One of the perks of registering early for Reach is that you have first dibs on purchasing tickets for Upside Down, a breathtaking musical based on the book of Acts. Pre-registration opened earlier this week, exclusively to Reach registrants. Check your email for the link to access this site!
Haven’t registered yet? Click here to register for Reach2016, then email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will send you the link to access the pre-sale ticketing site. General ticket sales will open on October 12.
Many of you have expressed how eager you are to see the new production of Upside Down at Reach2016. This week, we're giving you a peek backstage with Steve Johnson, one of the creators of Upside Down. Steve shares with us how things are progressing for the 2016 production, what will be new about this show, and how many tickets have already been sold.
Reach: For someone who is completely unfamiliar with Upside Down, how would you describe this show?
SJ: Upside Down is a theatrical musical depicting the lives of the first followers of Jesus. Loosely based on stories from the New Testament book, Acts of the Apostles, the story begins just after the crucifixion of the Christ and ends just before the conclusion of the first century. Centering on the story of the apostle Simon Peter, the songs and drama of the production portray the passion of men and women who were willing to give their lives for a carpenter who claimed to be the son of God.
Reach: For those of us who saw the ‘87 or ‘94 productions, what will be new about this production?
SJ: Originally written in 1987, the show was then over 4 hours long and a capella; and followed nearly chapter by chapter the book of Acts. Rewritten in 1994 with instrumental orchestration, the show was trimmed to 2 hours and 38 minutes and consequently limited its focus more on Peter. Over the years, two different groups of 'fans' have evolved; those who believe the ‘87 version is like the 'original gospel' and those who have only seen the second version...and probably have never owned a VHS recorder. Sherwin [Mackintosh] and I have spent countless hours on the show we're staging in 2016. Combining the Biblical feel of the original version with the edited narrative of the 94 show, we’re excited to premiere a 'new' version which captures the heart of the show that inspired thousands of people to 'remember the Lord' for over three decades.
Reach: Are auditions completed now? How many cities did you visit for auditions? How many people auditioned for the show?
SJ: Auditions are completed. We personally visited 6 cities (Atlanta, Portland, New York, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, and St. Louis) and saw over 200 people live or in auditions sent via video clips; all to cast a show that will have less than 30 people on stage. We are so thankful for all the people who have auditioned for our show and wish we had the finances to use everyone. One of our hopes is to stage a show that can be reproduced with any theatrical group anywhere. The show in St. Louis next year will be, in many ways, the most elaborate and professional show we've ever produced, yet something that can be done on more meager budgets than our own.
Reach: Give us a peek behind the scenes. What’s been going on lately? Where are you at in the production of the 2016 show?
SJ: We've been very blessed to have the prayers and support of so many people. We're not only mounting this production, but we're launching a new mission, The Upside Down Ministry. [We are] determined to inspire people the best way we know how, by making the Bible come alive through the words and music of theatre. We're finding patrons who share our vision and are not only buying tickets to our show, but becoming “members” of our ministry, patrons of our cause. We're in the throes of casting the show at the moment, as well as doing final edits on our music and script.
Reach: Will there be any familiar faces in this this show? Anyone who has been in the previous productions, either onstage or behind the scenes?
SJ: One of the things we're excited about is that this will be a whole new cast. A new generation will rise up with new voices, to carry on the task of inspiring us all to turn the world upside down for Jesus. But we are also performing the closing show of the conference and have some huge “surprises” for that. It will be both a complete show of its own, but serve as a “teaser” for a future show Sherwin and I are unveiling for the first time there in St. Louis.
Reach: What do you think of the Ferrera Theater (the venue that Upside Down will be performed in at Reach2016)?
SJ: The Ferrara Theater will be the launching pad for our next era of Upside Down. We couldn't have asked for a better venue or better time to begin something that will have as big an impact on future generations as the original productions have had these past 30 years. There's 1,400 seats and not a bad one in the house. Being held in conjunction with a huge conference, Reach2016, we're especially thankful that the organizers of the conference have tailored their schedule so that there are no conflicts with conference programming and our performance times. Housed inside the conference hall--under the same roof--theatre goers will be able to leave the convention center auditorium and literally go across the hall to the theatre entrance.
Reach: Anything else you’d like people to know about Upside Down 2016?
SJ: We can only do five shows and tickets are already on sale. Over 8,000 people who registered early for the conference received an email from us inviting them to buy tickets before we release them to the general public. In the first 24 hours of sending out that email, over 800 tickets were bought. At the time of this writing, almost 1,000 tickets have been grabbed. In fact, VIP tickets for one show have sold out. We've heard that more people have early-registered for this conference than any other conference ever in our fellowship's history--and that includes San Antonio, which had a final attendance of over 18,000 people. There's nothing we can do about the fact that only 7,000 people can see this show live in St. Louis next year. We know that many families will be bringing their children and each child takes up a seat, too. And yes, this is a “kid-friendly” show.
Please don't wait to buy your tickets. We want everyone to have a chance to see our musical but as with most things in life, the rewards are usually there for the ones who get in early. We've priced the show in accordance with what it's going to take to produce it, and [we’ve] still been able to make the majority of the seats affordable to limited budgets. We are so thankful that so many people are as thrilled as we are to share in this inspirational tale; we just know that many people are going to be mad at us that they didn't get in. Read Matthew 25 and be wise.