On Saturday, May 17, thirty-five people from our church went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to see the 30th anniversary production of Noah. My wife and I were among them. Indeed, my wife drove the van our church rented to take up over a dozen members of our church group. The rest drove themselves.
Jane and I first attended a Sight & Sound production about ten years ago when a church family treated us to the experience. We’ve been hooked ever since. My wife has helped organize a church-wide trip for the last three years.
For those unfamiliar, Sight & Sound Theatres is a Christian production company based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (with a second location in Branson, Missouri). Known for their massive live stage productions that bring Bible stories to life, they combine Broadway-caliber acting with breathtaking sets, live animals, original music, and state-of-the-art effects. Each production aims not just to entertain, but to lift the heart and encourage the audience to seek after God and put their trust in Him.
Their production of Noah—originally debuted in 1995—has been refreshed and reimagined for this 30th anniversary season. The story of Noah’s faith and obedience, the construction of the ark, and life on board the ark in the midst of a global flood are the focus of the production.
The acting is solid. The music is good. The animals are cute.
The enormous ark set is a visual marvel, and yes, real animals (and some very convincing animatronics) fill the stage and aisles, much to the delight of the audience. And much to my delight as well. It was truly one of the most impressive sets I’ve ever seen.
Now, let’s get one thing out of the way. Sight & Sound takes extensive creative liberties with the story of Noah—filling in emotional and relational backstories that are not anywhere in Scripture. Some Christians have real problems with this, and I get it. But let’s be honest. If they didn’t take some creative license, the play would be extremely short.
Let’s also agree that this is nothing new. I remember watching The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston every Passover/Easter with my parents. When I finally read the biblical account of Moses, I was like, “Wait, didn’t Pharaoh marry Moses’s first love?” Almost all biblical-themed historical movies include extensive creative liberties. The same is true for biblical fiction. Many Christians have real problems with this. I don’t, so long as the following parameters are observed:
- The creative license should be respectful of faith and Scripture.
- Anything added to the story must be consistent with, not contradictory to, the biblical account of said story and characters.
- Scriptwriters should rarely put words in the mouth of God, including Jesus, that aren’t recorded in Scripture. When they do, the words should be absolutely consistent with what’s in Scripture.
I believe The Chosen is an extremely well-made TV series, but I cringe at their violation of that third criterion. This is why I can’t fully endorse it.
But let’s talk about a production that violated all three of the above criteria: Darren Aronofsky’s 2014 film Noah starring Russell Crowe. To say Aronofsky’s film embellished or added to the biblical account of Noah would be an understatement. Don’t get me wrong. The movie was visually compelling, but it was theologically confused (to say the least) and quite disrespectful to the biblical text.
Sight & Sound’s Noah also embellishes and adds to the biblical account of Noah, but it stays respectful to the Scripture and never loses sight of who God is or what He was doing.
Now, on a personal note, I’ve never really liked musicals. Many people in the church I’m honored to serve strongly disagree with me on that point, but I’d rather the actors just act and not sing. Still, Sight & Sound does musicals, and I’ve found myself appreciating musicals more since going to Sight & Sound productions.
If you’re looking for a theatrical experience that uplifts your faith, entertains your family, and presents biblical truth with creativity and care, Noah at Sight & Sound is well worth the trip. It reminds us—especially in uncertain times—that God keeps His promises and that obedience, even when unpopular, is never wasted.
Thank you for Reading!
🙏 Be sure to visit Olney Baptist Church
👥 Follow me on Facebook
📕 See my Resource & Recommendation Page
📖 Check out my latest book: Thou Shalt Not Kill: The Ancient Commandment We Dare Not Break
📢 Connect with me on Substack
