Living Room Wows Audiences with Third Annual Christmas musical

reprinted from The Journal, Martinsburg, WV

By Edward Marshall, Journal Staff Writer
December 28, 2009

MARTINSBURG - The Living Room's performance of "A Christmas Experience" cemented for visitors and congregants alike the true meaning of the yuletide season, with the chorus of the closing number of the show hailing "he will reign forever" and a cross and nativity scene as the backdrop.

A cast and crew of more than 150 people worked for more than three months to put on the production - one part fun-filled Christmas musical and one part religious experience - for those in attendance.

Postponed last weekend due to snowy weather, The Living Room performed four shows over the course of two days, wrapping up its final show Sunday.

"We love to be able to show our community how awesome, creative and excellent God is, and we have been really blessed with a lot of talent here at our church," said Pastor Beth Green, who co-wrote the production. "Christmas, we know, is the time of year when everyone is looking for some affordable entertainment for their family and friends, so we just love to be able to offer that every year with 'The Christmas Experience.'"

All of the cast are members of the Martinsburg church, which is located at 50 Monroe St. and also served as the theater for this year's shows. The program blended the traditional Christmas story with all the festive sights and sounds of the season people enjoy so much, Green said.

"Things like Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman, we haven't left those things out. We've just kind of married them both and just celebrate all the aspects of Christmas that people love to celebrate," she said.

Proceeds from the third annual Christmas production will help finance the various charitable efforts by the church and those community organizations that it partners with.

Fellow pastor Kevin Green said he expected somewhere close to 3,000 people to pass through The Living Room's doors during the four performance this weekend. On Sunday alone, the church sold more than 100 tickets to the performance, he said.

"Boy, the opening night was absolutely incredible, so it's going to be fantastic tonight," Kevin Green said prior to Sunday's show. "I tell people you can't go to Broadway and see some of this kind of stuff, and not to mention it's the best story ever told."

The show featured two acts, the first focusing on Christmas mainstays like popular carols and characters such as Santa Claus. Meanwhile, the second act focused heavily on the traditional nativity story.

Before the show ended, Kevin Green himself took the stage to thank those who attended and for showing their support of The Living Room and its charitable efforts to help area families.

"The one thing - the one message - that we want to get to you before you leave here this evening is just how simple it is to have life change through The Son, Jesus Christ. It's just simply a choice," he said.

"Our wish for you this Christmas going into a brand new year is that you leave here different than when you came, and we want to pray for you (that) that will happen," Kevin Green continued.

Fresh from the performance of Sunday's early show, two of the main actors, Josh Jordan and Katy Mong, said they were thrilled with the reception from the audience. Jordan co-wrote and directed the production, as well as played the role of Joseph. Mong starred as Mary in the second act.

"The show was absolutely incredible. It went off without a hitch," Jordan said. "I definitely believe that people are going to leave here feeling some life change today, just leaving here with a different feeling and a high just experiencing Christmas."

Mong said she also was feeling butterflies after finishing Sunday's performance.

"I think that it was amazing. I feel like, in my part, when it says 'my soul is singing with me, oh God,' I feel that was my purpose for me to get that out to all the people who came out here tonight for his glory and his name, not for my own," she said.