Passion Play 2020 Spiritual Renewal Witness an Elaborate Without Leaving the U.S
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RTPG_1_Layout 1 1/23/18 1:47 PM Page 1 Top Religious Theaters These immersive productions 2018 EDITION bring the Bible to life The Mysterious 20 Maya American Discover the beauty Pilgrimage Sites of this ancient culture Experience Passion Play 2020 spiritual renewal Witness an elaborate without leaving the U.S. recreation of Christ’s A Premier Travel Media publication • www.ReligiousTravelPlanningGuide.com crucifixion in Oberammergau RTPG_2_Layout 1 1/23/18 12:46 PM Page 2 Plan your visit at ArkEncounter.com Williamstown, KY (south of Cincinnati) 6 NarroWay productions like The Fourth Cross bring biblical stories to life. VOL. 8 • 2018 EDITION FEATURES contents 6 The Bible Comes Alive at 18 Stress-Free Retreat Planning Top Religious Theaters BY SABRINA PARR BY RACHEL GILMORE Combining rich set design and compelling music, Embrace the less-is-more approach for your next these productions redefine the live religious retreat with advice from a planner herself. entertainment experience. 22 Youth Safety Abroad BY MILES DOBIS 10 Passion Play 2020 BY RANDY MINK Ensure younger travelers take proper precautions This once-in-a-decade event draws thousands of when visiting Europe or the Middle East for the believers to a small Bavarian village to witness the first time. Passion reenacted. 26 The Mysterious Maya BY STEPHANIE HARRIS 14 Top 20 American Pilgrimage Sites Discover the beauty of this ancient religion in the Hesitant to travel abroad? These places of worship temples and pyramids of Central America. can fulfill all your spiritual needs. Well-organized youth groups that take precautions are better equipped to visit foreign countries. ON THE COVER: Sight & Sound production of Moses. 22 (Photo courtesy of Sight & Sound) religioustravelplanningguide.com Religious Travel Planning Guide 3 RTPG_4_Layout 1 1/23/18 1:03 PM Page 4 Randy Mink Church Group Travel Renews the Spirit Vol. 8, No. 1, 2018 Edition ike any vacation, a faith-based journey For dramatic effect, consider bringing your Editorial Office 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Lprovides a chance to recharge and refuel. group to a religious theatrical production. Willowbrook, IL 60527 P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 But traveling with members of your church In “The Bible Comes Alive at Top Religious [email protected] with spiritual growth in mind provides an Theaters” on page 6, we list eight options extra dimension. The fellowship experienced in the U.S., from lavish Sight & Sound Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk on a group getaway will be remembered and spectacles staged in Branson, Missouri, [email protected] treasured for years to come. and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to NarroWay For the congregation of a small-town dinner theater in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Managing Editor – Randy Mink church, it might be a weekend trip to the For pageantry outdoors, take your group to [email protected] nearest big city. A visit to Chicago could The Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, include the Sky Chapel under the spire of the Arkansas, or Hill Cumorah Pageant in Staff Writer – Miles Dobis Chicago Temple, downtown’s First United Palmyra, New York. [email protected] Methodist Church, the tallest church building The most famous passion play in the in the world. Wheaton College, a Christian world returns to Oberammergau, Germany, Contributing Writers school in suburban Chicago, is home to the in 2020, and it’s not too early to reserve seats Rachel Gilmore Billy Graham Center Museum, which traces for your group as part of a tour to Central Stephanie Harris Sabrina Parr the history of evangelism in America. Europe. You’ll find answers to most of Catholic groups have a wide choice of your questions about this once-a-decade pilgrimage destinations, particularly major event in our “Passion Play 2020” feature on Director, Design & Production – Robert Wyszkowski [email protected] shrines that offers tours, meeting space and page 10. even overnight accommodations. Some of Complementing our print publication these shrines are described in our page 14 are online resources for planning your group Advertising Sales Office Phone: 630.794.0696 feature “20 Pilgrimage Sites Across the United trip. With listings and links to group-friendly [email protected] www.ptmgroups.com States Worth Visiting.” Perhaps your group destinations and businesses, ReligiousTravel will want to visit or even plan a retreat at the PlanningGuide.com is the premier research The publisher accepts unsolicited editorial matter, as well as advertising, but assumes no responsi bility for statements made National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa tool for the faith travel market. Our monthly by advertisers or contributors. Every effort is made to ensure the in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, or the National e-newsletter, InSite on Religious Travel, offers accuracy of the information published, but the publisher makes no warranty that listings are free of error. The publisher is not Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Southern plenty of ideas as well. responsible for the return of unsolicited photos or manuscripts. Illinois. As many of you know, planning for travel Religious Travel Planning Guide is published annually by Speaking of retreats, even a short one- is half the fun. With that in mind, we hope Premier Travel Media, 621 Plainfield Rd., Suite 406, Willowbrook, IL day program can do wonders for spiritual this eighth annual edition of Religious Travel 60527. Postage paid at Willowbrook, IL and Lebanon Junction, KY. The magazine is distributed free to religious group travel rejuvenation. In fact, the less time required to Planning Guide, combined with our online organizers and travel suppliers catering to be away, the more likely people will come. resources, will inspire you to develop the best the market. Single copies for all others is $9.95. Whatever the length of your retreat, organiza- group trip ever and chart new paths for your Send Address Change to: tion is the key to maximizing its impact, community of faith. Premier Travel Media 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 writes Rachel Gilmore in “The Less is More Happy Traveling, Willowbrook, IL 60527 Approach to Retreat Planning” (page 18). An authority on the subject, Rachel is the A publication author of The Complete Leader’s Guide to Randy Mink Christian Retreats. Managing Editor All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. 4 Religious Travel Planning Guide religioustravelplanningguide.com RTPG_5_Layout 1 1/23/18 12:45 PM Page 5 RTPG_6-8_Layout 1 1/23/18 12:37 PM Page 6 The Bible Comes Alive at Top Religious Theaters Artfully combining music and biblical themes, these theaters are redefining the live religious entertainment experience By Sabrina Parr op-of-the-line religious theaters all over the country are taking ministry to the next level. Combining musical T numbers, original scripts and, in some cases, live animals, they bring the Bible to life. 6 Religious Travel Planning Guide religioustravelplanningguide.com RTPG_6-8_Layout 1 1/23/18 12:38 PM Page 7 NarroWay Sight & Sound Fort Mill, South Carolina Lancaster, Pennsylvania NarroWay Productions, a premier dinner theater that promotes Branson, Missouri wholesome Christian entertainment, has been called the “Broad- Taking the stage in Branson for the 2018 season is the story way of Christian Entertainment.” In 2018 Na rroWay is offering of Samson. Sight & Sound Branson’s Samson explores how an six major productions, including Samson the Last Judge, The Gospel underachiever goes on to be remembered as one of God’s most According to Tennessee, Not Another Love Story, Lord of Light, The faithful followers. Debuting in Lancaster in 2018 is Jesus, a produc- 4th Cross and The Real Christmas Story. Each production brings a tion that examines the life of Jesus Christ and how he impacted biblical story to life. NarroWay also produces mystery theaters the lives of millions during his lifetime and beyond. Sight & throughout the year where guests become a part of the show and Sound’s panoramic stages immerse the audience in the story through try to guess “whodunit.” (narroway.net) beautiful sets, live animals and state-of-the-art special effects. (sight-sound.com) Sight & Sound productions like Moses (below) transport audience members to Biblical times with elaborate costumes, sets and musical numbers. religioustravelplanningguide.com Religious Travel Planning Guide 7 RTPG_6-8_Layout 1 1/23/18 12:41 PM Page 8 The Great Passion Play Christian Youth Theater San Diego, California Christian Youth Theater (CYT) introduces youth ages 4-18 to the ever-evolving world of theater while teaching Judeo-Christian values applicable to everyday life. CYT performances are open to the public and are supported by the community. San Diego’s CYT’s 2018 winter performances include A Little Princess, Peter Pan, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Seussical the Musical and High School Musical. (cytsandiego.org) The Fireside Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin The Fireside Dinner Theatre, a Wisconsin landmark that opened in 1964, is famous for treating everyone like family and providing top-of-the-line food and entertainment. During the 2018 The Great Passion Play season, The Fireside is combining old classics with new, including Eureka Springs, Arkansas Kopit & Yeston’s Phantom, Grease, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, The Great Passion Play showcases the last days of Jesus’ life 42nd Street, Disney’s Newsies and Elf the Musical. The theater also on a 550-foot-wide, multi-level stage. The play runs from May to hosts a Christian concert series. In 2018 the series features the October every year. At the site of the play, guests have access to an Browns, Collingsworth Family, Booth Brothers and Triumphant all-you-can-eat meal at the Great Hall Buffet, an interactive Holy Quartet. (firesidetheatre.com) Land tour, the Sacred Arts Museum, the world-renowned Bible Museum, the History Museum, Noah's Ark Park Petting Zoo and Smoky Mountain Adventures hiking trails before the show.