Saray prepares to speak to EUD News. Time is short, there are frequent rehearsals, the cast members demand attention, and the youngsters show affection and ask for autographs for their little booklet with the profile of those in charge. Over the past few days, this 83-member cast has been slowly showing off the inspiring musical they will present on Saturday, the last day of Camporee.
"Am I going to remember everything I have to say?" asks Saray Vega, 42, director of Jesus, The Musical, standing with her communications director, Alexandre Antón. You can tell she's a perfectionist, attentive to detail, an indispensable trait when you bring music, lights, wardrobe, and people together on stage in an artistic and harmonious way.
The idea of making a musical about the life of Jesus began when she first listened to the CD “Jesus” from the group Canta y Rie, in 2015. She imagined these great songs coming to life through a musical. In 2013, the community of the Spanish-speaking Adventist Church in Geneva had performed the musical "The Prince of Egypt", about the life of Moses. She knew that, with the talented people they have in their church, they could create something great with these songs “and share the life of Jesus, with a goal to bring His message to people in a contemporary way".
With the support of her husband, Antonio Gonzalez (technical director), the nurse by profession has embarked on a work of creation, organisation and leadership, uniting around her the will of friends, neighbours and church members from the Geneva region. These include Renée Reynolds (vocal and music director), Eloi Comabella (audiovisual production and graphic design), Luis Anton (choreography and staging), Noemi Aloy (logistics, costumes and props), and Ana Anton (choreography and staging) – the field assistants who lead a talented team on a mission. The meeting point became the Campus Adventiste du Salève, where rehearsals, preparation of materials and logistics took place. "We are very grateful to the Campus. It has become the home from which we go out to share Jesus," says Saray. The group has members from 23 countries—from Argentina to Polynesia, from Germany to Zambia—of different ages, interests and professions. They are united by the common purpose of bringing viewers to know Jesus and his story better.
And they've been fulfilling that purpose. After translating the lyrics into French and creating the choreography, they have performed several times in the Geneva region, with more than 2,000 people hearing them sing and seeing them act out the life of Jesus in 2016 and 2017.
As stated earlier, Saray is attentive to every detail. "Because Jesus deserves it," she explains. Later, hours after the interview, we ran into each other casually on the Friedensau campus.
"Please don't forget something very important," she pleaded. "Write down that it was the invitation of the EUD Youth Department that made it possible to translate and adapt the musical into English."
Saray reaffirms what she said in the interview, that it was a huge privilege for the group to be invited to the Camporee to perform for so many young people who want to praise Jesus.
"We are blessed and very grateful!" Saray concludes. Yes, Saray, we’ll write. All of us, especially the Pathfinders, are very grateful too.
Watch the Saturday evening event, Jesus, The Musical, at 9:15pm CET, here: https://youtube.com/@EUDYouthMinistries
Photos: © Ângelo Bártolo, Mariana Bártolo, Simão de Abreu
