Programme for Christmas Mysteries

THE CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES
St. Andrew’s Church Shottery
A theatrical presentation of stories from the medieval York Mystery
Plays adapted and directed by Revd. Dr. Paul Edmondson.
EVENTS IN DECEMBER 2013
Thursday 19th: 7.30 pm
Christmas Carols by candlelight
Sunday 22nd
with nostalgic readings of country
6.30pm The
Christmases.
Christmas
Mulled wine and mince pies will be
served before the Concert.
In aid of
Carol Service
with St.
Andrew’s full
The Shakespeare Hospice
(NO CHARGE but Donations will be
Choir.
gratefully accepted)
CHRISTMAS DAY
Tuesday 24th:
Wednesday 25th:
4.00pm
Children’s Service.
8.00am 1662
7.00pm
Carols at The Bell.
Holy Communion.
10.00am
11.15pm Midnight Holy
Artwork by David Shilvock
Family
Holy Communion
Communion
www.saintandrewsshottery.org
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St. Andrew’s Church Shottery.
Friday 13th and Saturday
1 14th December 2013
50p
but special thanks are due to Laura Pring,
my assistant director, Andrew and Julie
to Christmas Milne (stage-management and costume),
Mysteries!
Larry and Rosemary Robson (music),
During the year Jeannette Davey (handbells and slung
several people mugs), and to Margaret Spencer for
suggested to
looking after the Box Office “hot-line”.
me that we
Our thanks are also due to:
might try out some medieval mystery
plays here at St Andrew’s.
Stratford Antiques and Interiors for the
A ‘Mystery Play’ is really a ‘Workers’
loan of the joint-stools for Mary and
Play’, plays based on Bible stories perJoseph; David Gravestock for the printing
formed by the medieval guilds of various of the scripts; Headmistress Sarah
crafts (or mysteries). Then my friend Ivy Marshall and her staff of St Andrew’s
Calvert gave me a copy of J. S. Purvis’s
School; Holy Trinity Church for the loan
York Mystery Cycle. Coming from York
of the handbells and Ursula Russell of the
myself, it was as though the stage was
Holy Trinity Players for the loan of some
almost set. I am indebted to the York
of the costumes; Stratford Symphony
plays, but I have unashamedly cut, reOrchestra and Andrew Holtom for the
jigged, interpolated, and revised the text loan of the percussion; Peter Davey for
as the spirit moved me. The results are making the slung mugs so that it can rain
much shorter versions of the plays to
for forty days and forty nights; Jennifer
which I’ve added ‘The Return to
Hankin for the graphic poster design and
Nazareth.’
David Shilvock of St Andrew’s School for
designing the winning poster in our
And all of the songs!
competition.
Please look out for your opportunity to
stand and sing as the audience, too:
Our production salutes the centenary
‘Eternal Father, Strong to Save’ (to help
year of the birth of Sir Benjamin Britten.
out the souls of humans and animals on
The animal masks have been kindly
Noah’s Ark), ‘Tell Out, My Soul’ (to share
loaned by the great and local Orchestra
something of Mary’s joy when she learns
of the Swan from their production of
she is to give birth to Jesus), ‘While
Britten’s Noye’s Fludde. The masks for
Shepherds Watched’ (to experience the
Mr and Mrs Raven and Mr and Mrs Dove
wonder and joy of the shepherds, to the
were made for us especially by Denise
tune of ‘On Ilkley Moor Bah Tat’ – the
Bradwell. The painter Sir Stanley
tune was originally written for the carol),
Spencer inspired the design of the
‘It Came Upon A Midnight Clear’, and
producAon: a 1940s-50s feeling of the
‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing.’
ordinary being made extraordinary.
This production would not have been
possible without lots of lovely people
Thank you for coming (sing with all you
gathering around with a strong sense of might!) and please stay for refreshments
wanting to do it in the first place. Their
in the Parish Hall afterwards.
names are all printed in this programme,
2 Paul Edmondson, Adapter and Director.
Welcome
Front of House
Jenny and Mike Gregg,
Julie Cherry and Jill Hurst,
Sylvaine and David Gravestock.
Filming
Gavin Birkett
Photographer
Naomi Whittaker
Costumes
Julie Milne, Denise Bradwell
and Sarah Milne
Stage Manager
Andrew Milne
Stage Hand
Sarah Milne
Backstage Help
Kay Dyer, Corinne Richardson,
and Barbara Wood
Lighting
David Challis
Sound
Roy Dyer
Musical Director
Rosemary Robson
Musical Arrangements
Larry Robson
Handbell and Rain Director Jeanette Davey
Publicity and Programmes
Clodagh Mallison
Box Office
Margaret Spencer
Catering
Hillary Mattocks, Margaret Spencer,
Carole Taylor and The Ladies’ Fellowship
Assistant Director
Laura Pring
Adapted and Directed by
Paul Edmondson
I should like to dedicate this producon to Revd. James Warren
and to his wife Jill for their encouragement and many
kindnesses during my first curacy. Paul Edmondson
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HARK, THE HERALD ANGELS SING
Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic host proclaim,
'Christ is born in Bethlehem.'
Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born King.
CAST (in order of appearance)
Voices of God (CreaAon)
Clodagh Mallison
Judith Fogg
Jackie Daniels
Voices of God (Noah’s Ark)
ChrisAne Susnik
Hilary Capron
Marion Davies
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a Virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see:
hail, the incarnate Deity,
pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born King.
Noah
John Naish
Shem
James Cushing
Noah’s wife
Johanna Lawrence
Ham
Tom Pedley
Japheth
Eliot Reaney
Noah’s daughters-in-law
Claire Bradwell
Lauren Bradwell
Kasia Ciepalowicz
Mary
Lily Robson
Angel Gabriel
Orion Johnson
Joseph
Eliot Reaney
Shepherds
Sarah Cushing
Doris Stewart
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace:
hail, the Sun of Righteousness.
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die,
born to raise the sons of earth,
born to give them second birth.
Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born King.
Tom Pedley
King Herod
Bob Macvie
Kings
James Warren
David Millington
John Fletcher
Herod’s Messenger
Susie Fletcher
Herod’s Councillors
Jill Warren
Carole Taylor
The Infant Jesus
Annabel Brookes (maAnee)
ScarleJ Talbot
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3
IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
ANIMALS ON THE ARK WHO ALSO BECOME ANGELS
Ewan Blatcher
Maddy Codd
Eleanor Cherry
Jacob Harrison
Owen Hillis
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From Heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn sAllness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
Vanessa Hillis
Samuel Hopgood
Eleanor Mula-Young
Max Pedley
Lidia Perez-Porras
RAINBOW ANGELS and HEAVENLY HOST
David Capron
Paul Edmondson
Les Emes
Samuel Hopgood
Janet Insoll
Carole Taylor
Joyce Taylor
SAll through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And sAll their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendours fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.
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MUSICIANS
Thus spake the seraph: and forthwith
The Band
(and forthwith)
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels praising God who thus
Conductor/Clarinet
Larry Robson
Organ/Piano/Violin
Rosemary Robson
Violin
(Of angels praising God who thus)
Of angels praising God who thus
(Of angels praising God who thus)
Addressed their joyful song:
Lily Robson
Kasia Ciepalowicz
Viola/Trumpet
Laura Pring
Viola
Karen Reaney
Viola
Anthony McIsaac
Cello
Bill Tucker
Addressed their joyful song:
Judy Jones
Addressed their joyful song:
Jackie Whiteman
Tenor Sax
Sarah Jones
Clarinet
Vanessa Gravestock (Sat)
All glory be to God on high,
(God on high)
And to the earth be peace;
The Recorder Group
Goodwill henceforth from highest heaven
(Goodwill henceforth from highest heaven)
Goodwill henceforth from highest heaven
Paul Edmondson (solo)
Sarah Jones
Fiona Macvie
Karen Reaney
(Goodwill henceforth from highest heaven)
Larry Robson
Rosemary Robson
Begin and never cease!'
Laura Pring
Begin and never cease!'
Jill Warren
Begin and never cease!'
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5
To you in David's town this day
The Rainmakers
Anne Challis/Susie Fletcher
The Handbell Ringers
Jeanette Davy
Conductor
Anne Challis
Paul Edmondson
Susie Fletcher
Janet Insoll
Hilary Mattocks
Andrew Mills
(town this day)
Is born of David's line
A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
(A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.)
A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
(A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.)
And this shall be the sign:
And this shall be the sign:
Larry Robson
Carole Taylor
And this shall be the sign:
The heavenly Babe you there shall find
(there shall find)
To human view displayed,
All meanly wrapped in swaddling bands,
(All meanly wrapped in swaddling bands,)
All meanly wrapped in swaddling bands,
(All meanly wrapped in swaddling bands,)
To human view displayed,
To human view displayed,
To human view displayed.’
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WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED THEIR FLOCK BY NIGHT
“On Ilkley Moor Bah Tat”
The Choir
(if you would like to, please join in with the echoes with the choir)
Soprano
Hilary Capron
Kasia Ciepalowicz
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
Sarah Cushing
(flocks by night)
Susie Fletcher
Lindsey Gravestock (Sat)
All seated on the ground,
Vanessa Gravestock (Sat)
The angel of the Lord came down
Sarah Jones
Fiona Macvie
(The angel of the Lord came down)
Lily Robson
The angel of the Lord came down
Margaret Smith
(The angel of the Lord came down)
Caroline Stewart
Doris Stewart
And glory shone around!
Jill Warren
Alto
And glory shone around!
Denise Andreo
Judy Jones
Laura Pring
And glory shone around!
Karen Reaney
Jackie Whiteman
Arnrid Wood
'Fear not,' said he - for mighty dread
Tenor
(mighty dread)
David Capron
Bob Wright (Sat)
Had seized their troubled mind -
Bass
John Fletcher
Neville Jones
'Glad tidings of great joy I bring
Anthony McIsaac
(Glad tidings of great joy I bring)
'Glad tidings of great joy I bring
(Glad tidings of great joy I bring)
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ETERNAL FATHER, STRONG TO SAVE
TELL OUT, MY SOUL
Cast only: Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Solo: Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
Its own appointed limits keep:
Tender to me the promise of his word;
O hear us when we cry to thee
In God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
For those in peril on the sea.
Everyone:
Stand
Stand
O Saviour, whose almighty word
All: Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,
His mercy sure, from age to age to same;
And calm, amid its rage, didst sleep;
His holy Name--the Lord, the Mighty One.
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Choir only: O sacred Spirit, who didst brood
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Upon the waters dark and rude,
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
And bid their angry tumult cease,
The hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
And give, for wild confusion, peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
For those in peril on the sea.
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Everyone:
O Trinity of love and power,
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children's children and for evermore!
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
And ever let there rise to thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
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