From the Heartland

The performance of

Candy World by the Plymouth, Indiana, Riverside Intermediate Drama Club that Diane and I attended on March 15 was a real treat. The play was written by Megan Schemenauer who was also the co-director along with Danielle Throckmorton. Between the red cast (Wednesday) and the white cast (Thursday) there were 37 students involved. Between Scene #3 and Scene #4 all hands were on deck Wednesday during the scenery change when two of the backdrops kept falling.

The play is about three girls, Abby, Olive and Makenna who have a sleep over to play the new video game, Candy World. Abby’s younger brother, A.J. who loves candy, proves to be a pest. Through the magic of their video players the whole crew is transported to Candy Land where they are told by Red that Candy Land is being taken over by the evil Candy Queen. The youth discover that it is Red who is taking over and the Candy Queen is a prisoner. What is more, Red plans to take over the human world.

With the help of Charlie Truffle the queen is set free, the youth’s controllers are returned, and all is well with the world.

While I am not sure of Schemenauer’s intentions when she wrote the play, I think the play can be seen as a commentary on our world today where many people seem to be addicted to their electronic devices. One can see people clicking away on their mobile phones, while eating, while exercising, while in church, while at a play, while shopping, or while just standing around. The electronic world would appear to have taken over. Rather than us possessing them, they possess us.

The scriptures have a lot to say about being in bondage to sin and death. We would appear to live in a generation that is in bondage to electronic devices of all kinds. We have substituted the real thing for its electronic substitute. A way that one might discover if they are in bondage to one’s electronic devices is to see if one could go a whole week without using them once. Would one be able to find something useful to fill one’s time?

In chapter eight of his letter to the Romans Paul talks about the fruits of Christ setting a person free from the bondage to sin and death. However, it is not just individuals who are in bondage to sin and death, the whole creation is also in bondage. Thus Christ also sets free the whole creation “from the bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8: 21).” In the play Charlie Truffle helps to set A.J. Abby, Olive, and Makenna free from the rule of Red. Who shall set all those who suffer from an addiction to electronic devices free?

Not only does the play Candy World describe the problem, it also provides a solution. For about 45 minutes Wednesday evening March 15th those of us in the audience were not focused on an electronic world but a world of actual reality. Even after the play many did not return to the electronic world, but remained in real world for conversation and friendship.

Electronics have an important part to play in making our world a better place in which to live. However, they pose the danger of turning from servant to master. Megan Schemenauer’s play is a humorous reminder of this danger.