Frank Runyeon will be visiting Laurens, Boone

By JULIE KEANE, Globe staff reporter
November 4, 2004

BOONE/LAURENS - Hollywood actor, Frank Runyeon, will be performing for parishioners and invited guests at Sacred Heart in Boone and Sacred Heart in Laurens in November.

Runyeon will be making a stop in Boone on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. to perform 3 1/2 Stories of Christmas. On Nov. 22, Runyeon will be in Laurens at 7 p.m. to perform his one-man drama Sermon on the Mount and also give a presentation called Hollywood vs. Faith.

Runyeon is nationally known for his work as a translator and performer of Biblical texts. He has performed for thousands of people in almost every state in the U.S.

His previous acting work consists of playing the character Steve Andropoulos in As the World Turns for seven years. He also starred in Santa Barbara as Father Michael Donnelly.

He has a degree in religion from Princeton University. After studying acting in New York and Los Angeles for 15 years, he attended Fuller Seminary in preparation for the writing and performance of his first one-man play, AFRAID!: The Gospel of Mark. In 1994, Runyeon earned his master's at Yale Divinity School and General Theological Seminary.

"Frank Runyeon will be coming to put on two performances here," noted Kerrie Woodley, parishioner of Sacred Heart in Laurens. "The first part of the evening is Sermon on the Mount. He sets the sermon in a new perspective, new setting told by the apostle Matthew. The second half of the performance is Hollywood vs. Faith. The second part deals with what he calls the struggle to live as a Christian in the age of media values."

During the Sermon on the Mount, Runyeon sets the scene in a new setting as told by Matthew to the church of Antioch. During this setting, the stories of the people, which Matthew may have addressed, come to life.

In the presentation of Hollywood vs. Faith, Runyeon will speak about how he has felt torn between the world of media and the world of faith. He uses his personal examples and life lessons in this performance.

During the 3 1/2 Stories of Christmas, Runyeon plays an imperfect angel-in-training. According the Runyeon's Web site, "the story of Christmas is simply: 'the story of how LIGHT came into the world.' As the story unfolds, more and more members of the audience suddenly discover themselves center stage, helping to bring the story of Christmas alive, in ways they never thought possible."

Betty Ann Schmitz of Sacred Heart Parish in Boone said the parish decided to have Runyeon perform to help bring the people of the parish together before Advent started.

"We are using this as a prelim to Advent," Schmitz said. "It is going to be like our Faith Festival. We wanted to give people a good start to Advent so they get the right message before they get into the commercial part of Christmas."

The cost to see Runyeon in Boone is a donation of food to the food pantry. The play will be held in the church with a reception following.

Sacred Heart in Laurens has sent out letters to all churches in the area inviting each church to the performance on Nov. 22. The Sermon on the Mount will start at 7 p.m. and Hollywood vs. Faith will follow. Woodley said the cost for the event is $5 per ticket and anyone wishing to come is invited.

"The main reason we did this was to bring something different into the church that was fun," Woodley said. "I think this is something to do to pull in the community of the parish. I hope they leave with a deeper understanding of the Sermon on the Mount. I am excited to see the different perspective that it is going to be brought into the church."