BIS # 3615 KEEP THE FAITH - MUSICAL AT DIVYDAAN

by Dustin Yarde 

 

NASHIK-MAHARASHTRA, AUGUST 5, 2013: On the 3rd and the 4th of August 2013, the community of Divyadaan staged A Musical - "Keep the Faith." The musical was staged in the Divyadaan auditorium and received a very positive response in terms of attendance and reviews. The most unique feature was the fact that the entire musical (the script, lyrics of the songs, music score) was written and composed by the brothers themselves.

The motivation behind this endeavor was to help the people understand better the role of faith in their daily lives. The idea germinated in December last year and since then a small group of brothers have been working tirelessly on shaping the script and the songs.

"Keep the Faith" revolves around the life of Aaron, a 20 year old youngster who is confused at the crossroads of life; he has friendship issues and faces tensions within the family. Other central characters include Sam, a 33 year old scriptwriter who has lost his wife and son to a tragic accident and now lives a life of hopeless desperation and faithlessness in God. Then there's Mr. John Baker, Aaron's school teacher and novelist. John too has his own share of tragedies in life but unlike Sam he's still living a life filled with hope. Added to the mix are Aaron's parents who are facing a rough patch in their marriage. His father Charles, as is later revealed by his mother, is haunted by the memory of his cowardly act of when he fled from a man who had fatally injured himself to save Charles' life. Fr Peter provides some much needed consolation to the broken hearted while the character of Esther, a lively waitress with something more to offer than just food, provides a ray of sunshine to the otherwise serious tale. Of course the tale is narrated to us by Larry, the father of Esther who has lost a leg due to some mishap and who claims to have one wish that he's determined to fulfill even on one limb.

The lives of these characters intertwine and bring us to an interesting climax at the Dessert Café where Esther shares her own life story of how she grew up amidst 12 siblings in poverty stricken circumstances, and how it was her faith that always kept her going. However, Sam is still not convinced until Larry and Charles enter the café and Larry recognizes Charles as the man whose life he had saved but which inadvertently resulted in him losing his leg. Larry reveals how it was Esther's faith that helped him overcome the bitterness and hatred to reach a state of compassion and love for Charles whom he has forgiven. Since then his only wish in life had been that Charles too is able to forgive himself and experience the joy of life. Only then is Sam convinced that he too can rebuild his life as Larry has by keeping his faith in God. The scene ends with a happy Sam who volunteers to pay the bill and is surprised to find the biblical quote: "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Heb 11:1). Sam calls it a coincidence but John corrects him saying nothing is coincidence, everything is a miracle. Larry our narrator ends the play by exhorting the people to always keep the faith.

With a bit of humor, soul stirring music, some hip swinging dances, very convincing acting, melodious voices, creative and artistic stage setups and a rich message to take home, especially in this year of faith, it was an evening well spent reminding all those present to always "KEEP THE FAITH."