'Power' touches lives with Bible stories

Director David Nieman and guest star David Osmond have both worked in stage productions touching on religious themes — Nieman most recently as director of the angelic comedy, "Heaven Can Wait," and Osmond in the title role in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (in 2002 at Tuacahn and later, on tour with several other Second Generation brothers and cousins from the Osmond family).

Next week, Osmond is back in the dual roles of Jason and Nathanial, which he played in 2005 in "Power in His Touch."

Nieman (pronounced nee-man) is directing the production for the first time.

During a telephone interview, Nieman noted that "Power in His Touch" is different from most of the stage productions he's directed and performed in around the region. Nieman's forte is finely tuned comedy, having directed such classics as "Arsenic and Old Lace," "Harvey," "Charley's Aunt" and "Teahouse of the August Moon."

"I hesitate to call this a musical — and it's a religious musical on top of all that — but there's no singing and dancing," he explained.

Well, at least not "singing and dancing" like you find in "42nd Street" (which he directed last year for Hale Centre Theatre). The music in "Power in His Touch" is more choral and spiritual.

The production premiered last year in the Rose Wagner Center's Jeanne Wagner Theatre, and that show's leading players — Osmond and Katrina Nelson — are both reprising their dual roles from 2005.

Nelson portrays two women — Kendra, a contemporary, unwed mother, and Sarah, a woman living in Christ's time. Both women feel inadequate and unworthy.

Osmond plays modern-day Jason and a character from biblical days, Nathanial.

The story, music and lyrics were written by Colette Call in collaboration with her brother, Mike Call.

The cast of the new version also includes Daniel Beck, Sterling Brimley, Rock H. White, Danny O'Very, Kelly Griffiths and Karen Larsen.

The plot revolves around Kendra, a single mother who is struggling to overcome a life filled with difficulties. She is befriended by another person, who relates the story of Sarah, a woman who lived during the ministry of Jesus Christ. The action then shifts to the dusty streets of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.

"Basically, this is the story of Christ told from the point of view of a woman caught in sin," said Nieman. "It's related to a modern-day woman who is having a difficult time. It's a story of forgiveness and the atonement that is available to all of us regardless of how far we think we are from that.