GOSHEN- Celebration Orange County Gospel Fellowship presents the return engagement of the original play “Ransom,” written and directed by Beverly Sampson, and performed by Dokeo Dramatic Arts Ministry. This historical fiction drama, which will debut in November, is set in Harlem during the 1920s and is based on the biblical Book of Hosea.
“Ransom” explores the concepts of love, forgiveness and redemption. During a time when race, class and economic struggles pervaded every aspect of urban life, our characters have carved out for themselves a church community that is anomalous in its sense of equality. But what happens when someone with a scandalous past tries to become part of that world?
“The message is timeless. It deals with rejection and being different. We’ll see the main character try to fit in, but she isn’t really accepted. We all mess up. When we do, we can feel guilt, or a sense of sadness and despair. But in the play, the main character is reminded of the love of God and how, though we aren’t perfect, God is. The message of unconditional love is woven throughout the play. God loves mankind, even with our mess-ups, mishaps and flaws. There’s a call that’s being given to everyone. And if we would answer it, we would understand what true peace and tranquility really are,” said writer and director Beverly Sampson.
“This play is inspired by chapter 3 of the Book of Hosea in the Bible. And while it’s very tastefully done, it’s a mature subject matter. We recommend it for people ages 10 years old and up,” continued Beverly Sampson.
“Ransom” will be performed at the Celebration OC Gospel Fellowship, which is located at 78 Cypress Road, Goshen, New York 10924. Show times are Friday, November 3, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, November 4, 2023, at 12:30 p.m., Friday, November 10, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, November 11, 2023, at 12:30 p.m.
Tickets are $25 for people ages 13 and up, $15 for children 12 and under, and can be purchased on the Celebration Orange County Gospel Fellowship website. For more information, call 845-615 9627 or visit the church website at orangecountyfellowship.org.
“We live in a culture of labels, divisions and biases. We either know someone who has faced it, or we have faced it ourselves. This play presents God as a Reconciler, during the 1920s – a time when everyone was doing the exact opposite. Many immigrant groups were given derogatory labels, but God is the One who removes the labels and restores identity,” explained Pastor Shellie Sampson III.
Dokeo Dramatic Arts Ministry is a performing arts group sponsored by the Celebration OC Gospel Fellowship, a multi-cultural non-denominational church located in Goshen. Dokeo has performed several plays and has successfully put on many dramatic productions. Dokeo continues to operate in the traditional theater company fashion. Utilizing vocal warmups, drama techniques, and theatrical exercises, Dokeo continues to train individuals for performing arts ministry. “Dokeo Dramatic Arts Ministry helps people not only learn about theatrical production, in terms of the dramatic arts aspect of it, but it helps people get to know and understand themselves better. It helps the actors relate to other people’s experiences,” said Pastor Shellie.
