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Southside Baptist Church’s new resurrection presentation, “The Inheritance,” opens just in time for Easter.

Performances this week are set for 7 p.m. Friday, April 7 and 10 a.m. Sunday, April 9 at the church, 917 Carolina Road. 

An original work written by Southside Players member Heidi Spargur, the drama centers on Apostle Paul during the final days of his life, and his interactions during this time. 

The play is part of the church’s Easter weekend celebration with a Resurrection Walk and egg drop from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 8, as well as a sunrise service followed by breakfast at 8 a.m. Sunday, April 9. Childcare is also provided for youngsters up to age 3. There is no charge for attendance of the play or for the Resurrection Walk.

Spargur shared details of her drama and other characters that appear in the play.

“This story centers around the Apostle Paul towards the end of his life. Luke, his close friend, is visiting him in Mamertine prison in Rome where Paul asks him to begin writing the book of Acts,” Spargur explained. “The tribune and commander of Mamertine prison, Nicabar, is in continual conflict with Paul and his faith. While the story begins with Saul (Paul), Luke is the central character that connects everyone else in the play. Other main characters are Cadmus, a young centurion, and his wife Julia. Also in the story are Cadmus’ mother, Caecillia, his sister Valeria, and Livius, Felicia, and Marcellus, Cadmus and Julia’s three children. Anicatus, Emilian, Marcus, and Cyprian are the leaders of the growing Roman church.”

Spargur said two stories run parallel in the drama — both Paul’s and the family of the centurion, Cadmus.

“The first is Paul’s plea to Luke to write the book of Acts, as he knows he will most likely die soon, and the growing Christian church needs the history it will provide,” she explained.

The constant tension with Nicabar emphasizes the shortness of Paul’s time, Spargur said. 

 

“The second story surrounds the family of the centurion, Cadmus. He is Paul’s chief guard and is affected by the strange beliefs he hears from Luke and Paul,” she said. “Luke ends up living with Cadmus’ family for a time and while there begins to unravel the story of Cadmus’ somewhat enigmatic wife, Julia. It becomes evident that Nicabar also has issues with Cadmus and Julia and as the story progresses his behavior becomes increasingly hostile.”

Spargur discussed the friendship of Paul and Luke and how it ties into the title of the play.

“The friendship between Paul and Luke provides some of the most lighthearted moments in the story, but also some of the most heart-wrenching,” she said. “The story begins with Saul and ends with Luke, highlighting the meaning of the play’s title – ‘The Inheritance.’”

For the play’s beginnings, Spargur said the story started as a skit for four boys at the school where she teaches.

“The Gospel of Luke has always been my favorite of the four Gospels and the story of the life of Paul has always fascinated me,” Spargur said. “Much of that life is recorded in the book of Acts. The goal in this play was to not only put the writing of the Bible into a historical context, but to present the characters we are familiar with as normal, human people who interacted with their world and culture in the same way we do.”

She shared what the process of putting the play together was like for her.

“Writing and directing this play was a very new experience for me personally. It takes a lot of people to pull off a production like this and we have an incredible team of actors, set designers, and tech personnel,” Spargur expressed. “Each actor has taken their character and brought them to life, creating and shaping each personality in their own unique ways. Hours of rehearsals and line memorizations have vibrantly brought the story to life.”

She said the team’s hard work is evident in the quality of the production.

Spargur hopes Suffolk families who attend take something away from it.

“As with anything done at Southside, our goal is to spread the Gospel message of Christ. As this holiday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, my hope is that people who come may hear the Gospel presented in a clear and loving way and that they will be brought into a saving relationship with Christ,” she said.

For those who can’t attend, the performance is being live streamed online at sbcsuffolk.online.church. 

For more information, go to sbcsuffolk.org/home or call 757-539-6629.