Little did I know at the time but God was doing His thing and working overtime on me.

And at that point in time, in 2006 I was just concluding a 30-year plus tenure of the founding Publisher of the Regional National Editions of Playbill®️ The National Theatre Magazine. My closest associates and friends were from the Theatre world as one would expect, and I had attended the 2005 Christmas Pageant at First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale and in industry vernacular I was WOWed!

Mind you I was a jaundiced veteran of well over a hundred Tony Award®️ winning Broadway touring blockbuster musical productions and being “WOWed” from a seen-it-all, more than once kinda’ guy stuck with me.

One of my closest industry friends was Variety writer and Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. theater critic Jack Zink.  I mentioned to Jack ‘ya gotta see this show’ and by way of hype to impress “Jack, they have a cast of thousands…..”

“Thousands?” Jack repeated, “Thousands….?”

“Jack, it’s an extravaganza!!” 

Jack was vaguely familiar and admitted to seeing the press releases through the years and in fact included some calendar info in years passed but had never seen the non-equity (industry lingo for repertory) production.

I bought the tickets and we sat front row just past the break between front and rear orchestra (thank you Pastor Larry) and watched the production until a gargantuan live camel paraded in front of our seats and Jack looked at me smiling and said, “thousands.”

Below are excerpted paragraphs from the Jack Zink Theatre review.

God was in control I was soon to learn.

– Les

For more on Les, visit https://www.goodnewsfl.org/about-good-news/