Workplace Health Benefits support moments of care that count, like finding relief from chronic pain or getting the prescription that you rely on. Adding up to a stronger health system for all of us. Learn more at clhia.ca slash Multiply and Care. And joining me today on Weekend Focus, I have two very special guests.
He's alive, 2018 is here and that means Jeannie Pierce Wyckoff is back in the studio. Jeannie, how are you today? Hi, I'm buying. How are you, my friend?
Hey, I'm doing good. I just have to say, I know you were back here in December. We didn't do this enough this year for some reason. I don't know what time got away from us, but we keep saying that as we get so close now, John Paul, you know, Palm Sunday Weekend is just next weekend.
And we've wondered where these last eight to nine weeks, we usually start with rehearsals nine weeks out and they're all gone. We have a new face, a new voice with us. Morning, Blondlin leads with us. Good morning.
Thank you PR person, correct? I'm one of the PR people. You know, until this time, I didn't know you had a PR team. So, oh my goodness, yes, with this would never work without team members and covering all aspects.
Well, and we cover Green Washington counties in Pennsylvania, Allegheny County now, and of course, Jeannie and her team in West Virginia and the Ohio Valley have really done a nice job. But we're reaching out to Pennsylvania folks. So, as Bonnie, are you involved in he's alive on stage? Absolutely.
What do you do? Yes, I sing. Do you? Sometimes I'll go.
Sometimes soprano and not always on key, but that's the beauty of he's alive. You don't have to be perfect. That's exactly right. Beautiful presence on the stage though.
And Bonnie and I've been friends since high school. We've done music since high school. We were roommates. It's been for us in the group.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Been in the trenches together and come out on the other side are still best friends. Yes, we are indeed. We are indeed.
I'm just sorry. I haven't got to meet Bonnie before now because of all the years. I don't know how many years you've been coming in on Weekend Focus with me here for the show. And I've enjoyed every year and every moment of it.
That's for sure. It's been here. Well, that's a good idea. You always make it so pleasant.
It's just always so very comfortable. And you help spread the news about he's alive. John Paul, we really appreciate that. This is our 16th year of presenting he's alive.
Started in 1996 as a church play down in a Baptist church right here in Wheeling. And then praise the Lord, we had folks like Larry Anderson in place. He brought us up to the theater and between, oh my goodness, Danny Magruder, all of his help, his assistance. God bless that man.
Tom Beck and of course now Kyle Knox here at the theater. God has always put the right people in the right places at the right time. Isn't that amazing how it happens? Yes, it is amazing.
So give us the dates and times. He's alive 2018. As you said, coming up just around the corner, Bonnie. Well, Thursday evening is our dress rehearsal.
And we would like people to know that special groups are invited to our dress rehearsal. We sometimes have senior centers who would like to come when it's not quite so crowded and busy. That's Thursday, that's 22nd of March. Right.
And then our first performance is Friday evening at 730. That's the 24th. 23rd and then Friday the 23rd. Saturday the 24th at 730.
And I would be better off not reading this than just going from memory. And then Sunday afternoon are matinee at 3 30. Okay. That's what's all about here at the show.
We have a lot of fun. Oh, we do. It's laid back. We've had some interesting interviews.
That's maybe not going to be laid back. So March 23 24 and 25. And we want to mention John Paul that on Sunday the 25th, which is Palm Sunday, that's the Sunday that we will have signers with us. We have one of our participants.
We have a whole family, the Pastor Matt Cambian family. They are involved with the Pittsburgh School for the Deaf. Really? Pittsburgh School for the Deaf.
Is that new this year? Actually, we have not been here to talk about that before. I think this is the third year that we are welcoming them into the theater. This is the first year that they will be providing the signers on Palm Sunday's matinee.
I think they've been here before on Saturday night and maybe a Friday night. But we're excited about that too. Because any of our events and actually many of our events, we do provide signers because that's a whole community who they love the Lord too. And they love seeing the Scriptures come to life.
And by having the signers, then they actually hear it as well. And we know it's free admission so we want to let people know get here early because I understand there are quite lines out the door, people waiting to get in. Doors open an hour before the performances. Right.
And you're right. It is no reservations required in the nearly 20 years that God has allowed us to be doing ministry events. John Paul, we have never had a ticketed event. Love offering baskets are always placed at one of the tables as they exit the theater.
But it is free and we're just blessed to bring this. This is an in the world outreach ministry. And through the years, we know that there have been hundreds of people who've come into this beautiful theater. What a beautiful venue.
Who would never set foot inside of a church. So we want everyone to come and celebrate the resurrection season with us. See what it's all about because as I've stressed before and passed interviews, no judging, no. I mean, it's not all denominations.
It doesn't matter like you said, but if you go to church or not, just come and see what it's all about. Absolutely. Everyone is welcome for any reason. It truly is.
It's a wonderful way to celebrate Easter. It's a musical theater. And if you just like theater, come, you may not know the Lord yet, but you come. You'll see some of the finest way.
We believe that the caliber of talent that God brings together. We have a cast and crew, John Paul, nearly 300. That's amazing. It is amazing.
All sizes, shapes, personalities, professions. They come together, the common bond bringing them together to participate is that love for the Lord and that desire to share the gospel. So we want everyone to come into this beautiful theater over Palm Sunday weekend. That's Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 23, 24 and 25.
And as Bonnie said, the Thursday night performance, which is a dress rehearsal, but we run our dress rehearsals just like real performances. So those out there in the community who perhaps are wheelchair bound or they have walkers or they just have a fear of crowds, we welcome them to come in on that Thursday night. We do an altar call on Thursday night just like we do on Friday and Saturday and Sunday, and your friend, Pastor Mark Smith, will be here on Saturday night to give the altar call. It's good to see that he'll be involved since I know he loves you.
He still has stayed involved. What a wonderful young man of God. Our pastor Paul Smith offers the invitation on Thursday night and Friday night and then Bishop Michael Tolliver and his precious wife will be here giving the invitation on Palm Sunday afternoon. So yeah, come.
Just come and celebrate with us. Again, if anybody has any questions, 304, 2, 3, 4, 70 is the phone number and Bonnie, I'll let you give the dates and times again for he's alive 2018 here at the Capitol Theater in Wheeling. March 23rd and 24th at 7.30 PM and March 25th at 3.30 PM. We want to give many people out as we can and, I know we've talked in the past about people coming from all over because don't they leave message cards or you can leave cards from where you're from and notes to you and it's...
We love when people let us know their thoughts and their comments. And even the lives it's been changed because of he's alive. Oh, my goodness, yes. It's all about God.
We come to celebrate the life, death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ because he is alive. He's alive and well. So we want people to know that. We want people to feel that.
And there's such joy. And our musical is entirely interactive. Our folks are dressed in biblical costumes and we're close to our audience all the time. So it's real.
It's real. Now, and I forgot to ask you this prior to going on there. I know out in the lobby in the past there's been some stuff set up there that people can even buy for the Lord's store. Will that be the case this year again?
Well, our sweet Kathy Strickland with the Lord's store will not be with us this year. Okay. But we will be bending our own. We have he's alive.
Purple t-shirts and caps and things like that. But that's where our cast dressed in costume. They like the mingle and welcome people. It is fun.
It is fun. So, yes, that opportunity to buy some of the he's alive merchandise. The opportunity will be there. Do they have the refreshments stand open too that people can purchase?
The concession stand, yes. Kyle has that open until we start the performance. And as Bonnie said, the times of the performance Friday night and Saturday night, seven, 30, doors opening at six, 30. And then the Sunday performance, the doors will open an hour early, maybe a little earlier than that on Sunday.
The doors will open around at two, 30, right? And the performance there, three, 30. So, hopefully Mother Nature cooperates. Oh, it's going to be beautiful weekend.
It's going to be beautiful weekend. We want the snow to be gone. The cold to be gone. We want the sun to be shining.
We will be. The phone numbers, once again, though, John Paul, the arena, Janet at the box office takes our calls. That's the three, zero, four, two, three, four, seven, but if they're more than welcome to go to our website, they have the phone numbers on there. That's heavenboundministriesinc.org or heavenboundministries.
Steve Fencemacher, our media guy, has changed, you know, has opened that up. He does a great job. He does. And I think it's in if they go to heavenbound.
I think you can find us. Davey Reger does all of our Facebook. And that Facebook address is heavenbound. And he's alive.
I believe it's heavenbound. Ministries? Maybe it's heavenbound. He's alive.
So there's information there, directions to the theater. My phone number is on there. That is 724-883-2241. So if you have questions, if you have buses are welcome, church vans, vans, we have a wonderful arrangement, if you will, with the Wheeling Police Department.
They help park, they help, you know, assist people as they come in. So yeah, it's just a team. It's a whole team effort. It's amazing.
He's alive. Absolutely. Again, one final time, ladies, give us the days and times of he's alive 2018 at the Capitol Theater here in Wheeling. March 23rd and 24th at 7.30 p.m.
and Sunday, Palm Sunday, March 25th at 3.30 p.m. And, Jeannie, I can't stress enough over the past several years how much fun this has been. Oh, God. You get to do the he's alive interviews.
I always appreciate you for putting up with me. And I wish we could have some, I wish we could roll archive on some of the interviews and talk off air. We've had some little do's. It's happening with ones that are roll memorable, but you know what, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
Oh, it's been a blessing. It's a blessing to get to know you, honey. You're a part of our family and we praise God for you. Absolutely.
And Bonnie, it's been a role, joy and pleasure to get to meet you. I don't know why. I've had a chance to meet you before now. Well, she's now finally tired.
I'm retired. I'm retired now. Yeah. Now, Jeannie's got a hold of you know, retired.
I'm retiring from retirement. Jeannie's been trying to get me involved. I said, well, I can't act. I don't have a face for that.
That's why I'm on the radio. I can't really see any blend, but I can kind of blend in. It's been enjoyed to meet you. I've heard about you for so many years.
I hope all good. Thank you. I'll have to pay checks in the mail. But I appreciate it.
Both of you for joining us to talk about. He's a live 2018 and I look forward to seeing you guys all at the show and we want everybody in the valley to come on out. Absolutely. Thank you.