Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Esther is a play based on a biblical story called the Book of Esther, and has seen a great many renditions throughout the course of history. Plays, mystery theatre performances and religious presentations all depicting Esther date back to the early 1500s. These plays were popular with a wide array of cultures, as Esther was portrayed in Jewish dramas, Italian verse mysteries, French plays, English verse plays, Portuguese plays and German performances, among others. Over its lengthy history, the story has been performed in just about every genre possible, and has been enjoyed by countless audiences as a comedy, a tragedy, a political piece, a drama, a musical, a religious piece and a historical performance.
The multitude of varied performances have followed the story of the heroine Esther, who swiftly became an icon in society of feminine modesty, courage and self-sacrifice, and in religious context, her story passes along the message that the biblical God is always working behind the scenes, and is not oblivious to the trials of His people.
In the Book of Esther, the story is told of a Hebrew woman who becomes queen of Persia. With help from her cousin, she is able to persuade her husband, the king, to retract an order for the general annihilation of Jewish people throughout the empire that was planned by the king's chief minister. Her story provides the traditional explanation for the Jewish holiday of Purim, which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from genocide.
On Aug. 5 and 6, local homeschool students performed a musical rendition of the story of Esther at the Monticello Opera House. Below is a review of the performance written by Michelle Dollar, one of the Jefferson County Homeschool Association (JCHAI) parents:
“Written and produced by a local couple, Stephanie and Adam Parker, owners of Parker Music Academy, Esther the Musical was a huge success for the Monticello Opera House,” writes Dollar. “The cast and crew consisted entirely of homeschooled children from Monticello and the surrounding area who practiced all summer to present this show which is based on the Biblical account of Esther.”
“Friday night the children, ages 7 to 17, performed to a sold-out crowd, and Saturday boasted over 200 people in both the matinee and evening performances. The audience was moved to tears as the Jews were exiled from their home during the dramatic musical number, “Deliver Us,” and then laughed as young Esther (Hadassah) teased her Uncle Mordecai with a frog while singing the duet “Having Fun.” The narrator, Sarah, enthralled the audience with dramatic monologues that moved the plot seamlessly through scenes, such as the King and his advisors in the palace with dancers and acrobats entertaining the crowd, to Queen Vashti being exiled while her jealous attendants watched in glee. Spontaneous laughter erupted as Memucan and Admatha, the king’s advisors, begged the king not to let the women in the kingdom get out of control, and everyone loved to hate the evil Haman who demanded the people to bow to him. The musical highlights of the show included the solo “For Such a Time as This” sung by Esther as she prepared to approach the King uninvited and the song “He Is By Your Side,” a moving number sung by Sarah, Esther’s (fictional) best friend. This family-friendly show was a delight to all, young and old, as it brought the Bible to life through the costumes, props, backdrops, lighting and of course, the acting. Congratulations to the cast, crew and directors of Esther the Musical! If you missed this show, be on the lookout for their next summer homeschool production in 2023.”
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