Trying to Fill Broadway Seats With Those Who Fill the Pews

Jesus is cracking jokes, sharing parables and dying for our sins in three Broadway musicals this spring, while another six shows feature religious themes that are woven through dialogue and lyrics.

But what many of these productions lack are ticket-buying multitudes who identify themselves as people of faith, a group rarely courted by Broadway producers offering the sort of focused advertising campaigns that turned movies like “The Passion of the Christ” and “The Blind Side” into unexpected hits.

Tom Allen is working to change that. A partner in Allied Faith & Family, a Hollywood marketing firm that aims to attract churchgoers to movies and now theater, Mr. Allen has spent the past 18 months breaking into the cloistered world of Broadway.

He has worked with “Memphis,” “Sister Act” and “Leap of Faith” to draw coverage from Christian news media and to create study guides for the shows — annotated with Bible passages — to leave at parish halls. He has suggested script changes to appeal to the devout. (His request that “goddamned” be cut from “Leap of Faith” was denied.) And he has displayed a preacher’s touch at postshow receptions with religious theatergoers, like a recent one at Sardi’s where he mingled among a dozen priests and ministers he brought to see “Leap of Faith,” about a con-man evangelist whose latest scheme leads to a change of heart.

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Evermyrtle

Productions about CHRIST WHICH ARE CHRIST LIKE, for education is good, I believe, as long as only the truth and nothing but the truth is portrayed. When it is made as a money maker and the truth is distorted, it is evil. All of this going on in these last days looks fishy to me, I think we had better be very careful in this endeavor.
Evermyrtle

I read this chapter in Psalms and thought of how it relate to us todayafter reading after this article about movie making involving my SAVIOR.

Psalm 53:1-6
1. The fool has said in his heart, "There is no GOD". Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that does good.
2. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that die understand, that did seek GOD
3. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that does good, no, not one.
4. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge: who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon GOD.
5. There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for GOD has scattered the bones of him that encamped against thee: you have put them to shame, because GOD has despised them.
6. Oh, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When GOd brings back the captivity of HIS people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
aceituna

Good posts Evermyrtle
- Evermyrtle
  
  Thanks a million!!!. All I want is to put forth HIS word, because there are so many who do not know, and I never know what might help someone to find HIM and decide to live for HIM.
msjallen

Broadway shows and movies should not be needed to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If our churches would teach the Word of God correctly Christians would be hungry for what the Bible says.
2 Peter 1:20-21 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy (Biblical knowledge) was ever made by an act of human will (design, purpose), but men were carried along by the Holy Spirit who spoke from God.
Roman 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world (human viewpoint), but be transformed by the renewing (renovation) of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
- paulc
  
  If you don't present the gospel my way it is surely wrong.
  
  Try to apply the whole Bible, not just a few verses that fit your current prejudice.
- Evermyrtle
  
  They should not be needed, but any help to help spread GOD'S word is needed. The sad fact is that those who are trying to spread the WORD OF GOD, NEEDS ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET AND WE WILL USE ANY SINCERE EFFORT TO FURTHER HIS WORD. Some times HE CAN BE FOUND in the smallest things!! We dare not wast any sincere effort.
  
  We can see that the WORD is declining instead of spreading in the world, or at least the evil is growing at such a rate we can't seem able to keep up with it. Our attempts sometimes seems so feeble it seems we are about to be swamped..
  - msjallen
    
    I understand what you are saying but the Word of God may not be presented correctly and as with many churches today the gospel and the teaching of the Word is distorted. Jesus Christ did not allow the demons to cry out His name because He did not want them to announce who He was for that was God's prerogative and those who followed Him. It is not Hollywood or side shows that should teach the gospel or the Christian way of life but those who know Him and know His Word.
msjallen

paulc, I had a good laugh at your comment. You must be joking since there is no way one can present all the verses needed for presenting the gospel on this site. I doubt that one will read the whole Bible before becoming a believer and many times it only takes one verse because it is the Holy Spirit who helps one become a believer not the one who witnesses.
Also, no where have I ever said one has to believe my way; it is always what the Bible says.
Evermyrtle

A little at the time, if all of us dare to take a part in supplying verses of scripture, we could do magnificent things. I notice very few offer any Bible scriptures. Come on folks, let us see your favorite scripture scriptures!! It helps when we support each other, also.