Easter: Some churches spend millions to stage plays as others take different view

Whatever it is, Kenyans are in for a theatrical treat this weekend. 

Example one: The International Christian Centre (ICC), Nairobi. Here, a crew of 100 has been assembled to present a musical titled “Trial of Hearts”.

There are actors, singers, backstage crew, name them.

The church, located along Mombasa Road, has been staging Easter musicals since 2017, attracting both worshippers and non-worshippers who throng there to be treated to unique theatrical performances. The church doesn’t charge entry fees despite spending millions to put the musicals together.

This year’s musical, which has eight scheduled shows that began on Wednesday and will end on Sunday, has a cast comprising both actors who worship at the church and others who were picked from elsewhere after an audition call that went out in January.

One of the non-members taking part is Neema Mtawali, the daughter of renowned singer and voice coach Hellen Mtawali. She is one of the main characters and her singing prowess becomes clear early in the musical.

“Professionally, I’m a musician. I’m a vocalist. I’ve been a background singer for a couple of people. I taught music in a school in Kibera, called Ushirika Children’s Centre. I identify with music most, but after this [musical], I will call myself an actress,” she told Nation on Wednesday ahead of the musical’s premiere.

Example two: The North Point Baptist Church in Nairobi. On Good Friday, a musical titled “The Risen Christ” was staged between 2pm and 4pm.
Example three: Joy Christian Fellowship in Ongata Rongai. Between 3pm and 5.30pm on Easter Sunday, they will be staging a musical.

“Come witness the story of love, sacrifice, and victory brought to life through drama, music and scripture. It’s more than a play — it’s a message of hope for every heart,” a church minister, Douglas Ekisa, a pastor posted on Friday.

The next example is more widespread: The Catholic Church. Participation of the faithful in the Way of the Cross on Good Friday is hard to miss.

Whereas the Catholic church is not big on staged performances, two priests who are also scholars told Nation that the processions that begin on Palm Sunday, all the way to the washing of feet on the eve of Good Friday and the Way of the Cross are a unique form of drama.

Fr Prof John Mary Lukwata, a theology lecturer at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, said there used to be drama in liturgical celebrations, but shifts happened.

“The church felt that if we emphasise the drama, we might end up putting it up as a show. So, we have limited it now; it is not that we don’t [stage plays],” he said.

“A day like Good Friday is a very good example of the Catholic Church re-enacting the Way of the Cross and giving people a chance to kind of reflect and meditate. So, we do have drama [by re-enacting],” he added.

Fr Prof Lawrence Njoroge, a professor of development studies and ethics at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, where he is also the institution’s Catholic chaplain, said the Roman Catholic Church typically doesn’t witness many plays and shows about Easter.

“The Christians are asked to participate in the liturgy itself,” he said. “I’ve looked through the Catholic Code of Canon Law (1983) and there’s nothing on staging plays and musicals.”

Fr Njoroge noted that the Holy Week is, by and large, a drama in the Catholic Church.

“The liturgy of Holy Week, especially Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter vigil, is drama in itself. Palm Sunday, the carrying of branches,

Thursday with the washing of disciples’ feet. The Gospel of Jesus’ passion is itself dramatised in singing on Good Friday. The Easter Triduum is pure drama,” said Fr Njoroge.

Fr Lukwata noted that the Catholic church puts more emphasis on the participation of the people through the sacrament.

“[There is] participation of the people, and less drama, but going to the very things that they believe in through the sacraments because the drama sometimes might lead people to a show. Those who are not actively involved in it might be reduced to onlookers.”

Typically, plays staged in churches are performed at the altar. Fr Lukwata noted that whereas it is not prohibited to have performances once the Blessed Sacrament has been stored elsewhere, the church prefers using alternative venues for dramatised performances.

“The [church] might advise that if it is not really necessary to hold the function in the church, they could look for the venue in the parish hall or in any other space that is adjacent to the church,” he said.

The reason for protecting the altar, he said, is because of the Bible verse that says the church should be a house of prayer.

“Hence, whatever we allow to be done (as staged performance) must ultimately give glory to God,” Fr Lukwata noted.

Churches that stage performances say it is a unique way to get new converts. For instance, at the ICC Nairobi, a pastor comes up to the stage at the end of every show to preach. The pastor then urges anyone willing to accept Christ to do so.

Wambua Nzaku, is one of the pastors at ICC Nairobi, overseeing the church’s creative arts ministry. He is wowed every time he sees masses of people thronging the church’s precincts to watch Easter musicals. At the premiere on Wednesday, the main church was filled up, as were two other adjacent locations. An announcer said there were easily more than 2,000 people present in the musical that ran from 7.10pm to 8.45pm.

“It does surprise us because we have all kinds of people who come,” said Mr Wambua.

He added that staging free but thoroughly organised plays is part of ICC Nairobi’s strategy to “evangelise and convert at least a million people by 2030”.

“These Easter performances have become one of our tools of evangelism. When we stage these shows, different people come, they watch, and they see the story of Jesus told from different perspectives. So, it challenges believers, it challenges people who are not necessarily believers, and out of that we see people coming forward and just saying ‘I want to give my life to Jesus Christ’ or ‘I want to change my ways’ or ‘this play has changed how I perceive life’ or ‘I’m going to make amends with family members or colleagues or friends or something where broken relationships are.’ So, it is a very significant part of our ministry now,” said Pastor Wambua.

Kimani Gichia, a technology expert, is playing Jesus in this year’s ICC Nairobi musical. He told Nation that he knows a few people who have come from other churches to perform musicals and ended up becoming faithful at ICC.

“Once we’ve worked with them together for four five or six weeks depending on the length it takes, we have found some of them have made this their home,” said Mr Gichia, who has been fellowshipping at ICC since 2009.

“There are others that have been invited as friends, or even colleagues, to come and see the production and thereafter have gravitated towards ICC. So, we have seen that impact over and over again. And I do personally know a few of such people who have become members of ICC as a result,” he added.
Neema Mtawali said that during the rehearsals at the church, she has made friends and met people “who will stay in my life forever”.
“This is a church-based production, and I feel the community is amazing,” she said.

Wellington Mutinda is one of the worshippers at ICC Nairobi. He has been a church member since 2016 and has watched at least four Easter musicals.

“I connect to the musicals as they have an aspect of being realistic. They don’t just tell the Bible story as it is. They go deeper. They paint it from a world perspective; so we can see it from real life. Last year’s musical was about a girl going through a crisis in her young adulthood, which many people go through and reform over time. So, I like the fact that it’s more realistic. It doesn’t just paint the Jesus picture but it goes deeper to align it with real life,” he told Nation.

A customer relationship manager with a tech firm, Mr Mutinda believes that storytelling is a good way to send a message, rather than replaying the scriptures plainly.

“Storytelling is always the best; not just telling the story of Jesus. It is because many people, over the years, have read the story [in the Bible]. So, they know it a bit. But not many people know how to apply it from a real-life perspective. So, I think I prefer it on the creative side, you know, when created into a different side as compared to just reading the [Bible] text the way it is. So, when they use examples of real people or real-life situations, it makes it more encouraging,” he said.

All around the world, churches stage various performances to pass the Easter message to believers. From musicals to skits to films played in church, believers are spoilt for choice.

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