Draped in a gray, long-sleeved robe, a man stands onstage, his hands separated by about 15 links of silver chain. “I’m confined in prison yet totally free,” he sings to God.
Documenting Paul’s conversion from a Jewish Sanhedrin student to a Christian apostle in flashback format, “Chains” is the first musical performed by Burning Bush Productions, a new theater group on campus started by Music freshman Stephanie Zachrich.
Burning Bush Productions is the sister organization of Sonshine, a 22-year-old production company in Columbus, Ohio, that Zachrich has belonged to since 1996. Sonshine performs original Bible-based musicals written by Mark Fox and tours across the United States during the summer.
Zachrich said Sonshine helped teach her about God and Bible stories.
“Knowing these people, like Paul, and knowing about God through these musicals totally changed my faith. And when I got to college, I missed it and felt that something was lacking in my life,” Zachrich said. “I started Burning Bush Productions to give other people the opportunity to find out about their faiths.”
In November, when the idea of Burning Bush Productions began to formulate in Zachrich’s head, she contacted Fox and asked if she could use his “Chains” script because she thought it was “the most powerful of his five original musicals.”
Fox, who founded Sonshine and wrote “Chains” when he was 19 years old, shipped Zachrich the scripts and lent her the costumes. First United Methodist Church allowed Burning Bush Productions to use its stage and lighting.
“It’s pretty amazing that (the church’s music director) trusts a bunch of university kids to come into his church and perform,” Zachrich said.
Speech freshman Ryan Glass said Zachrich had difficulty trying to get people to audition for “Chains.”
“A lot of people thought it was an outside church group trying to get Northwestern kids to act in their play, when it is actually a student group just using the church’s stage,” said the theater major.
Glass, who plays Paul’s friend Jonas, said he was originally drawn to the show because it was student-written.
Like Glass, Music and Weinberg sophomore Peter Lawson, who plays Paul, appreciated doing a lesser known, student-written musical because of the creativity associated with it.
“With well-known musicals, you are told you need to play this scene with the character more introspective and you have to carry an umbrella or else it’s just not right,” Lawson said.
Despite his creative freedom, Lawson acknowledged challenges associated with “Chains.”
“When people go to see ‘Joseph’ (and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), for example, they go in singing all the songs and spend the show waiting for their favorite moments,” Lawson said. “With ‘Chains,’ you have to sell something that is a totally new concept to everyone.”
Although the musical is new to NU, some audience members will be familiar with the show. Fox, original “Chains” cast members from 20 years ago and other Sonshine alumni who performed in “Chains” with Zachrich six years ago will be in the audience.
“I just want the show to be the best it can be to show everyone, not just particularly them,” Zachrich said. “I am just so excited to have them coming.”
Zachrich hopes to continue directing and producing new Bible-based musicals for the Northwestern community. Her goal for Burning Bush Productions “is to start out next year Waa-Mu-style by writing our own scripts next fall or even over the summer.”
Although “Chains” recounts a Christian story, both Lawson and Zachrich believe that the show can be performed for people of all religions.
“Like taking a class in Christianity at Northwestern, it’s a learning experience,” Zachrich said. “You could agree with everything the play says, or just sit back and say, ‘This is cool. So this is what Christianity is all about.'” nyou
