The Peterborough community has become well acquainted with St. Paul’s production of Bethlehem Live, the Christmas pageant which uses both music and pantomime to re-create the age-old story of Jesus’ birth. It is a live, outdoor production that thrills children and adults alike. Mary, Joseph, the Three Wise Men and the Angels re-enact the story of the Nativity, with live animals on a replica of a street in Bethlehem. A narrator tells the story as the actors perform in pantomime.
Bethlehem Live began in 1988 on the initiative of Elsie Flett who was the Director of Music at the time. She had seen outdoor productions of the Christmas story in other places and was determined to bring one to Peterborough. She felt the Courthouse Hill in Victoria Park was the ideal place for the pageant to be staged – the setting was right with an excellent viewing area for the audience and, with the site being just across the road from the church, all the facilities needed to support the production were very close.
Elsie Flett was the director of Bethlehem Live for many years and was ably supported by a committee who oversaw all the different facets of the production from lighting to costumes to live animals and so much more. In latter years, the organisation of Bethlehem Live has been undertaken by Elaine Flett-Hurst and Don Giles who are the co-chairs of the Bethlehem Live Committee. Mrs. Flett remained honorary director until her death in 2013.
The first production of Bethlehem Live in 1988 took place the week before Christmas and comprised of 3 performances each evening, 5 days a week. Over the years, the number and timing of the performances has been changed to make it easier for as great a number of people as possible to come out and see it – especially thinking of families with young children. Accordingly, the performances increasingly took place at weekends – usually just before Christmas – rather than during the week. Presently, Bethlehem Live takes place on Saturday and Sunday at 6:00, 7:00 and 8:00 pm.
The scenery for each production of Bethlehem Live has always been assembled and disassembled on the actual day of each performance. In 1988, for the first performances, it took some 4-5 hours to erect the scenery. Over the years, though, the work of erecting the scenery has become something of a fine art due to the participation of experienced volunteers who have become very skilled at putting the sets in place in the shortest time possible. Now, the preparation time has been honed down to a mere 1 – 1˝ hours each day.
Weather has always been a major factor affecting Bethlehem Live over the years but only a very few performances have ever been cancelled and these were due to high winds or extreme ice conditions that have made the site in Victoria Park too dangerous for both the human and animal actors.
Each performance of Bethlehem Live is preceded by a carol-sing led by a choir dressed in Victorian costumes. The narrator then begins the story of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay in Bethlehem and there being no room anywhere in the town, having to stay in a stable where Jesus is born with the animals looking on. The story continues with the angel announcing the birth to the shepherds out on the hill, while looking after their sheep. As a choir of angels sing praises, the shepherds with their sheep, hurry to the stable. Later, the Wise Men from the East visit the stable and leave their gifts for the Christ Child.
At the end of each performance, the audience are invited to come forward to speak to the cast. Young people – and adults – love to pet the animals and are warmly encouraged to do so each year. This has become one of the most enjoyable parts of .each performance
Volunteers from the congregation have designed and constructed the 100' long set, which is erected and taken down each night. This set consists of 10 dwellings along a Bethlehem road, the inn that had no room for the birth of Jesus, and the stable. The costumes were all made by volunteers. The live props will include the donkey ridden by Mary and the sheep herded into the stable. These animals are supplied through courtesy of local farmers. Sound and lighting expertise is supplied by members of the congregation. The audience stands in the park, facing the scene, with the Church and Courthouse as the backdrops. Each production lasts approximately 20 minutes.
There are always volunteers on hand before and during performances of Bethlehem Live to guide traffic in the area. Parking space for vans carrying the elderly or handicapped can be reserved so that they can view the pageant from the warmth and comfort of their vehicles. To reserve a parking space, please call St. Paul's Church office (705) 745-1411. No admission is charged for this event, but a free-will offering is appreciated to help defray expenses.
Over the years, Bethlehem Live has become very much a community tradition. Many people have said how much they appreciate it because, in times when the secular aspects of Christmas seem to have become more predominant in our society, Bethlehem Live reminds them of the true, spiritual, meaning of Christmas – the coming of God’s son, Jesus, as a baby in Bethlehem.
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