And joining me today on the show I have three special guests in the studio. Time to talk. He's alive 2017. Jeannie Wykoff's here.
Kyle Knox. My Cooper. Good morning to all of you. Good morning.
Good to see everyone at Jeannie. Good to see you. It's been a while. Well, we did the Southern Gospel in October and we're going to be blessed.
We're going to be doing a second Southern Gospel concert this October. Okay. But yeah, we're excited. He's alive a full year has passed.
We're ready. We got his preparedness again. And tell me, my Cooper returns Kyle Knox a new, well, I know Kyle and Kyle's not unfamiliar to me, but new to the airwaves here. And Kyle, how are you?
I'm good. How are you? I'm good. I hear you.
I guess the jack of all trades. Kyle of all trades. If you. He is indeed.
We're blessed Kyle now serves on our board of directors with having about ministries. Okay. And of course, he's the one that keeps us going as we're down here at the theater. He's attended some of our rehearsals as we, those rehearsals are hosted by very graciously hosted by our friends out at the Vineyard church.
And so I think he's excited too, just as much as we are. It's great to be a part of the organization and have you all here at the Capitol Theater every year. Now, do you get Kyle to sing in his alive? Well, not yet, but she's worked slowly working in there.
Absolutely. I'm going to work in terms of what would Jesus do? What would Jeannie do? That's what I do.
Jeannie's going to get me for that. I told him I don't see you for several months. It's payback time, right? Well, we miss seeing.
The invitation is always open to you to come and be with us every Sunday at rehearsal. And then as we do the presentation, this year, once again, it's Palm Sunday weekend. Little later this year, Easter is a little later. It is indeed, which means it will be warmer as people as they stand in line to come in.
Hopefully, though, we know snow last year, last two years, it has been cold because Palm Sunday weekend being in March. But this year, April 7, April 8, and April 9, and we just want everyone to come and watch the scriptures come to life from the stage of this beautiful theater. And Jeannie, I have a program from last year you brought one in earlier. All the names involved.
It just amazes me. Who keeps them in line? How do you find people? I mean, I know you get them from all over.
Are you the one that kind of keeps everyone? No, that's Mike's job. Mike's job. But Jeannie's the boss.
You know, you get almost 200 people together. They're all there for one purpose, one purpose only. And everybody does what they're supposed to do. It's an amazing thing.
It's well choreographed, but people who have good hearts go a long way. And we have a little bit of fun. Oh, we do. We have a lot of fun.
We're working on Kyle getting him in the choir. Mike, you sing. Yes, I do. And tell us how does that go?
When can people see you sing? You do solos, don't you? I do one very end. It's hard to find me otherwise because I'm in my biblical garden.
That's right. Running around and just kind of hiding in the back and making music noises. He sings. He really sings.
Then at the end, I do one of the ending songs. It was my sin, which is just a wonderful touching song. So I'm certainly privileged and honored to have a chance to sing that every year. I tell you, it's challenging music.
And he's very, very humble. That is probably the most difficult song that the tenor, the orchestration on it is absolutely awesome. But the range is also. So Mike is not only just gifted to do it, to present that song musically, but he presents it in a contemporary regard.
And that song ties in 2000 plus years of opportunity to accept that free gift of salvation. So it leads into the finale. So he presents it just beautifully. He's a live celebrating 15 years.
It's hard to believe. Our very first year was 1996. And that was burst at one of the Baptist churches here in Wheeling. And the only time we had a break, if you will, in the presentation was when the Capitol was being sold and then it was closed and then they refurbished it.
And so we came back here at the theatre in 2013. We wouldn't think we could. Yes. Oh, yes.
It was interesting because those years that we were not presenting, he's alive, God was still growing the ministry of heaven bound. And that, during those years, that's when God simply orchestrated the lives from not only southwestern Pennsylvania, but lies from over in the Ohio area, in large the Ohio Valley participation and he's alive and brought us back in 2013 and then brought us sweet Kyle in 2015. 16. Yeah.
Wow. So yeah, it's all about watching his goodness on this ministry. It's amazing. Kyle's a busy man.
I don't know how you've, that's another thing I always use excuses. I don't have time, but there are people that are twice as busy as I am and you still find time. We do a lot of shows, but it's really a privilege to do it for all the people that come through the doors and it's really privileged to do this show. We do so many shows every year, but we don't get to offer a lot of free shows just because of the nature of the business.
So it's really privileged to offer this one a really quality, high quality production for everyone for food. And the theatre looks beautiful too. I mean, it's just, it's a beautiful facility out there. And speaking of free, it's not easy to, and if anybody wants to help, this other gentlemen sitting across me, Mike Hooper is the one you can send checks to.
We always see the Mike Hooper telephone. It's not me, the money man. It is free and there's absolutely no requirement to give a penny, but a lot of people do out of the generosity of their hearts help fund the ministry. It definitely costs a lot of money to put on this presentation.
Sure. It's wonderful and very helpful, but they have to pay the light bills and they pay their employees. Sure. It does cost us some.
So if anybody really has a hankering to share some of their funds, we would be more than happy to accept that. All they really have to do is contact us at Heaven Bound Ministries. Do you have the address in Weinsburg handy there, Jeanie? I do.
It's 1047 Jefferson Road, Weinsburg PA. It's a great, great, great. And you can make your check out the Heaven Bound Ministries. I thought it was Mike Hooper.
No, no. I didn't see for my 11 year old card, none of the funds are going to any benefit other than the ministry. The cool thing about this, you have folks that obviously know the story of Christ, but there are a lot of folks who don't, and we have the ability to minister to fiber, sometimes 6,000 people every year. And I don't know of any other group that has such a recurring good number.
And if we can find one or two people that don't know the story and they're touched by it, we've done our job. And every year we hear the stories of those that are touched to come to the cross and those that really have accepted Christ and knew the lies. So it's a neat thing. How many seats does the theater, how many people cannot theater hold the Capitol Theater?
Well, total were 2300 seats. Okay. So that's pretty, you guys are probably pretty full on all, I said that's what we want to tell people to get here early, first come first. But we do, we open the doors one hour prior to the actual performance beginning, John Paul, so that Friday night, April the 7th, 630, the doors open, 730, the performance begins Saturday night, which is April the 8th.
Once again, the doors open at 630, the performance begins at 830. So how much filler we have? And then on Palm Sunday afternoon, the matinee begins at 330, but the doors open at 230. And people have a lot of fun as they stand out there in line and wait to come in.
There's a lot of fellowship that goes on even before we begin the performance. And out in the lobby, there's some things, I know Kathy and yours pass has been set up, so there's some other things people can, they can buy some nice shirts and some other, and that all goes back to helping you guys. Kathy Strickland, our sweet sister in Christ who owns the Lord's store right here in the area does a beautiful job, she has a lot of things displayed. But she's there to minister as well.
And speak of the Gospel, talk about Jesus Christ and just welcome people. So it's a ministry of love by, in fact, Mike referenced over 200 people this year on our roster, and this does not count the folks down here at the Capitol who have become a part of this ministry as well. But we have 262 people on the roster this year as cast and crew. All volunteer, and Mike, can attest to that?
Kyle, can attest to that? We double their pay every year. Yeah. And are from all over, all walks of life from pretty much all over the tri- It's a huge non-denominational group of Christians that just want to spend the word through.
For those of you who don't know, it's really a dramatization of a life of Christ, with wonderful drama and music so I encourage new folks to come and visit. Try this out, you might like it. Yeah, we know people will be scared denomination-wise everybody because we've talked about that in years past and when everybody to come out and experience because and we've talked about this last year before there's such a need. I mean in the community like he's alive I mean there's not enough of it and I think that shows by the numbers of people that you have coming for the door.
There's a starving community for the message for the story that's told in for what you guys do the ministry. Well in our friend Denny Magruder always is so complimentary he says you know Jeannie we welcome this presentation of he's alive and in other concerts that have about ministries is you know is by God's grace allowed to do because he in his words he says it makes our city a better city but it makes our theater a better theater and the fact that it is presented as a gift to the community we have in the nearly 20 years that have about ministries has been allowed to serve the Lord with these concerts and events we have never ever had a ticket at event. It's all been well all the bills have been paid by love offerings. Our budget last year was a little over thirty one thousand dollars every dime was paid because God touched the hearts of those who gave and we're blessed to you know people give with their time talents and their treasures and that's biblical.
So what's it take to get the theater ready Kyle I mean it's because I know they're in and out here pretty quick I mean the set up the everything I mean how far ahead do you guys start setting up for he's alive. I know sometimes there's a matter of some other shows going on so you may only have a limited time that you need to be in and out of here how you guys do I'm always amazed. Jeannie starts visiting me about a week after the show the previous year so we work for about a whole year. But really we do we get a rehearsal start in January and I'll attend some of those and make sure that they don't need me for anything.
And then a few days out we're starting to get my stage crew ready make sure that the theater is prepped and ready for it. Luckily this year there's nothing right before it so we'll have some extra time to get ready. It's a marathon week to get through and they do a great job at it. So we have Kyle and his crew on that on Sunday morning prior to Palm Sunday weekend he has his crew here he tells us what time we can get here we sort of push some time because time is money when we're here.
Right. But they're very gracious Kyle has in fact we've been blessed to work with a lot of the same stage crew individuals through the years and we just love to see them they know what to expect and they're sort of surprised by things that happen they don't expect. But it's it really is it's a labor of love people care about what we're doing. Yeah so many of my people excuse my so many of my people look forward to doing the show you know my stage hands do a ton of shows every year but they really do look forward to working with Jeannie and everybody Mike and everybody he's alive.
And the point I was gonna make is it's a little different every year. So we don't do the same thing I know this year we've got a little bit of a surprise for the beginning so a wonderful new addition to to the musical family of the presentation so that's really cool. And you know by the way if you really want to get a glimpse of what we do and how we do it and you're a little bit technically inclined you can go to Facebook at Heaven Bound Ministries and he's alive put that in and you'll see some information on Twitter he's alive just all one word underlying HBM or if you're an Insta person Instagram just go to he's alive Heaven Bound and you'll find us. And Jeannie administers all of that right.
I just changed from my flip phone so no God brings those people to us too people who know all about the Facebook and the administration of that not only Facebook but our web page Steve Fence and Moncker does a great job on that web page the web page I think I do know isn't it Heaven Bound Ministries. And I am Comcast.net for email but if you just put in Heaven Bound Ministries you'll find us right away. Yeah that's right Heaven Bound Ministries think that INC because we are incorporated. So come on forward we're not calm.
So you guys as 11 scenes in the finale I'm looking at the show at the opening then there's 11 scenes in the finale how long would you tell people a couple hours is that what it takes. Actually it counts out to be one hour and 22 minutes. Wow okay so it's just a little over an hour and what's interesting is is people are leaving a lot of them are disappointed that it's not longer because it really is it's a wonderfully concise but yet very inspiring telling of the story and we're blessed to be here we call it an in-the-world ministry John Paul because we know through the 15 years that God has allowed us to present this that there are hundreds of people literally hundreds who've come into this theater this beautiful theater free not paying any kind of a ticket price for a seat who would never ever set foot inside of a church so it's an in-the-world ministry and we love it we just love it and Kyle since you're I give us the days and time for he's alive coming up this year I like to do that I like to spring it on people that are just like unsuspecting and I noticed that I thought okay he's kind of pulling back we're bringing him back in here we're April seven eight nine April seventh and eighth is a seven thirty performance with six thirty doors and April ninth is a 330 matinee with two thirty doors thank you're people you're not surprised if you come back each and every year that you haven't you don't hate me by now but I might but I might get anybody I want to contribute financially how can I do that well I'm glad you asked I send in a contribution to heavenbound ministries at one zero four seven Jefferson Road in Wainsburg Pennsylvania one five three seven oh or if you want to just stop by the show we definitely do a love offering as well but the money ahead of time helps us with our budget as well so we definitely appreciate any support that you all can give again we're talking with it genie Kyle and Mike about he's alive 2017 coming up at the Capitol Theater how did you walk down memory and I'll ask Kyle last genie Mike how did you first get involved in he's alive I believe I was mining my own business and genie said I got something usually how it goes right to do because God allowed Mike was one of the first my congressional his family they were one of the first families that we met I met when we when my family and I moved into the Valley and it was because of music Mike was very active very involved because of the talent got his giving him with a capital music all players and that's how we first met and then I think he's a great attorney that's right I mentioned this on you get a discount right my absolute I so I so you've been involved for pretty much so much the whole shebang I was not involved early on when it was started out at Baptist Church but yeah like my kids have been in it I've been in it and it's just a great family oriented experience and it's tough to get that nowadays absolutely it's on for free I'm free Kyle's Kyle see he's already in the routine he's moving back up to the microphone already because he knows it's coming up next so and Kyle I know you're new how how did you this all come to be for you I grew up attending shows at the Capitol chamber USA shows and wow a lot and I remember he's alive for those days when I was I was a child but he's only twenty I was going to say yesterday but in 2014 I was I was working as a events manager and our former production manager Tom Beck couldn't be here for one of the rehearsals one evening I'm not sure he told Tony that he couldn't be here but I covered for him that night and I thought it was great I attended a couple of performances that year and then the following year I was involved on a more regular basis it didn't take too much arm twisting to do you have to twist your arm a lot to get you Jesus Jesus Christ he's convincing so she gets people involved pretty easily sometimes I'm almost I run when I see genie but not I run for my hug I run to you for my heart but that's but I know you're trying to I just don't see me as a fit in that but I do need to get there and watch it I mean you provide me the DVD I've gone online Facebook watch some of the and it's I not like being there though you know I have to tell you a story about Kyle though because you know good story because you know we Mike and I in the board of course had been so blessed through the years to work with Tom and Tom had been here from the very beginning and I had met him through Larry Anderson our sweet friend Larry and when Tom told me actually he had shared with us a couple of years well when we came back in 2013 he said no she need this might be my last year this might be my last year I said you can't quit you can't quit well I have to tell you I was because Tom we had worked with him and there was such a wonderful working relationship he very laid back he was very accommodating you know but he would share his ideas and and one of the experts he was and when he did tell us that well this is my last year I have to tell you the board we were I can't say concerned but we did pray about it because when you change someone's position of that magnitude in the importance of that position in this type of live show presentation you think oh wow and I'll tell you we have been so blessed because God could not have brought us anyone any finer or more accommodating or more Christian than our Kyle so yeah it's a good fit see you if you've you're the needless say you'll be around for a long time thanks to you around on back it's speaking of stories do we have any on Hooper over I mean of course this is a family friendly show we got we can't you know go to that side of it but any any interesting stories with no yes I have all kinds of stories but they're all good stories when a couple of years like one in particular when Mike had a commitment out of the area and it was a family commitment that was and now the God bring us a very gifted tenor voice to fill that role that Mike had vacated he did not always provides but it is such a joy because Mike has such a weird sense of humor I mean it's such a sick sense of humor when he's not in with us we miss him well when he's not in here on the interviews I miss him Mike brings that added extra because I think Mike usually always start kicks it off with us and I don't think I see Mike the rest of the time I'm like well one of two things he's either sick of me sad or maybe he's busy I'm hoping it's because he's busy but I go back to work yeah that's the problem I do I do travel a lot and yes sure it's one of those things but you know it's a commitment I'm postponing my hip surgery so I can do a lot so that's coming at me on Sunday I'm like not away I said we you can't have surgery before the day again while we're talking about he's alive before I ask you why the star of the show will not refuses to show up on weekend but I've been forsaken and I can't figure out why maybe that's why I've got sports marks on the bottom my feet from you know downstairs is heating up real quick if I don't change my ways Kyle I will ask bring you in again to ask you to give us the dates and times for his life 27 see I refused to leave you alone we are April 7th 8th and 9th this year April 7th and 8th is a 730 performance with 630 doors April 9th is a 330 matinee with 230 doors actually I can't buy any high but I'll run the next time you ask him yes information you can call a 3042 36122 or 724 883 2241 yes very good did I mention that we could do some money yeah what I want to do is I want to have the great sofa challenge the great sofa challenge lift up your cushions see what changes in there oh it is a night take the change send it into us at 1047 Jefferson Road in Wainsbury Pennsylvania 1 5 3 7 0 and we'll and market couch money you know it's money that wasn't gonna go anywhere anyhow but it's gonna go to a great mission and we'll keep track of that if we can figure out who sent in the greatest we'll say something about that there's some fraud there you go now if you happen to find bills that's not sure but we'll take anything we get but if you happen to have some spare money in your checking account that works too boy that's right and also your car seats I'm surprised my car out wow I got my salary I just chairs whatever you got look underneath the cushion and share with us we really appreciate move the lint and all the other things exactly we'll take linting and it doesn't matter he's got plenty of works hey it's Gd and finally you got last couple minutes why won't the star if he's alive well you're referring to our Joel McMillan yes sweet sweet Jesus well he's forsaken me he will not show up on weekend focus you know he is such a humble young man and I think I told you that when he came this will be his third year third year of portraying that role he was 33 years old when he came to us and he's a carpenter betrayed Wow okay his name is Joel the initial being Jay Jay and I know he has a Facebook page which I'm going to creep up on him and send a message because yes he does I was doing my homework the other day and I finally said I'm going to send him a message and try to get him in here Kyle can attest it's not that bad is it it's not that bad well you make it that well I appreciate that part of our family well and I said he doesn't have to talk he can observe right Kyle absolutely I'm gonna talk with Joel on Sunday and I'm going to expect a contact from the infamous John Paul that's right I'm going to be in touch any final thoughts Mike Kyle Jeanie before we wrap up here open invitation to anyone and everyone to come and celebrate the resurrection season 2017 with us right here at this beautiful Capitol Theater over Palm Sunday weekend it's free it's a wonderful way to fellowship and to enjoy and celebrate the Easter season alright it's good to see you guys here again as genie Wycoff Kyle Knox my Cooper I must call you Mike couch because you said get the change from the couch and I'll change your name but I appreciate all three of you coming in today thanks for having us