Above All 2018 Coverage Schedule

We were at the Above All Launch Party last night and found out some of the changes to the production and the latest schedule for practices and performances.  We'll run through all of these right here; but we'll also have a video on our YouTube channel later detailing our thoughts, especially on the changes and expectations for the production this year.  With that in mind, here's the quick run through.

Changes to the Production

Less Allows For More

One of the most awe inspiring moments about Above All is the opening video.  It brings the audience into the time of Christ and provides plenty of backstory to make sure everyone is caught up with where we are at in the story of Christ's last days.  While the video is both impressive and effective, it is lengthy and makes the production feel front loaded with exposition.  This year, the video will be shorter, roughly around half the original video's run time.  This will allow the live action to get rolling and bring the audience from viewers to participants in the last moments of Christ's life. 

Flashback Brings More Hope

One of the things that detracts from Above All is the lack of miracles performed by Christ.  While the life of Christ is far more than the miracles and the healing ministry, those events are what a lot of people think about when they think about the life of Christ.  This year, there will be a scene that takes us back in time to witness Christ's miracle working power live on stage.  No spoilers on which miracles will be reenacted, but this scene is being plotted to directly engage the audience and could very well be one of the most powerful scenes in the play. 

New Songs Freshens Things Up

Above All has had some great songs so far.  Just as music consistently updates in style, Above All is updating its music selection to provide some newer songs that will relate to the newer scenes. This is nothing new as they added a couple of new songs last year.  It's one of the best examples of what makes Above All worth revisiting each year.  This production is constantly looking to improve and develop its portrayal of Christ while holding to the integrity of the story.

Above All on the Road

A couple of scenes from Above All will be performed at another church.  We will wait to see the official announcement of this so the church in question can enjoy the reveal.  However, we will provide full coverage of our time on the road and our experiences bringing Above All to another congregation and community.

More To Come

There are several other changes and alterations to the production that we don't want to share here because we don't want to spoil anything.  These changes will help to expand the story of Christ as it is told in the Bible but still allow the majority of the production to focus on Christ's last days. Based on the alterations shared at the Launch Party, we can say that Above All is worth anyone's time.  Whether you've seen it before or not, this production will be a moving, accurate and fresh presentation of Christ and His last days.  As we go along with our coverage, we may reveal some of these adjustments to further whet your appetite.

Speaking of our coverage, here's the schedule for when you can expect us to update our coverage of Above All.  Noted in the schedule is whether it will appear on our website or our YouTube channel.  (All of these dates are subject to change)

Schedule

February 15:  Recap of Last Supper rehearsal (website)
February 17:  Recap of Betrayal rehearsal (website)
February 19:  Week One Thoughts (YouTube)
February 23:  Recap of Miracles rehearsal (website)
February 24:  Recap of Temple Cleansing rehearsal (website)
February 26:  Week Two Thoughts (YouTube)

March 2:   Recap of Triumphal Entry (website)
March 3:   Blogging from the Road (website)
March 5:   Week 3 Thoughts (YouTube)
March 8:   Preview of Full Dress Rehearsals (website)
March 12: Week 4 Thoughts (YouTube)
March 15: Recap of Full Dress Rehearsals (website)
March 19: Week 5 Thoughts (YouTube)
March 21: Readying for Performances (website/YouTube)
March 22-25: recap of each Performance (website)
March 26: Recap of Week One Performances (YouTube)
March 29-31: Preview of Week Two Performances (website)

April 3:    Recap of week Two Performances (YouTube)
April 9:    Review of Above All (website)
April 10:  Final Thoughts on Above All (YouTube)

That's 17 website entries and 9 YouTube audio/video entries for Above All.  It's going to be our most extensive coverage of any event since this site went live over 4 years ago.  We are excited about this, and all the other coverage we'll be providing.  Click here to read about those other offerings and remember to go over to our YouTube channel to subscribe to get the latest videos.  Also consider heading over to Facebook to sign up for further updates and check out our Patreon page, which now has all of our posts there for free!