Gateway Church’s 2016 Christmas production was a complete departure from the traditional Christmas show. Broadway-quality stage design, quirky comedic moments, and show-stopping medleys were designed to create conversations, provide opportunities to invite people to church, and ultimately reach the lost.
The audience has just settled into Gateway Church’s 2016 Christmas show, “Chasing Lights,” when the room appears to shake and the image of a solid brick wall on the church's expansive 50-foot by 20-foot video wall crumbles to the ground. Suddenly disoriented, the onlookers react with a collective gasp, then chatter with nervous excitement. “It is the last thing anyone is expecting,” says Gateway’s Associate Director of Lighting Production Tim Logsdon, “and it gets a huge reaction from every audience.” If the audience wasn’t sure when they walked in, they now know this is not a typical Christmas show.For many Christian churches around the world, the eagerly anticipated Christmas show has become a time-honored way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Typically filled with pageantry and featuring music of the season, Christmas shows utilize the talents of a congregation and, at the same time, provide a powerful vehicle for ministry and outreach to the community. While these shows are universally successful, there is no formula, no template for the perfect show. In fact, the beauty of the Christmas show is that it can be simple or spectacular, and focus on entertainment or a homily—whatever fits the vision, talent, creative staff and technical ability of the church teams. Themes for Christmas shows are all around us as the season approaches, but the most effective ideas are often the ones that are most unexpected.
An Atypical Approach
Last year, Gateway Church in the Dallas suburb of Southlake, Texas, offered its most recent Christmas production, a smash hit musical production for the region that represents what many might consider to be a complete departure from the traditional Christmas show. While the show contains some traditional musical selections, like “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” most songs are parodies of popular songs and staged to match the grandeur and excitement of popular Broadway and Disney hits.
The show combines likable characters struggling with important life decisions with these striking parodies to deliver powerful seasonal messages about life, career, success and faith. “We want to hit them in the heart,” says Erik Snodgrass, co-writer of the show and Gateway’s director of performing arts. “People enjoy the spectacle of a show,” he says, “but people connect with the characters.” He believes that good writing and production value are key to achieving what he terms “genuine moments” on stage that have the powerful ability to communicate directly with the hearts of an audience.Gateway has presented more traditional Christmas stories, but Snodgrass and his team believe that people can easily find those stories and shows around Christmastime. George Thomas, co-writer and ministry coordinator to Pastor Thomas Miller, feels that a less traditional Christmas presentation can be very effective. “We believe that sometimes there is great value in taking the themes and message inherent in Christmas and presenting it in a non-traditional story that both entertains and reaches people on an emotional level,” he says. “It leads the audience to think about the truth in a way they may never have before and, similar to the method that Jesus employed to convey spiritual truths by telling stories that might seem unrelated, the ideas can linger on people’s hearts and minds.”
“Chasing Lights” was performed with both a live band and professionally recorded audio tracks at Gateway’s 4,000-seat auditorium at the main campus. Over 46,000 saw the show’s 12 live performances and simulcast productions—and more than 10,000 streamed it.
The Technical Tools
The show is captured from two jib-mounted and four stationary camera locations supplemented with a handheld camera on stage. All cameras are Sony model HSC-300K with 14-bit A/D conversion and 2/3-inch Power HAD FX CCDs. A Sony MVS-8000G Broadcast Switcher, EVS XT3 Production Server with IP Director Content Manager are used for video playback and an Evertz EQX16 Video Router is used for content distribution with a Haivision KB Encoder/Transcoder Server for web streaming. The presentation is broadcast live to the church’s other five campuses in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex over fiber and is available as streamed content to individual IP addresses over the Internet.For attendees at remote campuses, the streamed content was carefully designed to fit into a typical one-hour service window so that campuses could present the show at regularly scheduled service times. The event at remote campuses was advertised as “a night at the movies,” and campuses enhanced the experience by offering the audience popcorn and hot chocolate. The broadcast was further edited and adapted to produce a children’s version. A meet-and-greet with costumed characters added to the excitement of the kid’s shows.
Creative Collaboration
Gateway Church has a history of remarkable Christmas shows. “Of course, it started on a smaller scale, [with] our first show in 2006 being more of a play,” recalls Thomas. “In 2011, Walker Beach, the pastor who was overseeing performing arts at Gateway at the time, came up with the idea of creating a new show using parodies of some of the most beloved songs from musicals—both Broadway and film.” Since so many people already loved the popular songs, the team saw the congregation establish an immediate emotional connection with the material. Leveraging that emotional connection, a story was developed centered on the idea of truth, which led to the production of Gateway’s first show of this type called “Truthical.”
Over 46,000 saw “Chasing Lights” in 12 live performances and simulcast productions—and more than 10,000 streamed it.
“Truthical” told the story of Natalie, a young woman who unexpectedly stumbles into a mysterious theater where she is introduced to the world of Truthical, a musical that helps people unpack their personal beliefs and discover truth. That production in 2011 was so well-received, that Gateway decided to revive it in 2014 and 2015 with major modifications to the characters and story, while maintaining the initial framework of the plot. This led to the creation of the new show, “Chasing Lights,” for 2016. This show exists in the same world as “Truthical” but tells a new story, introducing new characters and a new storytelling perspective of the Gospel message.For the 2016 season, four staff members made up the team of writers: Pastor Walker Beach; the musical director, David Schubert; Thomas and Snodgrass.
The majority of the lyrics and dialogue were written by Thomas and Snodgrass with Schubert providing strong musical arrangements and orchestrations. Primarily involved in launching the idea, Beach contributed to the lyrics, as well. Major contributors to the content and production, Thomas and Snodgrass were particularly well qualified to create a musical with a Gospel context. Thomas has a strong background in both music and theology, was a worship pastor for eight years, and served for 12 years in the church’s media department before becoming the ministry coordinator of weekend services. He is pleased to see how Gateway’s productions have expanded and how they serve to reach the community beyond the church’s walls. “People have really come to look forward to the Christmas show,” Thomas notes. “Our reputation has grown from our immediate congregation to family and friends to the community and now, even beyond that to our viewers on the Internet.”
Like Thomas, Snodgrass is not new to producing and directing a major presentation. Holding undergraduate degrees from Ouachita Baptist University (Biblical Studies) and Azusa Pacific University (Theatre), Snodgrass branched off into theater, attaining a Master’s degree in Theater Arts from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., before bringing his theatrical skills back to worship at Gateway Church. On staff at Gateway for three years, his theater experience has been invaluable to the team in creating the production value of the Christmas show. “Our shows present an approach that is different from typical worship,” Snodgrass says. “It’s a different approach to lighting: awareness of sightlines, scenery and construction. The audio and music for the Christmas show are also a departure from typical Sunday worship. They have their own theatrical character throughout that ties the show together.”
All cameras are Sony HSC-300K with 14-bit A/D conversion and 2/3-inch Power HAD FX CCDs.
Something that the theater world has taught Snodgrass is that, to be successful, a major production requires a major investment in time. “Creating something really special, like ‘Chasing Lights’ takes more time than people might think,” he says. “It is necessary to start many months ahead, working through developing the story and musical numbers, then, auditioning talent, rehearsing the cast and coordinating with all the technical departments to align the many technical details and effects.” Last year’s production employed a cast of 63 who were assembled in September for three months of rehearsal prior to the final rehearsals of tech week and an opening night in mid-December.
Adding New Technology
Logsdon worked as lighting director for last year’s show and will fill the technical director role this year. He notes that meeting the technical expectations of the show while preparing for regular Sunday services, major conferences held on campus, and the church’s multiple events during the week is a major challenge for all the Gateway technical teams.
“We are always preparing for the weekend service,” he says, “and that is our first responsibility.” So to ensure both safety and high quality, Gateway relies on augmenting its 50-70 staff members and volunteers involved with the show with the outside staffing of stagehands, labor, and technical experts from the Dallas/Fort Worth theater community. “We look for help on theatrical aspects we don’t handle normally,” says Logsdon, “leaning on professionals who do this everyday.”
Themes for Christmas shows are all around us as the season approaches, but the most effective ideas are often the ones that are most unexpected.
Engaging with outside expertise is key for a show of this magnitude since, to keep the show fresh, new and often cutting-edge special effects are added each year. In his six years at Gateway, Logsdon says the technical teams’ involvement with theatrical experts has provided not only a high-quality and safe production for the audience, but a unique educational experience for the technical teams. “Each year is an amazing opportunity for us to learn from these experts and grow,” says Logsdon. Last year, Gateway engaged Flying by Foy of Las Vegas to provide the expertise necessary to manually fly characters over the stage and audience. For this year’s production, the church contracted ZFX Inc. (commonly known as ZFX Flying) of Louisville, Ky., to handle performer flying effects.
“They are the experts in the installation and operation of automation hoists,” says Logsdon. “With that equipment, flying operations can be pre-programmed into scenes that we can playback.” In addition to flying characters, pyrotechnics was employed to increase excitement at key moments in the show. Jamie Smith of Star S Productions in Arlington, Texas, who works with Dallas sports franchises, provided early conferences on how best to use fire effects, and was contracted to operate the effects to ensure the safety of the cast and audience. An important effect used in Gateway productions to create mood and landscape effects is low fog. This is achieved with self-contained nitrogen units provided by Le Maitre Pyrotechnics and Special Effects of Las Vegas. The cart-mounted LGS (low smoke generator) MkII is able to reliably fill the 50-foot by 50-f00t performance area of the 70-foot by 60-foot stage deck with 1-2 feet of fog.
Obviously, considerable time and effort are spent designing and installing effects on Gateway’s stage. One of the most effective is a 30-foot diameter turntable rented from Dallas Stage Scenery Co. in Dallas. This device is used to turn scenery, as a dance set with dancers interacting with it, and also as dolly effect to move a scene from one side of the stage to another. Installation of the turntable required building the stage up one foot off the stage deck using 4-foot by 8-foot Staging Concepts SC90 stage deck platforms. “It is a lot of work to install and cover the platforms, but the turntable provides a great space for the actors and choreography,” says Logsdon.
… good writing and production value are key to achieving genuine moments on stage that connect directly with the hearts of an audience.
“It boosts the scenes where it’s used to another level.” As previously mentioned, Gateway’s 50-foot by 20-foot LED video wall is used throughout the show to provide both fluid video effects, as well as to augment the scenery on stage. “The video wall brings another element to the show,” notes Logsdon, “and it works remarkably well.” The LED video wall for the production was rented from Media Visions of Nashville and employed 297 Absen X5 LED tiles with NovaStar NovaPro HD LED processors. For the next production, Gateway will be using squareV’s V3 LED tiles with NovaStar MCTRL 4K LED processors. Because the high contrast of the LEDs can appear harsh, a scrim is used in front to provide a more theatrical look and to make it work better with traditional “flats.” In previous years, Gateway’s technical teams have relied on several moving-head projectors for environmental projection of scenery, as well as fire effects. According to Logsdon, the video wall provided a great replacement for projection and did away with the necessary preparation and maintenance of projectors.
The Story of “Chasing Lights”
Following the theme of Gateway’s previous hit “Truthical,” “Chasing Lights” tells the story of a character named Chase Adams, an ambitious go-getter trying to make his way in show business. As he’s looking for one big idea that will land his name bright in lights, he stumbles into the “Theatre of Life,” a place where what you believe is put on display. Chase meets a broom-wielding stagehand, Gill. Gill was a theatrical producer who became addicted to the process of work that he believed was providing for his family. One day, he came home to find his family gone. “The story exposes the irony in Gil’s life choices,” says Snodgrass, “that working so hard for his security (and that of his family), in the end, didn’t make him more secure. In each performance, this is a very emotional moment that touches the audience.
The show explores the characters of Mary and Joseph, the father aspect of God, parenting, trust and control, reliance, stewardship, career and about being on your own in the world. “It’s about getting people to think and question,” offers Snodgrass, “as Chase is taken through a whirlwind journey through song and dance that shows him the true story of Christmas.” As the show progresses, the audience joins Chase and Gil as they delve into their pasts, sharing their fears and failures. Chase ultimately finds himself facing an age-old decision: whether to maintain his control as he pursues fame in the theater or surrender to a God who has better plans for him than he could imagine. “It becomes about Chase trusting his control,” says Snodgrass, “or giving it up and surrendering to the Lord. In the final scenes, he must choose.”Snodgrass refers to this year’s revised version of “Chasing Lights” as the the show’s “2.0 version.”
The LED video wall for the production was rented from Media Visions of Nashville and employed 297 Absen X5 LED tiles with NovaStar NovaPro HD LED processors.
The characters will stay the same, continuing on their journeys with new musical selections and meeting new characters. “When you have the opportunity to do something again,” he says, “you can modify elements of the show to make them optimal. We know that our audience will be expecting to see a ‘new and improved’ version.” To that end, Gateway technical teams are considering staging two separate productions for 2017: one staged and lighted specifically for broadcast that would be recorded first, and then resetting the production for the series of live theatrical productions.With more and bigger effects, more Broadway-quality stage design, new quirky comedic moments, and show-stopping medleys, the remarkably talented cast of singers and dancers at Gateway will again deliver what is sure to be a hit. As with previous Gateway Christmas musicals, the hope is that the stirring characters and stunning presentation of the reinterpreted gospel message will make a difference in people’s lives.
As the musical’s founder, Pastor Beach, says, “Our hope is that Chasing Lights creates conversations, provides opportunities to invite people to church, and ultimately reaches the lost. That is why we do these productions.”
Andy McDonough is a freelance writer, photographer, musician, educator and consulting engineer based in Middleton, N.J. Among his favorite topics—the application of technology and music in houses of worship. He welcomes email at andymcd@comcast.net.
