Donation check presented to Nappanee Family Christian Development Center

A check for over $500 was presented to Mark Mikel, Executive Director, Family Christian Development Center by Reverend Frank Ramirez, Lead Pastor, Union Center Church of the Brethren, Amber Burgess, Artistic Director, The Round Barn Theatre, and Richard Pletcher, CEO, Amish Acres. The money was raised by donations from audience members who attended the two staged readings of “Plain Paper…,” the new musical written by Mr. Ramirez and conceived by Mr. Pletcher with music and lyrics by Steve Engle. In addition to Ms. Burgess, the readings were directed by Katherine Barnes. Ten members of the theatre’s resident acting company donated their time to prepare for and present the new musical. “Plain Paper, Amish News That’s Print to Fit” is based on a fictional newspaper named the Vision. It is distributed nationally with newsworthy stories from Amish and Mennonite districts across the country. The news is supplied by scribes who keep track of the weather, births, deaths, weddings, illnesses and visitors over the previous week. Everything is running relatively smoothly until Winthrop Llewis shows up from Hollywood to film a reality show. Winthrop has his eyes opened in ways he never thought possible.

The musical was presented last year my members of the Union Center Church of the Brethren. Ramirez and Engle, who have collaborated on additional musicals, continue to revise the script and music with the hope of staging a full production in 2018 as the theatre’s Second Stage Production.

The Round Barn Theatre is Indiana’s only resident repertory theatre. It is the National Home of “Plain and Fancy,” the 1955 Broadway musical about Amish life and love. “Plain and Fancy” has been running for 32 years and is the second longest currently running musical in America. “Sister Act” is currently running in repertory with it. Tickets are available at the box office (800) 800-4942 or at AmishAcres.com.