and New York, and we believe this play will do just that.

A photo of me from an article
on The Jeweler's Shop

I had the opportunity to perform two roles in the play in the mid-90s with the Polish Theatre Group of New York. We performed it in Michigan, Georgia (here's an article from the Augusta Chronicle: "Pope's play testifies to enduring power of love"), Florida, including Miami. We also performed it throughout the New York City area, including a performance at the United Nations that received a standing ovation. In fact, I can't remember a single time during our performances that it did not receive a standing ovation. Before I came on board, they'd performed it at Carnegie Hall and The Lincoln Center, and bookings were underway at Princeton University, Tokyo, Paris, Poland and in The Vatican for the Pope. Unfortunately our director died of a heart attack before those dreams were realized.

The director of our 1990s
production with
Pope John Paul II.

The play tells the story of three couples and the joy and pain of love and marriage. New York's Daily News reported on our production: "City's Polish Troupe Thrives On Pope's Play".

The play employs a very different style from plays we've produced in the past unfolding mostly in a series of monologues directed to the audience. It invites audience members into the private thoughts of the characters at various stages of life and love. This makes the play a great challenge for actors, and as we experienced, it affects audiences in a profound way. Richard Barbuto wrote of our UN performance, "...the play made me feel like I was participating in it. ...It was clearly the the objective of (the) author... to invite the audience to more than aesthetic appreciation: to artistic participation!" I just saw a play Off-Broadway that used this technique with great skill, and it was captivating.

Performing this play does require a very high level of experience and skill, we've decided to reserve the right to accept applicants until the Festival's early application deadline of March 1 to ensure the highest level of talent. Also, the play will limit our program size to fourteen students, so be sure to apply before March 1.

Applicants must submit:

Application form completed in full
Application fee (application cannot be processed until fee is received)
Current résumé and/or summary of all stage experience and training
Current headshot
A video recording of high quality containing a 2-3 minute monologue from the play. Use the Samuel French publication, which you can order from their site.

Post your audition video to YouTube.com as a private video with a "limited access URL," as the script is copyrighted. Be sure to hit save or the URL it generates will not work. Be sure to include the URL on the third page of your application.

The Festival begins June 16 and will run through July 15. For more information visit MasterWorksFestival.org/theatre.html.

I'm looking forward to your auditions!

MasterWorks Theatre Alum in VW spot

2011-11-19T13:28:00.001-05:00

Chad Rasor, a MasterWorks alum and recent master class instructor was just featured in this very fun VW ad. (He's the one in the driver's seat.)

VW "engage" :60 from derrick borte on Vimeo.

Thanksgiving Greetings from all of us at Graceworks!

2011-11-17T22:54:00.004-05:00

For over a decade I've used my theatre background to coach people on their presentation skills through Graceworks. I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had to see major breakthroughs, and we send our Thanksgiving greetings to you.

Graceworks Inc.
470 West End Ave. New York, NY 10024
212-724-1541 | info@graceworksinc.com | www.graceworksinc.com
© 2009 - 2011 Graceworks Inc.

forward

Shepherds Reflect on Psalm 23

2011-11-14T21:58:00.004-05:00

Conceived by Pastor Linda Warren, who plays the role of Shoshona, Rich and Pastor Joyce Swingle address their flock as Zelophahad and Pethahiah, shepherds with a perspective on Psalm 23.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

For more sermons by Joyce, click here.

To book Rich and Joyce for a live performance visit RichDrama.com/Booking.

Music at the start of the service is from "Stand Up and Give Him the Praise", from the album Shalom Jerusalem.

The Tree of Life

2011-11-02T07:00:00.004-04:00

I just experienced a masterpiece. Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life is profound.

Christianity Today has a couple of reviews that you should read before or after the film. Joyce had already seen it and urged me to read them before hand, but I ran out of time. I'm glad I did. It was enough to have her recommendation. If mine is enough, check it out, and then read these articles. They'll enhance your experience even more:
Brett McCracken points out that the form of the film is more like a symphony.
Kristen Scharold highlights some of powerful reflections Malick has made on the meaning of life.

Don't go in looking for a traditional narrative. Joyce described the style like seeing life through the eyes of a child. What an appropriate way to look at a journey to faith.

Freedom from Fear of the Future

2011-11-01T18:04:00.002-04:00

Pastor Joyce Swingle preaches on Revelation 14:1-5.

This sermon is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Recent Reports from Both Swingles

2011-10-31T18:06:00.002-04:00

On October 23 at Westchester Chapel Rich Swingle reported on recent ministry opportunities in Taiwan, Singapore, Oregon and his recent performance in the film Writers' Block. For photos from the Swingles outreach in Asia visit SwinglesInAsia2011.Shutterfly.com, and for more stories visit blog.richdrama.com (September and October 2011).

On October 9 at Westchester Chapel Pastor Joyce Swingle reported on recent ministry opportunities the Swingles have had: Performing Five Bells for 9/11 in NYC on 9/11, leading Spiritual Life Week at Morrison Academy in Taiwan, and performing The Acts during Homecoming at Rich's alma mater, George Fox University.

These reports are available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

The Marvelous Month of MasterWorks!

2011-10-27T20:42:00.005-04:00

[To share this page, send people to RichDrama.com/MWF.]

We're constantly amazed by the depth of growth spiritually and artistically that happens at MasterWorks, and this year was no exception!

The schnoz Brandon Langeland used for the title role of our MasterWorks production of Cyrano de Bergerac cast a long shadow.

We produced Cyrano de Bergerac, the story of a swashbuckling hero who won't dare to express his love for Roxane because he believes that his long nose makes him too ugly for her to love in return. Here are my closing statements after the last performance:

The level of professionalism our students brought to it was astonishing. We've been so pleased with the steady artistic growth in the program that next year we're taking our production of Karol Wojtyla's The Jeweler's Shop to New York City. More on that as details develop.

This year's faculty brought spiritual and artistic insights from several cultural hubs: NYC, LA, Chicago, Atlanta, Melbourne, Virginia Beach and Jackson.

Curt Cloninger, who gave the very first one-man play I'd ever seen, inspiring me to make a 15 year career of it, came from Atlanta to share his play Witnesses for the Festival and community. It introduces us to people who knew Jesus first hand: They were witnesses of his walk on earth. Curt has taken his plays around the world and performed them for live audiences as large as 30,000. The way the play was received by our community gives me hope that he has inspired a new generation to use its gifts for the Kingdom.

LA casting director, Bev Holloway, returned for her fourth straight year. She's worked on more than 30 projects, including Like Dandelion Dust with Barry Pepper (nominated for the Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards) and Oscar winner Mira Sorvino. She came fresh from Thailand with stories of casting the upcoming film Trade of Innocents in which Sorvino also performed.

Colin Harbinson, a Brit who makes his home in Jackson, MS, has worked for forty years in the arts, education and missions. He is the creator of the internationally performed musical Toymaker and Son. He preached to the whole MasterWorks community using the story of Lazarus to talk about the death of a vision, and how the Lord resurrects greater things if we choose not to live in our woundedness. The stories he used as illustrations were profound and moving, as was his time with the theatre company the next day.

Susan Sommerville Brown, was back for her seventh straight season. She shared insights gained from decades of professional work on Broadway and in Chicago. She brought Maria Callas to life in a monologue from Master Class for one of our faculty recitals.

New Yorker Patricia Mauceri was also back for her seventh season. She shared stories of taking master classes with Callas that brought new meaning to Susie's work. As always, she worked with our students to build the spiritual lives of their characters.

This was the Festival's 15th anniversary, and to celebrate, we featured two alumni, who recently earned their masters degrees in Virginia Beach at Regent University: Chad Rasor served as fight choreographer for our play and Brandon Langeland, who played Cyrano, taught improv classes which culminated in what is a highlight of the Festival every year, our Theatre Improv Night, which segued into improvised worship and enacted prayer. We also had a Skype call with a MasterWorks alum, Irene Kao. She stayed up late to speak in our first class of the day. She's studying acting in Melbourne, Australia, at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe trained.

Just before MasterWorks started this year I took a four-day course on Whole Brain® Thinking. I used some of what I'd learned with our MasterWorks students to help them understand how they and the characters they played think.

I performed Paradise Lost for the festival with MasterWorks faculty members Terry Ewell and Doris DeLoach. Ewell wrote this new work, based on Milton's epic poem, for the International Double Reed Conference in Tempe, AZ, at which we had just performed. We also performed it in Baltimore, MD, for YouTube.

All our instructors impart not only their expertise and wisdom in acting for stage and film, but they also share their testimonies as followers of Christ. On our final day as a company each student shared his or her purpose statement. We were all sobbing to hear the breakthroughs students had made on many levels throughout the month.

On the final day of the festival the entire community erected a pile of rocks commemorating the decisions we'd made throughout the month.

For information on this summer's program visit RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre2012.

For a report from last year's program, click here.

Paradise Lost

2011-10-27T16:17:00.002-04:00

Here is the full performance of Paradise Lost for Narrator (with Percussion), Oboe, and Bassoon by Terry B. Ewell. Westchester Chapel hosted the first public performance of the introduction. Since then it was performed at the International Double Reed Conference in Tempe, Arizona, and at the MasterWorks Festival.

Rich Swingle, Narrator, percussion; Doris DeLoach, oboe; Terry B. Ewell, bassoon. 1. Introduction. 2. Adam. 3. Eve.

The Mighty Macs

2011-10-27T14:46:00.001-04:00

This film is just stupendous! It's right up there with Miracle and Hoosiers. You seriously won't believe it, even though everyone where pins that say, "Believe!" Best of all, your in a theatre where everyone is rooting for people dedicated to serving the Lord. Awesome!

The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry

2011-10-24T21:57:00.001-04:00

We LOVED The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry! Such a sweet story. It was produced by Chad Gundersen, who produced A Christmas Snow in which I played Claud. The casting director was Beverly Kennedy Holloway, who is a regular at MasterWorks. I was a huge Love Boat fan, and Gavin MacLeod was one of the first actors I ever met. He's a gem, and his work in this film is so touching. Thrilled to hear him say this role was the pinacle of his career.

Report on Asia

2011-10-23T21:17:00.000-04:00

This morning I reported on our recent adventures in Taiwan, Singapore, Oregon and Writers' Block. For photos from the our time in Asia visit SwinglesInAsia2011.Shutterfly.com, and for more stories visit this blog's September and October 2011 archives.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Report on Writers' Block

2011-10-23T20:38:00.000-04:00

This morning at Westchester Chapel I shared about the overwhelmingingly positive experience I had performing the role of Forrest Woods in Writers' Block.

Freud's Last Session

2011-10-16T00:07:00.002-04:00

After our board meetings today we went out to see shows. Most had already Freud's Last Session in NYC the month it opened (July 2010). That production is now moving to another theatre and is currently the longest running play Off-Broadway. But I've been out of town so much I haven't been able to take it in. So I saw it here in Atlanta.

Phenomenal!

Writers' Block

2011-10-11T13:24:00.003-04:00

I'm excited to have played the Hollywood director Forrest "Woodsy" Woods in this fun 1940's film about a couple of writers who are locked in a room and can't come out until the script is done... at 8am the next morning.

Jason Burkey plays one of the writers. He played the lead role in For the Glory in which I played his soccer coach.

Jenn Gotzon plays the ingenue, and Jim McKeny is my character's producer. Jenn and Jim both performed in Alone Yet Not Alone with me, as were several of the behind-the-scenes folks, including executive producer George Escobar and casting director Rebekah Cook, who played my daughter in Indescribable.

I got to report on this overwhelmingly positive experience at Westchester Chapel.

To find out when this film will be released be sure to sign up for my updates.

Response from Taiwan

2011-10-10T20:45:00.001-04:00

We've been quite busy lately, so now that I'm flying home from Oregon I'm finally looking through responses from students at Morrison Academy in Taiwan where Joyce and I led the Spiritual Life Week. I'm weeping over some of the encouraging things the seventh graders wrote! Here are a few samples:

"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Swingle...it's hard to believe how you can sacrifice everything for God. :) I hope that I'll be able to do that when I grow up."

"Thank you for coming all the way to Taiwan to teach us."

"I...am very grateful that you would come to our school to talk to us."

"I enjoyed this week's talks."

"Thank you for bringing me closer to God."

"I think the acting helps lead people closer to God."

"We really learned a lot this week."

"I learned many new things I never knew."

"Now I am comforted to know that God will never leave me because of what Jesus did."

"I learned a lot about trust. I will always remember it."

"I learned to trust God even when it seems impossible."

"I learned that...we should always give thanks to God."

"I learned that God will make scary things exciting."

"I...learned that serving God can be fun and done in many ways."

"Thank you for teaching us about wisdom...and telling us that it is wonderful to trust and obey God."

"Combining acting and an interesting perspective on the Bible made this Spiritual Life Week a memorable one."

"Before you came, I didn't realize how important trust was... There (were) a lot of times that I was lost. Now I know that when we trust God He guides us through the valley of the shadow of death."

"I learned... that knowing God is the best thing you can ever have! It guides you through darkness and comforts you when you're heartbroken. I know that sometimes I may feel forsaken by God, but He's always with us."

"I have learned that nothing can really make you happy except for Jesus' love. I have my entire life to learn and serve Jesus."

"One thing I learned was that you can always trust the Lord."

"Two things I've learned: Trust in the Lord through darkness and rough times. Always believe that God will be there for you even if you don't see Him."

"It really made me think about my life and how I can change it to make it better."

"I learned that trusting God really can make a difference, and I shouldn't be afraid when God asks me to do something; just do it, and great things will happen!"

"Thank you for changing my life."

"It has been an awesome week. Thanks!"

"Our school feels encouraged!"

"We will miss you!"

"Please visit us again sometime."

Joyce and I had so much fun working together we'd love to do Spiritual Life Weeks all the time. If you know of a school that has a Spiritual Life Week, please send them to http://RichDrama.com.

Performing at my alma mater

2011-10-08T16:22:00.000-04:00

I'm on the campus of George Fox University, where my play The Acts is being featured for Homecoming and my 20th reunion.

I get to talk after my performances about how George Fox helped prepare me for full-time work in the performing arts. I actually had several epiphanies that I hadn't thought about for a while: saw my first one-man play (Curt Cloninger) here; saw my second one-man play (Roger Nelson) with a group from George Fox; my stint in the Players was basically a prototype for what I do now; a chapel speaker invited us to walk to the front if we were willing to go anywhere for the Lord, etc. One of the theatre profs, @Rhett Luedtke, said at our Players dinner that they focus on preparing Servant Storytellers. When I was a student that term wasn't used, but that was exactly how we were being prepared 20 years ago.

Uncle Eric for Singapore Youth Day

2011-10-02T09:49:00.000-04:00

I got to perform Beyond the Chariots at an invitation-only event at the Joyden Theatre at the Iluma Centre (pictured below) for Singapore's Youth Day. There were about 250 children and their families that came from around this island nation from a variety of churches. Some were invited through the Good News Club, which was an organization that helped me grow in my faith when I was a young boy. As the children came sweeping into the theatre I began to weep. I was so moved by the potential in their lives. Our prayer is that the seeds that were planted last night will grow for their lifetimes!

Spiritual Life in Taiwan

2011-09-30T05:26:00.003-04:00

We had a great time leading the Spiritual Life Week at Morrison Academy in Taichung, Taiwan!

We performed and spoke in their chapels each day for high school and middle school on the theme of Trusting in God.

On Tuesday we led a class on improv which closed with enacted prayer (http://RichDrama.com/Workshops) and on Thursday night we did worship and more enacted prayer ending with a spectacular enactment in which about a dozen of them prayed for their friends who don't yet know the Lord. It was touching to see their love for their peers!

We closed by inviting the students into our "tent" as shepherds and treating them to matzo and hummus while we explained the 23rd Psalm.

We had some one-on-one sessions with students that signed up, taught in individual classrooms as young as Kindergarten. One of the second graders asked us if we liked God. We prayed often with them in groups big and small to dedicate their lives to the Lord.

The eighth graders watched trailers of all our films: http://films.richdrama.com.

The sixth and seventh graders sang "Trust and Obey" to show us they were following the theme.

The Women of Worth class was Rich's 16th women's group he addressed, and then two of the women's small groups asked him to answer questions and the speech class was all girls, so he's now up to 19 women's groups!

The Men of Honor class invited Rich to address them as Eric Liddell, which was a fun way to expose them to an honorable man and preview the Sunday night performance of Beyond the Chariots (http://RichDrama.com/BeyondtheChariots). There were at least three in attendance there who knew people who were in the internment camp where Eric Liddell died.

Monday we took the high speed (over 160mph) train to Kaosiung to perform Big Fish Little Worm (http://RichDrama.com/BigFishLittleWorm) for the Morrison campus there, made up of grades K-9. The photo is with some of the ninth graders.

On our last day in Taiwan we did faculty devotions and Big Fish Little Worm for Morrison's Taipei campus (K-9) followed by seven classes of all but three grades. We had a ball!

I'm writing en route to Singapore, where I'll be performing. Joyce is also in the air but--sadly--she's heading the other direction to get back home in time to speak in Pittsburgh: http://itinerary.richdrama.com.

You can see our photos at http://SwinglesInAsia2011.Shutterfly.com.

Sipping in Singapore

2011-09-30T05:26:00.002-04:00

I'm sipping a coconut under a palm tree watching hundreds of ships go in and out of the busiest harbor on earth as I recuperate from our wonderfully busy schedule in Taiwan and recharge for performances here this weekend: http://itinerary.richdrama.com .

Meditate on the Word

2011-09-25T11:20:00.003-04:00

Joyce got to preach this morning on Psalm 1 at the House of Blessing Church in Taichung, Taiwan.

Introduction by Dan Robinson, principal of Morrison Academy. Translated into Mandarin.

James Hudson Taylor, V

2011-09-25T11:03:00.000-04:00

James' grandfather, the great-great grandson of Hudson Taylor, saw Beyond the Chariots three times on our different trips to Hong Kong. You can read more about him here.

We were delighted to connect with James throughout the week and to pray with him tonight.

Can't wait to see how the Lord uses your willing heart, James! We'll be praying for you!

Love,
Rich & Joyce

Indescribable Trailer

2011-09-20T23:33:00.000-04:00

They just posted the trailer to Indescribable, the movie in which Joyce and I play Mr. and Mrs. Lehman.
Indescribable Trailer from Indescribable The Movie on Vimeo.

An amazing start to our adventures in Taiwan

2011-09-20T04:00:00.001-04:00

It has been so clear to us that people are praying for this journey by the timing of the entire day! Every place we went the bus was ready to go within five minutes of us getting there! That morning we got our directions based on the wrong airport, thereby putting us at a station we wouldn't have gone to to catch our bus to our hotel, but that was exactly the station we needed to catch a free shuttle to Taipei 101, the second tallest building in the world: a perfect place to prayer walk the entire city in a matter of minutes. One bus that was supposed to come in 10 minutes came in 1, while I was buying water, but the next was right behind it, and we loaded within 5 minutes of my return. That bus happened to be the one that English speakers boarded just before we needed to disembark, and they were able to confirm where to get off.

We were remarking that every time we messed up, the Lord used it for the good.

Then, when we checked in at our hotel they told us that our reservation was at a hotel in Taipei, not in Jinshan where we had just arrived! The hotel where we stood had only one room available, and it was about $1500/ night more than the room we'd already paid for. Don't worry, that is in Taiwanese dollars, and they didn't charge us for the increase since the two hotels were connected. We chose the site because it is on the beach AND has hot springs, so I'm not certain how the website put our reservation at the other hotel! Our room was usually more expensive because it had it's own hot springs. Once we arrived, we couldn't figure out how to make the water hot, so we were on our way to ask the front desk when we struck up a conversation with a family that spoke a bit of English. They ended up taking us to a night market, one of the things we'd hoped to do! Upon returning to our room the hot water in the hot springs worked! We gave the family a link to a page I set up this morning just for them to download the Eric Liddell documentary (http://RichDrama.com/OHiC) I worked on.

The timing of this morning just capped it all off! I went for a swim in the ocean and had some of the best waves I've ever body surfed. Upon reaching the shore they closed the beach. I guess the waves were so good because there's a typhoon out at sea!

As I write we're riding through some beautiful, lush, mountainous countryside, praying for this whole amazing, 100 year old (this year) nation.

We're now at Morrison Academy and are in the middle of Day 2 for Spiritual Emphasis Week: http://itinerary.richdrama.com.

The Northwest Territories

2011-09-18T23:55:00.001-04:00

Joyce and I are flying over the northernmost Canadian province en route to Taiwan to lead the Spiritual Emphasis Week at Morrison Academy in Taichung.

Heading to Singapore

2011-09-17T19:59:00.002-04:00

I'll be performing Beyond the Chariots at Joyden Hall at Iluma (near Bugis Junction) on 1 October at 7.30 pm.

It's by invitation only, so if you missed the note I sent out please message me on Facebook: Facebook.com/RichSwingle and I'll make sure there's a place for you.
Rich

Walking in Victory on 9/11/11

2011-09-11T15:22:00.002-04:00

I opened worship at Westchester Chapel this morning.

I'll be performing Five Bells for 9/11 tonight in NYC at 8pm: RichDrama.com/FiveBells.

Five Bells for 9/11 in NYC on 9/11/11

2011-09-06T17:40:00.000-04:00

For about a year it's been on my heart to offer my one-man play Five Bells for 9/11 in New York City on 9/11/11.

Shortly after those tragic events that changed the world, I took a workshop put on by the Billy Graham Association empowering lay people to counsel those who were traumatized. One of the things they told us was that it's important to bring events back to our memories, especially when we can find positive memories that were there, too. That's exactly what Five Bells for 9/11 does.

The play tells the stories of three people that were directly impacted: Bruce Van Hine, a fire fighter for Squad 41 in the FDNY; Lana Ho Shing, a mutual funds specialist for Morgan Stanley, and Father Brian Jordan, a Franciscan priest at the Church of St. Francis.

Ann Van Hine, the wife of one of the characters in the play said, "We shouldn't be coping, we should be hoping." It is my deepest desire that this play will bring hope and healing to those who experience it.

If you're in or near the city I hope you can join us. Or if you know of someone that would be encouraged by it's message please invite them.

It will be performed at 400 W 43rd St at the corner of 9th Ave. Tell the security guard that you're there for an event in The Ellington Room. The play will begin at 8pm. There is no charge and no offering will be collected.

The play will also be performed at the home church of Bruce and Ann Van Hine on September 9 at 7pm. For more information click here.

That was lovely. Thank you.
--Robert M. Fresco
Academy Award winning filmmaker Checklosovakia 1968

Rich, thanks so much for such a powerful and moving performance and message.
--Melanie M. Jeschke
Author of The Oxford Chronicles and Jillian Dare

Five Bells for 9/11 at King's Chapel

2011-09-04T09:09:00.001-04:00

I'm performing Five Bells for 9/11 (http://RichDrama.com/FiveBells) near Washington, DC, for the first time. The King's Chapel is hosting it. This is the church that recruited me and several MasterWorks (http://RichDrama.com/MWF) students for the film For the Glory (http://RichDrama.com/ForTheGlory).

Ivy League Congress reviewed

2011-08-25T21:23:00.000-04:00

The review of the Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action is now online: The Ivy League Christian Observer (Summer 2011). Their report on the Congress starts on page 12: "Hands raised, bodies swayed, voices lifted in song. At the Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 380 students gathered to seek and praise the One who could not be seen, but whose presence was palpably felt." [Read more]

It was hosted by Harvard, and was "one of the largest gathering of Ivy League Christians in history." Matt Bennett, founding president of Christian Union, which organized the event told presenters that their group at Princeton is the largest student group on campus. The group at Harvard is growing faster than Princeton's and the group at Yale is growing faster than Harvard's.

I'm quoted on page 17:

"The performing arts are a powerful communication instrument, and, by and large, they have been used by people who don't know God to encourage people to worship gods of their own making," said Rich Swingle, an actor based in New York City. Swingle wants believers to "take back the entertainment industry and tell stories that point to the One True God."
[Read the rest of the article]

My talk at the Congress can be seen at RichDrama.com/IvyLeague.

Alone Yet Not Alone

2011-08-20T12:05:00.000-04:00

I performed the featured role of a land speculator in Alone Yet Not Alone, an amazing true story of two young girls who were abducted by separate tribes during the French and Indian War. See a trailer here.

Performing Tribute 9/11

2011-08-17T23:37:00.000-04:00

We saw Performing Tribute tonight, featuring Ann Van Hine, who's husband is featured in my play, Five Bells for 9/11. I've talked about 9/11 so many times over the past decade, but tonight is the first time in five years that I really grieved. The last time was when I was prepping for my performance at the five year mark. Now that I'll be prepping for performances again (itinerary.richdrama.com) I'm sure to be grieving all over again. But it's healing. I didn't realize that my own healing process isn't complete. Our nation and our city certainly have more healing to do. So I'm glad to live that day again, praying that those who need it will join me. One of the performers tonight said that retelling these stories is honoring to the memory of those that were lost. That's another reason I'm glad to grieve again.

There will be several more free performances of Performing Tribute in the NYC area: PerformingTribute.com.

I'm also praying for an opportunity to share my play in NYC on 9/11/11, so if you're interested, please contact us: RichDrama.com/Booking.

5 Bells for 9/11 in Warwick...

2011-08-17T22:52:00.001-04:00

This is the announcement for my upcoming performance at the church of one of the characters in the play...

Begin forwarded message:

Five Bells for 9/11
"Five Bells for 9/11" is a memorial to those that died and to those that were wounded physically and emotionally on that infamous morning.The play tells the stories of three people that were directly impacted: Bruce Van Hine, a fire fighter for Squad 41; Lana Ho Shing, a mutual funds specialist for Morgan Stanley, and Father Brian Jordan, a Franciscan priest at the Church of St. Francis.

Writer and actor Rich Swingle created this piece to leave the audience with new, healing memories linked to those that still wound us even 10 years later. Ann Van Hine, Greenwood Lake resident and wife of one of the characters in the play has said, "We shouldn't be coping, we should be hoping." Van Hine will share some reflections following Swingle's presentation.

The one man play will be presented on Friday, September 9th, 2011 7:00PM at the Warwick Valley Church of the Nazarene on Route 94 North between Warwick and Florida. It is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Please contact the church office at 986-3013 to arrange to pick up tickets.

Freedom Tower

2011-08-16T17:54:00.000-04:00

I'm at the base of The Freedom Tower and the 9/11 Memorial to add supplements to the concluding images of my upcoming performances of Five Bells for 9/11.

Closing at the Cross

2011-08-15T17:54:00.001-04:00

We ended the week at the TAM Conservatory at the cross.

2011-08-14T22:47:00.000-04:00

This enacted prayer is for all that are suffering with illness right now.

The song, "The Lord that Heals", is posted with permission by the songwriter/performer and is available for download here.

This video is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Captivated

2011-08-10T18:10:00.001-04:00

The makers of Indescribable (http://RichDrama.com/Indescribable) brought Phillip Telfer (http://MediaTalk101.org) to speak to the cast and crew. He brought a powerful message about the importance of choosing wisely the entertainment that we produce and consume.

Anna Street preps us for the street

2011-08-09T20:48:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow we'll be doing social experiments with strangers on the streets of New York City. It's going to be spectacular!

Prepping for the street

2011-08-09T20:26:00.000-04:00

Chuck Goodin is setting the tone for tomorrow's work in New York City by talking about how much of Jesus' ministry was telling stories, and how much of scripture is story, images and visions.

Young preachers

2011-08-09T18:23:00.001-04:00

I'm here at the TAM Conservatory (http://theTAMjam.com), and happened to sit at this table of teens that all preached or led adults in devotions before they turned 18. One preached when she was 11.

I told them that one of the key moments that empowered me to pursue a career in theatre was hearing a teenager preach when I was still a teen.

Interview with Kurt Kuykendall

2011-08-05T15:17:00.000-04:00

Here's an interview with Kurt Kuykendall, who's story is featured in the upcoming film For the Glory, in which I play Kurt's college soccer coach, Sean Ryan. There's also a scene from the film.

We miss Indescribable!

2011-07-30T00:09:00.000-04:00

We just wrapped our work on the film Indescribable, and we're going to miss the wonderful team that has two more days of shooting.

To see us in 3D (Thanks, Adam!) click on the photo to enlarge it, then cross your eyes until our hands come together. If you need help with that, touch one of the photos and then move your finger toward your nose until it jumps into 3D.

Captivated

2011-07-29T08:17:00.001-04:00

The makers of Indescribable (http://RichDrama.com/Indescribable) brought Phillip Telfer (http://MediaTalk101.org) to speak to the cast and crew. He brought a powerful message about media consumption and creation. He challenged us to be discerning in both.

More valuable than a Stradavarius

2011-07-20T08:15:00.000-04:00

I invited Caroline Chehade (featured in the CNN report below) to tell our MasterWorks theatre students how she was able to win a Stradivarius violin on loan. Our theme this year was "Smashing Idols", and I was surprised how much her story matched our theme. I told our students that they are more valuable than a Stradivarius because they were designed by The Master who has plans far beyond their imaginations. Then Caroline pulled our her "Strad" and prayed over our students with music while Patricia Mauceri and I prayed over each of them with words.

Caroline and Jennifer Jackson, another friend from MasterWorks (both pictured in the still shot that precedes the video), are both featured in this CNN report.

Indescribable

2011-07-20T00:16:00.003-04:00

I played Frederick Lehman in the film Indescribable, which tells how my character and his kids wrote the hymn "The Love of God". I'm the Papa to nine children, and my beloved bride, Joyce, played the Mama beautifully.

I also got to coach the man playing Rabbi Lazer on his Hebrew.

Indescribable Trailer from Indescribable The Movie on Vimeo.

Dialect coaching

2011-07-19T15:24:00.000-04:00

I'm on the set of Indescribable (http://IndescribableTheMovie.com) coaching Keith Pilkington on his Hebrew as he plays Rabbi Lazer.

Building a monument

2011-07-17T16:49:00.000-04:00

On the final day of MasterWorks we erected a pile of rocks commemorating the decisions we'd made throughout the month.

Cyrano and friends

2011-07-16T16:46:00.000-04:00

From our MasterWorks production of Cyrano de Bergerac.

Cyrano's nose

2011-07-16T16:37:00.000-04:00

The schnoz Brandon Langeland used for the title role of our MasterWorks production of Cyrano de Bergerac cast a long shadow.

Moth

2011-07-08T22:05:00.000-04:00

This performance is by the MasterWits. See Cyrano de Bergerac July 13-15: MasterWorksFestival.org/Performance-Calendar-.html

Credits listed at RichDrama.com/Moth.

Colin Harbinson

2011-07-03T13:26:00.003-04:00

Our second master class instructor, Colin Harbinson, preached to the whole MasterWorks community this morning.

He used the story of Lazarus to talk about the death of a vision, and how the Lord resurrects greater things if we choose not to live in our woundedness. The stories he used as illustrations were profound and moving.

Colin will speak to the theatre department on Monday at 2 pm.

My inspiration

2011-07-03T13:26:00.001-04:00

Curt Cloninger (http://CurtCloninger.com) is the first person I ever saw doing a one-man play. He shared his story at MasterWorks (http://RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre2011), and then blessed us with his play Witnesses.

Shots from Paradise Lost

2011-07-02T19:05:00.000-04:00

These shots are from our MasterWorks performance of Paradise Lost:

Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh has been safely returned

2011-06-30T10:32:00.001-04:00

Wednesday at 8:27pm Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh was abducted by a giant slow loris. Brandon Langeland was named as the interim Festival director. His first order of business was to conduct a Town Hall discussion and vote on whether or not Chewbacca's belching should initiate a ban on extra-terrestrial beings being allowed into Alpha Dining Hall. There was a unanimous acceptance of aliens, belching or not, and that kicked off a rousing hour of comedy improv, followed by enacted prayer and improvised worship which ran without pause until midnight.

Dr. Kavanaugh made his escape from the slow loris by tickling it on its sides.

A toast to our cookout

2011-06-29T17:09:00.001-04:00

The MasterWits are prepping for our improv tonight with some brewskies: microbrewed cream soda and ginger ale.

A bear in the woods

2011-06-28T22:28:00.001-04:00

Our theatre program was well represented in Sunday morning's service with Brandon Langeland's sketch, "Bear Witness". Actors, from left to right, are Josh Knox, Danny Cornett and Brandon Langeland.

Brain mapping MasterWorks students

2011-06-27T16:30:00.000-04:00

What a terrific group!

2011-06-25T15:55:00.000-04:00

We just wrapped week one at MasterWorks, and what a great group of actors! We have half of Cyrano de Bergerac blocked, honors recital audition prep is coming along, and we are on the eve of the arrival of our first master class artist, Curt Cloninger, the first actor I ever saw doing a one-man play. Woo hoo! Life is good!

Yesterday we had a Skype call with a MasterWorks alum, Irene Kao. She stayed up late to speak in our first class of the day. She's training in Melbourne, Australia, at their National Institute of Dramatic Art, where Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe trained.

For our full lineup go to itinerary.richdrama.com.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T05:26:00.000-04:00

This is the card I sent my dad. The main photo is him as Capt. Zapp, an air show clown. From the left to right the other photos show him at a race in college, smudging in his orchard, and flying a gyrocopter he invented.

You've been a huge inspiration, Dad! Have a wonderful Father's Day.
Love,
Rich

Hero Dad Father's Day 5x7 folded card

Modern greeting cards and party invitations by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Program Notes for Cyrano de Bergerac

2011-06-11T20:25:00.000-04:00

Lindsey Fredrick wrote up our program notes for our theatre production at the MasterWorks Festival this summer: Cyrano de Bergerac

Paradise Lost at MasterWorks

2011-06-08T12:21:00.001-04:00

Terry Ewell, bassoon instructor at MasterWorks and Towson University, composed music to accompany excerpts from John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost. We performed the piece at the International Double Reed Festival in Tempe, AZ, and we had many positive responses. While walking around the campus of Arizona State University, which hosted the conference, several people stopped us to tell us how much they appreciated it.

We'll perform the piece during the MasterWorks Festival on June 30 at 3:30pm in McLain Auditorium.

Terry and I will also perform an excerpt on the faculty recital next Sunday night.

Join The Journey

2011-06-08T12:04:00.003-04:00

Terry Ewell, who composed and produced our recent performances of Paradise Lost just wrote a devotion for his church: Be a Good Example.

Walking in Memphis

2011-06-07T06:32:00.001-04:00

I'm in Memphis to help lead a workshop. This is the first sign I've seen of residual damage from their recent floods, but I've heard there's still water standing further south.

Paradise Lost well received

2011-06-02T17:37:00.001-04:00

The performance went off without a hitch, and we received a lot of positive feedback.

We're about to begin

2011-06-02T11:59:00.000-04:00

http://RichDrama.com/ParadiseLost

Frank Lloyd Wright design

2011-06-02T00:18:00.001-04:00

My friend and fellow MasterWorks (http://MasterWorksFestival.org) faculty member Matt Morris performed in Gammage Hall on the amazing campus of the Arizona State Sun Devils. I'll perform Paradise Lost (http://RichDrama.com/ParadiseLost) tomorrow in a different building as a part of the same International Double Reed Conference.

Gammage Hall was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for a group in Bangkok, but they never built it. ASU, one of the three largest universities in the US with about 60,000 students, bought the plans after Wright's death.