“The first time I stepped into Sight & Sound Theatres in Branson, Missouri, many years ago, I was awestruck by a sense of scale I was unfamiliar with,” said Les Feldman, GOOD NEWS publisher and former publisher of PLAYBILL®, the national theatre magazine editions. “I’ve spent the majority of my adult life in theatre — well over 30 years — and with simple calculation, using a metric of only two shows a month during that time, it would be more than 750 shows. I was mostly attending opening nights at the leading theatres all over the country. Even with that background, I was unfamiliar with the sheer overwhelming size of Sight & Sound and the largesse of a stage and proscenium measuring some 300 feet, which is gargantuan by most theatre standards, allowing for the maximum dramatic effect. And dramatic it is when the magic of their biblical presentations comes to life! Simply put, their presentations are second to none, anywhere.” Liz Wallick, a self-described theatre buff from South Florida with subscriptions to the Broward Center and Slow Burn theatre, saw Sight & Sound’s production of ESTHER in Branson with her husband Gregg Wallick a year ago and she agreed. “When I saw Sight & Sound Theatres, it was absolutely incredible – over the top! What an experience and privilege,” she said. “It’s almost like a theatre in the round. There’s something going on everywhere and you truly feel like you’re in it. The entire experience was mesmerizing.” Balancing entertainment and ministry Mixing ministry with entertainment requires a delicate balance to maintain the authenticity of the message while engaging the audience in a meaningful, memorable way. Matt Neff, Chief Executive Officer of Sight & Sound Theatres and Kim’s brother-in-law, said, “This is one of the things we take most seriously about what we do because we know our calling is to bring the Bible to life on stage. And it's sacred scripture, God's word; it's His will. So, it’s a big deal, and I love that our writers, directors and producers share a deep reverence for that reality.” “When we land on what we think is the next story to tell, that first year is a deep dive in into the story and scripture and biblical commentaries. We research the history and the times and the geography of the location to be as real and authentic as possible. We’re also looking to the Lord for what's the message you have within the story for today. Because His word is alive. It's active. It’s sharp and we believe there's always a message that He wants to tell that's relevant for what's going on in the world today without getting away from and honoring the core text. We recognize that we are taking creative liberties because we're telling a creative portrayal of a true story. So that is the art and science. It’s a great healthy tension and wrestling match the whole way through the production process.” Development of each show can take up to four years from concept to completion and the staff is often working on more than one show at a time at various stages of development. Ministry also extends to after the curtain falls. In the after-show ministry, Miller said, “There is a time of ministry when we pray for the guests, and it's incredible. We keep notes on each prayer, and I read all the journals. And I can't even begin to tell you; people are here from Brazil. People are here from Portugal. I mean, just name the country. And many times, they'll say, ‘oh, no, we're not here to visit family or anything, we're here to see this production. It is just, it's mind blowing to me. I can't quite fathom getting on an airplane and traveling halfway around the world.” Beyond the story, “He's in all the details,” said Neff. This was demonstrated after one presentation of DAVID, when “an elderly woman approached the stage for prayer and confided, ‘I'm David.’ Like the biblical account, she had been living in an affair until in that moment she was stirred to repentance and freedom. With 2,000 plus people at each show, everybody has a unique story, a unique moment, and we're trusting the Lord to meet them exactly where they're at, how He wants to,” Neff said. When Omar and Julianne Aleman, of Fort Lauderdale, saw Sight & Sound’s COVER STORY 25 JULY 2025 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition COVER STORY 24 JULY 2025 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition Lancaster, PA -- Looking for an unforgettable experience to stir your faith and rekindle a sense of awe and wonder? Sight & Sound Theatres’ worldrenowned ministry of visual storytelling, with state-of-the-art theatres in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Branson, Missouri, is a faith-filled immersive journey that draws visitors from across the globe, inviting them to witness Scripture come alive like never before through the beloved stories of biblical characters like NOAH and DAVID, presented in musical theatre with live animals on stage. A visit to Sight & Sound is an awe-inspiring journey where the power of Scripture unfolds in a vibrant, unforgettable display. The enormity and grandeur of these productions is unmatched anywhere else in America, drawing over a million people a year from all over the world, including many church groups and tour operators, to their inspirational shows. On a recent visit to Sight & Sound in Lancaster to see their 30th Anniversary presentation of NOAH, I was especially awestruck when the Ark was revealed during the opening of Act 2, and we were surrounded on three sides by the elaborate 40-foot set. A cast of over 100 live animals filled three levels of the Ark and made their way down the aisles through the audience to take their places. Animatronic elephants, lions and tigers moved about, and actors dressed as orangutans stole the show. Utilizing special effects, we experienced with Noah’s family the first rains and shuddered as the Ark appeared to lift off the earth and float. We were fully immersed in the experience. Beyond just how impressive their shows are, the compelling story of the founding family’s humble beginnings and perseverance through fiery trials is the true testament to their dedication and faith to present the gospel of Jesus Christ and sow the Word of God into the lives of others in such a profound way. Now run by the extended Eshelman family, Sight & Sound has a staff of over 800 skilled professionals from actors and production crew to engineers, set and costume designers and even a team of animal handlers who care for each animal in the barnyard. All this grew out of the creativity of Glenn and Shirley Eshelman in the 1960s. A dairy farmer from Lancaster County, Glenn Eshelman was an artist who travelled the country presenting evangelistic slide shows of his photographs and landscape paintings infused with his wife’s poetry and spiritual songs. The couple eventually settled back in Lancaster where they raised their four daughters and added theatrical elements to the popular shows. In 1997 when a fire destroyed the Entertainment Center they had worked to build just six years earlier, they were devastated but undaunted. Kim Miller, a founding family member and ministry coordinator, said, “It felt horrifically devastating at the time. Mom and dad questioned, ‘Are we even going to continue in ministry?’ But after lots of prayers, counsel and conversation, a year and a half later this theatre opened. We've never regretted it, and I don't believe God caused it, but He used it to be able to do the stage productions, the size, the scale, the scope that we are now.” Out of the ashes came a fresh vision of an even grander theatre whose architectural plans Eshelman sketched himself as he was inspired by Solomon’s temple. The theatres today reflect Sight & Sound's commitment to delivering immersive, large-scale biblical productions through significant investment in infrastructure and technology. In 2008, they opened their second theatre in Branson. That 339,000 square foot theatre situated on a hilltop is an impressive architectural structure and is only slightly larger than the Sight & Sound stage it was modeled after in Lancaster, ushering guests into what feels like the ancient world of Israel as depicted in Scripture. Each theatre seats more than 2,000 and features a 300-foot-wide panoramic stage that wraps around three sides of the audience. Towering four-story sets are designed with breathtaking detail and a stunning mix of live animals and animatronics all work together to bring the Bible to life in a way that moves hearts and minds, young and old alike. The uniqueness of Sight & Sound Theatres is their presentation of 11 shows a week in Lancaster and at this moment in time, they are almost fully sold out through the end of 2025. Sight & Sound Theatres: Epic Storytelling Brings the Bible to Life on a Grand Stage Shelly Pond Good News Editor Kim Miller Matt Neff David rides in on a white horse in DAVID. The Interior of the Ark wraps around three sides of the audience in Act 2 of NOAH. (continued on next page)
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