Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, presented as Show Hope’s Spring Celebration 2010, made for a magical evening in Nashville! If you were a part of the sold-out audience, we want to thank you for joining us in raising awareness for the plight of orphans. Watch this behind the scenes video to see clips from the rehearsal and the show!
You may be wondering what your next steps are now that you have learned more about the mission of Show Hope to care for the most pressing needs of orphans in distress. We invite you to:
Thank you to all who attended this enchanting event. We hope many more will be able to join us next year! Be sure to bookmark our home page, www.showhope.org, and check back often for updates on the 2011 Show Hope Spring Celebration!
This day holds a lot of emotion for our founders and the extended Chapman family.As someone who has had the privilege of walking alongside them during this season, I am astounded at how they have become even more committed to the orphan cause than what I would deem to be an already highly committed family.As it has been said, they would have every right to hang it up and call it quits, but as SCC often quotes “For Christ’s Love compels us…” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Considering we know where Maria is with a perfectly new body and the best seat in the house, may we take this opportunity to rejoice in the beauty that has come from the ashes as a result of God’s sacrificial, compelling Love.
Her legacy of hope and healing is just beginning and is far-reaching beyond what we even know and can imagine.I am not even referring to a building being named after her and the profound work inside it, but rather the work that took place and is taking place inside the hearts of hundreds of people through her story then and through her story now.She left an enlightening message behind for her family.Not just her immediate family, but for the body of Christ family at large.SEE!“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.”To SEE the unseen, means to insert faith when the clouds have not yet parted.When the pain in our suffering goes beyond what our frail “self” can bare, insert faith as the bridge builder to healing.Then, faith becomes our compass always pointing to True North navigating us through the land mines of this earthly life.There is a secular saying which is “seeing is believing” and while there is truth in it, the greater truth is that ‘faith is believing’ – believing in what you cannot see which brings so much into focus, including the 20/20 vision we acquire when we experience the goodness of the Lord through trials and sufferings.
Motte and Beth Brown had always talked about adopting, even before having their first two children biologically. During their lengthy process to adopt from China, Motte and Beth soon became convinced that they were actually being called to pursue a sibling group from Ethiopia while continuing to wait for a match from China. They were quickly matched with two Ethiopian siblings between the ages of five and eight. Two weeks later, however, they were astounded when their agency called to inform them that this was actually a sibling group of four and that twin infant siblings had just been found. If they wished to continue with the adoption of these two children, they would have to adopt all four siblings together.
The Browns went through weeks of praying and seeking the counsel of people in their church, and while they were a bit scared and unsure of how they would fund this adoption, they decided to move ahead and accept the placement of all four children. Two families, who each had adopted sibling groups, were of particular inspiration to the couple. The Browns recall,
“There was really nothing extraordinary about these two families or their circumstances that uniquely qualified them to adopt a sibling group…I suspect that mainly, they were just willing. These families prove to everyone around them that children are a blessing from the Lord and that adoption is close to God’s heart. We realized that despite our fears and feelings of inadequacy as parents, God was calling us to this – to lay down our lives for these orphans; and to trust Him to be our provider.
“Before we even began applying for grants, we knew God would raise up his saints to cover the expenses to adopt four orphans from Ethiopia. And by far, our biggest gift came from Show Hope. It is our great privilege to be able to thank you, Show Hope sponsors, for helping give our adopted children a new chance at life and for giving us a new family.”
BroadwayWorld.com contributor, Jeffrey Ellis, enthusiastically reviewed the show by commenting, “No matter how you look at it, Cinderella was a completely magical and enchanting success…the opulent and sumptuous staging for Cinderella underscored the magical, mesmerizing and time-honored tale of the orphaned girl who searches for happiness, love and the realization of her lifelong dreams.” His review goes on to say that, “[Matt] Logan’s artistic vision was evident throughout the concert (which featured the cast off-book, performing the songs beautifully, with choreography, costumes and minimal scenery – augmented by some wonderfully evocative videos to set the scene) and his sheer chutzpah in bringing such a star-studded cast together to bring the musical to life is laudable and, clearly, it raises the bar higher for Nashville theatre. With a sizable onstage ensemble and an offstage chorus that featured some of Nashville’s most capable theatrical names, Cinderella: Enchanted Edition boasted an overabundance of talents that ensured its success with audience members.” You can read the full text of Ellis’ review here >
If you were a part of the audience, you may be wondering what your next steps are now that you have learned about the mission of Show Hope to care for the most pressing needs of orphans in distress. We invite you to join hands with us in this movement by donating to Show Hope. You can also sign up for eNews updates on our organization to learn more about what we do through both Adoption Aid and Orphan Care. We would love for you to help us raise awareness online by sharing your photos of the evening with us on the Show Hope Facebook page!
If you missed the show, be sure to watch the slideshow below of the evening’s highlights and exclusive behind-the-scenes shots of the cast during rehearsal!
When Isaac was admitted to Maria’s Big House of Hope in September 2009, he had already received successful surgery to correct his spina bifida. However, he was unresponsive and still had many health challenges to overcome. After several months of concentrated care and devoted love from the staff, we are thankful that Isaac is now full of life and has returned to a healthy weight. It has been a truly amazing experience to see his transformation!
Isaac has an incredibly bright personality. He can be very shy at first, but he quickly warms up to newcomers. Team members from the Brentwood Academy trip loved getting to know this very special child. Isaac loves to smile and joke around. He and his best friend Gabriel are the leaders of their room and can often be seen tossing a ball between each other or creating their own games.
Isaac’s story is one of many great examples of the care given at MBHOH thanks to Show Hope sponsors. While he will never have full use of his legs, he has already grown into such a vibrant, smart little boy. It is incredible to look at his picture from when he first entered our care in September when compared with current photos. We feel blessed to be a part of Isaac’s story, and we are very hopeful that this boy, who has so captured our hearts, will be welcomed into the loving embrace of a forever family!
Check out this sweet video of Isaac playing. It was taken when a YWAM team was visiting MBHOH earlier this year!
To illuminate the mission of caring for orphans in distress and to give back to the Nashville community, Show Hope has partnered with the Salvation Army to make this Friday’s Spring Celebration presentation of “Cinderella: Enchanted Edition” a drop-off site for supplies to aid the Middle Tennessee flood victims. On Friday evening, a Salvation Army truck will be stationed in front of Allen Arena to accept disaster relief supplies for families in need.
We are asking for brand NEW items, such as socks, t-shirts, undergarments, hygiene products (i.e., toothbrushes and paste, deodorant, hair brushes, shampoo), cleaning supplies, and paper goods, such as paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, and napkins. The Salvation Army is also accepting Walmart and Kroger gift cards in $25, $50 and $100 increments.
Due to flooding in downtown Nashville, this special event was moved to the Allen Arena of Lipscomb University. As a result, special $30 tickets are now available at the Allen Arena box office or by calling 615-966-7075.
Friday’s not-to-be missed Show Hope Spring Celebration of “Cinderella: Enchanted Edition” is produced by Steven Curtis Chapman with direction and design by Matt Logan. Choreography is by Ashley McCarthy and musical direction from Stephen Kummer. “Cinderella” features an all-star cast, such as Jodi Benson (the voice of Ariel from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”) as The Queen, BeBe Winans as the King, Heather Headley as the Fairy Godmother, and Alli Mauzey as Cinderella. More information about Cinderella: Enchanted Edition can be found by clicking here.
Wednesday, May 5 Update: The Allen Arena Box Office is now selling new tickets for the event! Many additional $30 tickets have been released, as the arena has a larger seating capacity! Visit the Allen Arena Box Office at Lipscomb University or call 615-966-7075 to purchase tickets.
Previously purchased tickets will be honored when you arrive at Allen Arena. “Will Call” tickets from the Schermerhorn will still be available through Will Call at the arena. If you have additional questions, call our office at 615.550.5600.
Cinderella: Enchanted Edition will be presented at Allen Arena at Lipscomb University. As you already know, Cinderella: Enchanted Edition was originally scheduled at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Although we are very sad that the Schermerhorn sustained damage during the flood in Nashville, the show will go on! While this is a different venue, it will be same date, same time, same talent, and the same show!
We are so excited that Steven Curtis Chapman, Bebe Winans, Jodi Benson, Heather Headley, Alli Mauzey, Anthony Fedorov, Jake Speck, and the Nashville Symphony will still be joining us to raise awareness and hope to care for orphans in distress! All previously purchased tickets will be honored. Additionally, Allen Arena is a larger venue that will allow us to release even more tickets to the public for this enchanted evening!! We will update you with new ticketing information as it becomes available.
Cinderella: Enchanted Edition Friday, May 14th 7:00 pm
Allen Arena at Lipscomb University Nashville, TN
When Ella was admitted into our care, she had a cleft lip and palate, and at the time, it was also believed that she had Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). While undergoing medical testing in Beijing, we were delighted to receive the good news that this sweet girl was clear of CHD! She received surgery in October 2009 to repair her cleft lip. Now, as she continues to recover, she is also being prepared for her next surgery to repair her palate.
Unlike some of her other playmates, Ella is quite shy when she first meets new people. She is very calm and happily plays in her own little world. After some coaxing, Ella recently warmed up to Mikey, our Show Hope staff person at MBHOH, although we suspect the candies he would bring for her may have helped their friendship bloom!! Now, every time Mikey visits her, Ella sweetly pulls out a few books to “read.” She sits on his lap, puts the book in his hand, and gives him a look as if to say “What are you waiting for?”
Thanks to Show Hope sponsors, Ella is now receiving the medical attention she so desperately needs. We look forward to June, when the surgical team from Geisinger Medical Center comes to MBHOH, both to repair her cleft palate and tend to many others awaiting surgery. Please join us in praying for this shy girl.
Gabriel was admitted to MBHOH in September 2009 at 21 months old. Upon admission he was underweight and required a shunt to relieve his hydrocephalus. Despite being partially deaf, Gabriel was alert and gained weight quickly. Thanks to the support of Show Hope sponsors, Gabriel is now in good health and constantly smiling. He loves to play with his friend Isaac and enjoys meeting new people.
Although Gabriel is not walking yet, he is extremely active. He can pull himself around the room by his arms at lightning speeds! The nurses are hopeful that with therapy and practice, he will develop enough to walk on his own. Gabriel has already proven that he can learn quickly. Erma, Gabriel’s primary nurse, laughed out loud as she recalled this moment:
“We have these little baby bouncers that the nannies bounce with their their hands or feet to slowly rock babies to sleep. One of the nannies in Gabriel’s room would often play with Gabriel as she bounced a baby to sleep. He eventually picked up on how to make it bounce and began bouncing it for her! All of the nannies joked about being out of their jobs because Gabriel was taking over!”
Please pray for Gabriel, Isaac, and the other children at MBHOH as they continue to heal and develop. Pray with us that they would soon be able to join a forever family of their own.
Show Hope is excited to present this new video for Cinderella: The Enchanted Version! We hope that you will share your excitement for this one-night-only event with your friends, family, and neighbors. You can even post this video to your Facebook profile! Help us get the word out about this incredible evening that will commemorate the life of Maria Sue Chapman while raising awareness for orphans in distress.
Motte and Beth Brown had always talked about adopting, even before having their first two children biologically. During their lengthy process to adopt from China, Motte and Beth soon became convinced that they were actually being called to pursue a sibling group from Ethiopia while continuing to wait for a match from China. They were quickly matched with two Ethiopian siblings between the ages of five and eight. Two weeks later, however, they were astounded when their agency called to inform them that this was actually a sibling group of four and that twin infant siblings had just been found. If they wished to continue with the adoption of these two children, they would have to adopt all four siblings together.
Last Friday’s Spring Celebration presentation of 
BroadwayWorld.com contributor, Jeffrey Ellis, enthusiastically reviewed the show by commenting, “No matter how you look at it, Cinderella was a completely magical and enchanting success…the opulent and sumptuous staging for Cinderella underscored the magical, mesmerizing and time-honored tale of the orphaned girl who searches for happiness, love and the realization of her lifelong dreams.” His review goes on to say that, “[Matt] Logan’s artistic vision was evident throughout the concert (which featured the cast off-book, performing the songs beautifully, with choreography, costumes and minimal scenery – augmented by some wonderfully evocative videos to set the scene) and his sheer chutzpah in bringing such a star-studded cast together to bring the musical to life is laudable and, clearly, it raises the bar higher for Nashville theatre. With a sizable onstage ensemble and an offstage chorus that featured some of Nashville’s most capable theatrical names, Cinderella: Enchanted Edition boasted an overabundance of talents that ensured its success with audience members.” 
We are asking for brand NEW items, such as socks, t-shirts, undergarments, hygiene products (i.e., toothbrushes and paste, deodorant, hair brushes, shampoo), cleaning supplies, and paper goods, such as paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, and napkins. The Salvation Army is also accepting Walmart and Kroger gift cards in $25, $50 and $100 increments.
