Spreading the Word
WINFIELD TWP — It's time for Christmas plays, cantatas, concerts and, at The Sower's Chapel, a tableau.
The Sower's Chapel tableau has people acting out different scenes leading to the birth of Jesus Christ, while another person narrates the story.
“Jesus came to Earth for mankind and it's important that the kids know that,” said Bill Kronen of South Buffalo Township.
Kronen plans how The Sower's Chapel will be decorated for each year's tableau.
While the church has been doing tableaux for quite a few years, Zarah Blair of Winfield Township has been in charge of the program for the past five years.
The tableau consists of a few adults, portraying characters such as Mary, Joseph, King Herod and the Wise Men, and about 20 children.
Any child who comes to the tableau is invited to participate as an angel or shepherd.
“I have good people helping me dress and lots of safety pins to shorten costumes,” said Blair.
The costumes for the tableau are from all over the world and Blair's household.
The headdress that Mary wears is from Morocco.
“One of the Wise Men's turbans is made out of my husband's old ties,” Blair said. “We use everything that we can.”
Kronen plans the lighting and the sets for the tableau.
“We try to change it so something is different every year,” Kronen said. “It's the wow factor.”
While the decoration may change, the narration does not.“It's very important with things from the Bible, or what we call The Word, that there are things that never change,” Blair said. “The wording never changes in the tableau, but I think it's also important to maybe present it differently.”In years past, the actors would walk into each scene in the dark, and as the narrator told the story, the light would appear, showcasing the actors and scene below.The tableau is now in motion, with characters entering as the narrator speaks.“The children love going in as the shepherds,” Blair said. “They love marching past their parents, and the little angels love smiling at the people.”The duo said interaction is important to keep children excited and occupied for the service.“Any sort of interaction thing you can do with a kid is better than sitting there reading,” Kronen said. “I taught school for 30 years, so I know that is the case.”Blair's most precious memory from a tableau is “giving the role of Mary to someone that really needed it.”“I've always tried to choose people who I thought it would be particularly important to them,” Blair said.Kronen has been helping decorate with different Christmas Eve performances for more than 40 years. He said his favorite part is “seeing the joy that the people have that experience it.”
<b>What: </b>Christmas tableau<b>When: </b>5 p.m. Dec. 24<b>Where: </b> The Sower's Chapel, 100 Iron Bridge Road, Sarver<b>Cost: </b>FreeFor more information, contact Zarah Blair at 724-353-2366 or Bill Kronen at 724-295-3974
