A Christmas Story, West Indian style

Bravo to the cast and backstage crew of the Church of the Nazarene theatre group called Garments of Praise Ensemble on the staging of their production entitled “Echoes of Freedom.”

The timely holiday narrative which was staged at the Peace Memorial Hall on Friday December 8 was a West Indian interpretation of the Christmas Story and was brilliantly directed by Girls’ High School English teacher, Grace Peters.{{more}}

Peters’ use of South African to Caribbean gospel music, appropriate lighting, sound effects and costume for each scene, was set in a backdrop of the plains of Africa and showed just as the Africans long ago were captured and enslaved, Satan today has many people in bondage.

The 12-member cast articulately portrayed the journey from the “Mother Land” to the Caribbean with facial expression and body language that had the audience in “ooh’s and aah’s” at the professional approach to their debut presentation.

But the resounding round of applause came when Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the stage who was described as “God’s true gift” to humanity and depicted why Jesus was the reason for the holiday season.

The narrative then went on to explain that sinners no longer needed to live oppressed lives, consider themselves inferior or be hurt by their painful past because they could be saved by Jesus Christ who gives real freedom from oppression.