The actress, a member of Stockton Covenant Church and staff member with InterVarsity, has performed “Always the Women” across the country on university campuses since 2000. She will give a benefit performance for the general public at 7:30 p.m. January 31 in the University of the Pacific’s Long Theater.
Proceeeds will go to International Justice Mission (IJM), one of the Evangelical Covenant Church’s partners with the Break the Chains initiative. A representative from IJM will be at the event and will speak at the church during the worship service the next morning.
“Performing this has only confirmed my view of how wonderful Jesus is to the oppressed.”
Thiel decided to do the benefit performance after watching the Break the Chains video distributed by the Department of Women Ministries.
During the 60-minute performance, Thiel embodies 36 characters and one narrator to tell 24 stories of Jesus and the women in his life, beginning with Mary, his mother, and ending with Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb.
The performance is described as a “word-for-word scripture drama.” To view sample clips of the performance, click here and follow the “Always the Women” link.
The show is appropriate for highlighting the plight of millions of people who are enslaved around the world. “Performing this has only confirmed my view of how wonderful Jesus is to the oppressed,” Thiel says.
The church is helping to sponsor the show. The youth group delivered posters around town and the congregation’s women ministries organization is hosting a reception in the theater lobby following the performance.
The event has attracted a number of co-sponsors. The school is donating the use of the facility.
Thiel is a graduate of University of Pacific, where she studied theater and danced with the Pacific Dance Ensemble. She has been a campus minister with Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship at three universities.
