News and Updates

Following prayerful consideration, the Mark Drama Australia Steering Committee have made the decision to extend postponement of productions for June 2020.

Further decisions regarding July onward will be announced closer to the date.

Mark Drama Australia had planned many productions for 2020 across our nation and beyond. We are saddened not to be able to partner with churches and Christian university groups to bring the good news of the kingdom of God to people who so desperately need it. But we take comfort in the knowledge that God is still in control and that nothing happens outside of his will (James 4:13-15).

Please continue to join us in prayer to our kind and merciful God. Pray for churches and university Christian groups, adjusting to a changed environment of ministry. Pray for those sick and vulnerable to know the comfort of Christ. And pray for an end to this pandemic, and for the return of our king Jesus.

Following prayerful consideration and consultation, Mark Drama Australia has postponed all Mark Drama productions until at least June 2020.

The decision was made with sadness, as there were many churches and university groups we were looking forward to partnering with across the Easter season. Following and confirming our decision, we have learnt the Australian government has placed a ban upon indoor gatherings of more than 100 people.

We are confident that Jesus’s death and resurrection assure us of his triumph over all evil (Mark 16:6, Colossians 2:15). And we are convinced that Australia and the world deeply need to hear the message of the kingdom of God, to ‘repent and believe the good news’ (Mark 1:15). However, at this time it is wise to suspend productions so to avoid the further spread of COViD-19. Mark Drama Australia has always sought to serve the local church and parachurch organisations, and we will continue to do so into the future. We give thanks for the hundreds of Christians across the country who have being preparing for productions and pray that they have benefited much from their study of Mark.

While autumn 2020 is not the right environment to stage the Mark Drama, Mark’s message is timeless. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (1:1). We rejoice that he is compassionate and kind, and willing to make us clean from sin (1:40). Please join with us in praying that God will mercifully limit the spread and effect of the virus upon our country and the world. Pray for health professional, that they will be strengthened by the Great Healer. And pray for Christians everywhere, that they will be bold to share the good news of the kingdom of God.

Source: https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/breaking-ban-on-non-essential-gatherings-of-more-than-100-people/

We’re excited to partnering with Christ Life West Toowoomba Presbyterian to produce the Mark Drama this coming weekend.

Performance times:
Saturday 13/04/19 7:00pm
Sunday 14/04/19 2:00pm

Location:
492 South Street, Glenvale

Tickets:
Free, no need to book ahead

The Mark Drama returns to Victoria next week as a team from the University of Melbourne puts on two performances.

Last year, the Mark Drama was performed across Melbourne and Geelong. We asked some of the actors from these productions to share their thoughts about how the productions went:

‘The Mark Drama helped me view Jesus more as a real-life person… I’ll always remember the scene when Pilate is asking what Jesus has done wrong, only to have everyone shout back to crucify Jesus. Knowing that Jesus was perfect but seeing the hatred in others which caused his death was really confronting. And Jesus willingly endured it! He was punished unjustly and he could have avoided it, but stayed because of his love and compassion for us, for me… Afterwards a young woman approached me to say how it made the story seem more real to her too!’

‘Two friends of mine said they left loving Jesus more… They left all the more hyped up to tell people about Jesus!’

“I got to talk to people about the Mark Drama to my friends who came for weeks afterwards! People were so impacted by it and I thank God!’

Melbourne  friends, make sure you don’t miss out!

Performance times:
Tuesday 16/04/19 7:00pm
Wednesday 17/04/19 7:00pm

Location:
Junior Common Room, Queen’s College, College Crescent, Parkville

Tickets:
$10, book now to ensure a seat!

By Amy Cheng, Member of Grace Point Presbyterian, Lidcombe

“No acting experience required. Looking for people who love Jesus.” Those were the requirements to join the Mark Drama production at my church in Lidcombe.

I first heard about the Mark Drama from a missionary who had returned from the mission field. Sharing about her time on mission to a group of uni students at their annual conference, she talked about the production. As she described it, I grew more and more fascinated by the unusual aspects of it – no script, central staging, and actors interacting with the audience. I wanted to see it for myself, however, the Mark Drama had not made its way to Australia yet.

In 2015, I got my first chance to see it at Moore College, and was gripped and moved by it. A year later, I saw another production by Credo, which some of my friends acted in. I vowed to take part in it if it came to my church. I finally got that chance in 2018. There was no script to learn but all actors of the cast had to familiarise themselves with Andrew Page’s The Mark Experiment book. It was divided into six sections, with each section representing an aspect of Jesus’ life and ministry. The cast was given six weeks to read through, learn and memorise the sections. Memorising the sections was often a laborious process, with me constantly falling behind and needing to memorise two sections in one week.

Before I knew it, the week of rehearsals had arrived. We were given our roles just days prior to the first rehearsal ; I was cast as one of the plus cast. With just two days until production, no scripts, and a cast full of inexperienced actors, it seemed like an impossible task.

However, it all came together beautifully during rehearsals, and I sensed God at work helping to bring it all together. The directors also provided invaluable assistance in teaching us how to deliver our lines. The most valuable thing they taught us, however, was to pray for each other during the performance, particularly for the actor playing Jesus.

Soon, it was the night of the first performance. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. As the audience trickled in, I grew more and more petrified. What if I forget my lines? What if I can’t act convincingly? However, I reminded myself that this was not a performance to bring glory to myself but to God.

As a member of the plus cast, I had several roles to play. My favourite was the widower who offered up her two measly coins during offertory time. She gave all she had because she recognised the value of Jesus.

Acting in the Mark Drama was an unforgettable experience. Right from the memorisation process, rehearsals and through to performance day, I was able to see Jesus’s life and ministry in a different way. By putting myself in the shoes of those who were healed by Him, listened to His teachings, and witnessed His crucifixion, I marvelled at the great man that He is – compassionate, merciful, gracious, loving and infinitely wise.