GROVE CITY — The Rev. John Culp of Tower Presbyterian Church said it's easy for people to focus on the small world around them, but soon the church and community will get a global taste of Thai performance, art and worship.

At 7 p.m. April 13, the Thai Dance and Drama Group will perform its own rendition of the Old Testament parable of The Prodigal Son.

The event will be presented with help from missionaries Rob Collins and Esther Wakeman of the Christian Communications Institute at Payap University, Chiang Mai Thailand.

"This reminds us that the world is a whole lot bigger than Grove City," Culp said. "We tend to get inwardly focused and lose sight of that and this reminds us that the world and the church are much bigger than our small areas of focus."

Joanne Miller, who is a church member helping to organize the event, said the troupe will give residents an opportunity to see art that they do not always have access to.

"It's important to see the different missionaries that we support and (learn) more about the countries we are helping while serving in mission," Miller said. "We don't see this type of thing very often in Grove City. It's educational too."

Collins founded the Payap Communications Institute in Thailand 30 years ago and now travels the world as a missionary, Miller said. Collins is the director of the Christian Communications Institute.

The performance described as likay, or Thai melodrama, will communicate Christian truths through Thai cultural expressions. It will include a number of Thai dances and will also have an English translator.

The performance is free, but donations can be made for the troupe's traveling expenses.

The church is at 248 S. Broad St.