Theater – A.C.T. (All Community Theater)
Wanna put on a show? The ACT program is dedicated to the whole church community and its neighbors, having a good time. Why should the kids in CAST have all the fun? There is a need in each of us to step outside ourselves, to put aside our everyday cares, to take up another character, to sing and dance and act with the God given talent and desire inherent in ALL human beings, regardless of our age. ACT is dedicated to giving a space in a supportive environment, where each of us can feel free to create and perform, for our own edification, as well as to entertain, teach and hopefully delight those who come to watch. Wanna put on a show? Come join us!
November 2025:
Scrooge the Musical
By Director, Dorothy Nichols
“It was just meant to be a continued celebration of our 150th Anniversary, a new start after an eight year hiatus from using the stage, but God had other plans.
Only one child was available from our church and we needed at least eight. There was no on-stage rehearsal space or ANY rehearsal space at the church available until just five weeks before the performance. This forced us to reach out to the larger community to fill our needs and it was then that we discovered what we thought were obstacles turned out to be blessings.
The Community United Methodist Church of the Pacific Palisades, which had burned down in the fires, volunteered their children, and other actors, many of whom had also lost their homes. From there, Joey Hargrove came on board as the children’s director.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Santa Monica, as a gift to us for our 150th anniversary, gave us their social hall as our rehearsal space. Unfortunately, well into rehearsals, a burst pipe required them to move their preschool into it. However, by then, a three-church collaboration had already been formed in our hearts. Upward Bound House then generously lent us their community room and we were able to rehearse from there.
Members of the cast and Carol Greenwood donated money to cover all the costume rental costs. Old and new friends like our music director Marjorie Poe came forward to fill crew and casting gaps. Adam Guererro put in long hours to rehabilitate our stage. Emily Payne did as well on our sets. Jon and Lara Ganz, whose theater space was burned down in the fire, lent us their microphone set, their expert advice and their very talented son. In the final weeks, when two shining faced little girls from Azerbaijan joined us, we finalized a cast and crew that ranged in ages from seven to over 90 years-old.
The show sold out, in fact it OVERSOLD. The cast and crew generously chose to donate $1,600 of the proceeds to the Pacific Palisades church to help in their rehabilitation from the fire, as well as over $500 dollars to St. Paul’s for its 100th anniversary and over $500 for our own 150th celebration.
In the end, actors and crew who were Jews, Muslims and from different Christian denominations came together in love to joyfully retell Charles Dickens’ iconic story of greed and redemption.
That touched all our hearts and we are all so grateful for this spot of joy at a time when we all needed it.”
View the Scrooge the Musical program
December 2023: ACT presents “It’s a Wonderful Life Radio Stage Play”
ACT presents: The 2009 video recording of “It’s a Wonderful Life Radio Stage Play!” This wonderful recording had been lost for 14 years! Tune in to see this gem starring David Wilson, Larry Young, Shannon Sturges and so many of your FUMC friends. The video has been made available in honor of Leonard De Leon who recorded it and his wife Bernice as a gift to the congregation this holiday season.
Premiering Friday, December 15, at 7 p.m. HERE on this page
December 2022: ACT Presents “The Night Before Christmas”
Calling all kids and kids at heart! Join 13 of the church’s All Community Theater’s actors for an adorable reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” It will premiere at December 23, 6:30 p.m. online here, and is available to you the rest of the holiday season!
Premieres Friday, December 23, 6:30 p.m.
December 2020:
View the Program Here
ACT presents: “Christmas Choir” Online Play
Watch here anytime on the First UMC Facebook page
ACT(All Community Theater) and Ben Ing present “Christmas Choir,” a hilarious homage to a church choir, whose members are there for just about every other reason than to sing, (in contrast to our outstanding First UMC music program and Chancel Choir which we so look forward to hearing again in person!) The play features some of ACTs best actors in their ZOOM debuts. The show was written by Pat Cook, with direction by Ben Ing and Dorothy Nichols, and features First UMC members: Emily Payne, Linda Diane Anderson, Carol Reich, Kendra Gorlitsky, Cindy McQuade, Wynn Battig, Jack Fry, Chris Reagh, Carmen Herrera, Sarah Rold, Dan Nessel, Michael Lamb, Mark Labella, and with the very active help of understudies, Larry Young and David Penson.
The Story: Ten disgruntled choir members rehearse for their church’s Christmas concert under the direction of a little league football referee, whose only qualification is that he owns a whistle. As the rehearsal progresses we learn the reason each member is there – and it isn’t to sing. A sarcastic cameraman attempts to take pictures for the program as the group begins spinning out of control. Thankfully, their young, new pastor arrives and gives them some much-needed perspective.
When asked why he decided to tackle creating a Livestream video production, Ben Ing says, “In a time of isolation, I thought it would be important to bring our ACT members together to create a sense of community for them, and to share with our church members this entertaining project. The play “Christmas Choir” appealed to me because of its large cast, its humor, and its strong Christian message. Doing it livestream seemed the only safe way to do it, and so I decided to take on the ZOOM technical challenge and see if we could make it work. As entertaining as it is ending up to be, the most important thing for me is how much fun the cast has had in experiencing the use of this new “venue.” Thanks to Ben, Dorothy, and all of the cast, for bringing some Christmas cheer to us!