ABOUT RISEN!
Introduction
Ken formed the charity Mustard Seed Songs in 1999 with the mission statement of promoting Christianity through recorded music and concerts - in particular to support young Christian missionaries who take time off from their studies to work voluntarily in the developing world. Many CDs and concerts have been produced and eventually a musical His Story which covered the life of Jesus from birth to ascension. Ken felt, however that it was important to write a musical focusing on the foundation of the Christian faith - the Resurrection of Jesus.
Whereas His Story featured actors acting, singers singing and dancers dancing this new musical- “Risen! was musical theatre in which the cast performs in all three disciplines.
Ken had a whole host of songs in his head - songs which he firmly believes have been inspired by God- and in 2011 he sat down with his New International Version of the Bible and found himself “in a zone” using melodies in his head, some old and some new, to compose songs and recitative for the developing script, which begins with Jesus’ anointing at Bethany and closes with His ascension to heaven.
Ken then went to speak with Joffy Girling an ex -student of Crofton School in which Ken worked as a PE teacher. Joffy was a student at Birmingham University studying Sound Engineering. Joffy is also a multi-instrumentalist and so was perfect to transform the songs in Ken’s head into real music.
Ken and Joffy have worked side by side since then and in 2015 the double CD of Risen! now retitled Risen!- The Musical was released.
Nicola Poustie, another Crofton ex- student who had been a member of the Mustard Seed Soul Band which had performed on previous CDs, concerts and His Story, sang the part of Mary Magdalene. Nicola had attended the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and introduced Ken to another Mountview ex -student, Ben Morris who was playing in the West End’s Phantom of the Opera - Ben sang the role of Jesus. A full list of all the wonderful musicians who played on the CD can be found on the Risen! CD
In Easter 2012 a concert version of Risen! was staged at Holy Rood Church, Stubbington, Hampshire and on Easter Sunday 2013 a pilot stage production played to a packed audience, again at Holy Rood. In 2014 there was a further Easter Sunday Risen! concert at Holy Rood. May 2015 saw the first stage production of Risen!- The Musical at the Coventry Pentecost Festival and in November 2015 the Show was produced at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth. In April 2016 Risen! returned to the New Theatre Royal where it was filmed by Global Fire Creative for cable TV broadcast and DVD production.
For more details of these individual events please visit the individual links: