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(7/21/05 10:24 pm)
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Church host to weekend 'American Ideal'
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Call or email the Newsroom at (507) 434-2230.
Church host to weekend 'American Ideal'
By Lee Bonorden/Austin Daily Herald
"American Ideal" will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday and at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Bethlehem Free Methodist Church in Austin. Lee Bonorden
Bethlehem Free Methodist Church ain't seen nothin' like it.
"American Ideal" is coming to the Austin church for two performances at 7 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. Sunday and the public is invited.
No Simon Cowell as judge. No Paula Abdul and no Randy Jackson. Not even Ryan Seacrest.
Instead there's Kira Potach, Jacob Bentley and Anna Anderson and friends. Terri Jo Zink said the middle school students will make people forget about the FOX television hit "American Idol."
Potach, 14, is the daughter of Dr. Kurt and Brenda Potach. She plays a girl in a TV commercial that sets the theme for the musical comedy with a message.
Bentley, 13, is the son of Davidjay and Nita Bentley. He portrays "Ryan Debest."
Anderson, 14, is the daughter of Kevin and Sandra Anderson. She plays Rhonda Debest. Bentley and Anderson are brother and sister co-hosts.
Three of four contestants on this American Ideal show are "very prideful," according to the trio of performers, while the fourth contestant is "with the Lord." The other contestants learn humility from the latter.
Rehearsals started Monday. Keeping middle school-age teenagers occupied for three hours a day in the middle of summer is the job of the play's director, Zink.
Many of the youths are from Bethlehem Free Methodist Church, but others come from Faith Evangelical Free Church in Austin or are home-schooled.
"It's like a studio audience recording of an actual contest with the final four contestants, who are competing to be the "American Ideal," said director Zink. "It's Gospel Night on the show."
There are eight major parts among the 15 roles cast by Zink.
The contestants perform and the entire cast also performs, so there is lots of activity on the stage in the church sanctuary. Musical numbers must be choreographed and Zink has help from Austin High School dance line members Adriel Frank and Cody Frank.
Nita Bentley is assisting Zink in directing duties. Neil Jaeger is doing sound engineering. Thirty other people have assisted in one way or another behind-the-scenes.
"It's a funny play and it's really catchy," said Zink. "All of the characters are caricatures of the actual performers on the actual 'American Idol.'"
"Our whole goal is that these kids will learn the difference between ministry and performance," Zink said. "That they will learn how to get up and give everything they've got, the best they've got, as an offering to the Lord and not for their own glorification. It's a test in humility."
Zink chose the play for the middle school-aged youths to perform. "We're humility-challenged," she said.
Visitors to the Friday night and Sunday morning performances will be greeted by glamorous people in tuxedos and evening gowns and given the "red carpet" treatment much like a movie premier.
"It's going to be very Hollywood. It will be tastefully done, but conservative," Zink promises.
Bethlehem Free Methodist Church is located at 1500 Fourth Ave. SE, Austin.
For more information, call the church at 433-3705.
Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.
www.austindailyherald.com/articles/2005/07/21/news/news4.txt
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