PLAY

week 10 | may 24 - may 31

PLAY

When this week started we were thinking about school winding down. We were thinking of green grass and gardens growing and the potential of social isolation beginning to ease. We were just beginning to think about what we might do during any summer down time. The creative prompt “play” was chosen because even (or, especially) in a pandemic, there are ways in which we can lean into activities and leisure that reveal things about ourselves and things about our Creator. He made us in his image, and his image includes “enjoying life” and “enjoying one another” with fun and laughter and, yes, creativity. When we are consumed with work and tasks, when we forget that God calls us to be like children in their awe and joy and faith, we forget to include something that is essential to human flourishing. We need to play.

This kind of “playful” reflection was interrupted when George Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police this past week. Our city and our nation is now reeling in the aftermath. Next week we will use the creativity project as an avenue to lament and grieve the many examples of deep and divisive brokenness in our world. But first, here are a few submissions along the theme of play.

Below you’ll see sibling bonds, the sheen of a canoe, a horse and its rider, a dance and 3 wonderful excerpts of an actual Shakespeare play (rehearsal) performed by several of our youth.

“Then shall the maidens rejoice in the dance . . . “ Jer. 31:13a

Melody Villars

watercolor sketch

In these days of a pandemic and now the agony in Minneapolis, it is good to remember God’s promise in Jeremiah 31:13, that our mourning will be turned into joy. He will reign over the earth with justice and peace. We will dance and rejoice!

Sisters at Play

Heather Ogren

photography

Lakeside

Lorri Eiswald

photography

There are many things I enjoy but I do especially love playing with photography. One of my favorite modes is taking extreme close-ups. I never tire of zooming in until all of the texture, sheen, shadows and details come alive.

Emily Ainslie and William at Play

Debbie Ainslie

photography

Ring Around the Rosie

Andrea Pope

photography

We recently remembered this simple game, and now it’s 17 month old Ole’s favorite - we’re happy to repeat it as many times as he wants... Watching the way he is sheltered from the news and events is a reminder to enter the playfulness, not to forget what is going on around us but to learn more fully to hold joy and sorrow together. The history of this nursery rhyme was an entertaining Wikipedia search if you need a diversion! 

As You Like it

Several Youth

May 29 and 30 were supposed to be the dates our children put on “As You Like It” by Shakespeare. Having busy schedules we decided we would work on one act per month and then put it all together the last week of May in an intensive week of play rehearsals and end of month performances.  The kids were working hard on memorizing lines and blocking, the moms were busy planning costumes and finding props. We made it through the first 3 acts and were working on the 4th when the world changed and our well-reasoned plans suddenly went out the door. We initially tried some zoom rehearsals but as it became clear a May performance was not going to happen and zoom rehearsals were not very fun we have postponed possibly till August, possibly forever. The kids put a lot of work into memorizing the challenging and not always intuitive words of Shakespeare and so we wanted to share a little of the early rehearsals with you. Not perfectly polished, a few lines forgotten, wearing the period clothes of 21st century teenagers but still highlighting their talent and hard work.

One of the more famous quotes from the play spoken by Jaques, played by Danny, says,

“All the world’s a stage.
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

ACT 1: scene 1

This scene of serious sibling rivalry opens up this romantic-comedy play.  In it, Orlando (played by Gabe Hodges) is lamenting how poorly his older brother, Oliver (played by Jack Bascom) has treated him ever since the death of their father.  The faithful old servant to this family, Adam (played by Danny Keuning) , tries to maintain the peace.

Act 1: scene 2

Here we meet Rosalind (played by Lydia Carlson) and Celia (played by Riss Hardacker), who are cousins and BFFs and two of the main female characters in this play.  The scene opens with Le Beau (played by Vivian Hodges) explaining the “news of the court” and describing how Rosalind and Celia were raised together because Celia’s father, Duke Frederick (played by Wesley Bascom) had many years ago revolted against his older brother, Rosalind’s father, the true ruler of the kingdom.  Rosalind’s father and followers were banished and forced to flee into the Forest of Arden, where most of the rest of play takes place.  We also see Elena Carlson & Juliet Carlson on-stage as part of Duke Frederick’s court.   

Orlando comes to court to try to beat the current Duke’s champion, Charles the Wrestler (played by Liv Keuning).  Rosalind and Celia try to persuade him not to wrestle as Charles is a vicious opponent and has injured or killed other young men.  Orlando competes against Charles and wins!  Rosalind gives him a chain from her neck.  He is stupefied and in love.  Le Beau comes back to warn him to flee because Orlando’s deceased father was loyal to the former duke and the new duke did not take kindly to Orlando winning the match.  (slow motion WWF footage toward the end)

Act 1: scene 3

Rosalind has just met Orlando and is already very much in love.  She is talking with her cousin about how she is thinking of this man —who she refers to as “my child’s father.”  Their giggly girl-talk is interrupted by Duke Frederick’s sudden appearance and seemingly capricious banishment of Rosalind.  Celia will not allow her cousin to be so unjustly banished alone and decides to accompany her.  This sets up the rest of the story wherein the two female cousins travel in disguise to find the real duke in the Forest of Arden.  Orlando eventually flees to the forest too, but he does not recognize Rosalind who is now dressed like a young man and going by the name of Ganymede.