Johnny Ray Youngblood Ministries, Inc.Presents

Houston Simmons’Hark! Christmas in the Raw!A new musical experience about the naked truth of Christmas.

Thursday, December 14, 2006 and Friday, December 15, 2006 at 7:00 p.m.Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, 222 Tompkins Avenue @ Dekalb in Brooklyn.

“The event we call Christmas: There was no tree. There was hate. There was a trough in which a young child was laid. There would not have been any singing if God hadn’t provided that choir. It was not even a holiday let alone a holy day because the shepherds were workin’ and the angels had to go to their jobs to tell ‘em what God had done in Bethlehem. It’s Christmas in the raw.” From the sermon 'Christmas in the Raw' by Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood

(Brooklyn, NY) Johnny Ray Youngblood Ministries, Inc. presents Houston Simmons’ Hark! Christmas In The Raw!, a new musical experience about the naked truth of Christmas, Thursday, December 14 and Friday, December 15, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church (222 Tompkins Avenue @ Dekalb) in Brooklyn. The December 15 performance features sign language interpretation. Tickets are $15 - $35 and can be purchased online at www.smarttix.com, by phone at 212.868.4444 or 718.384.1577, or in person at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church.

Hark! Christmas in the Raw! is based on the sermon “Christmas in the Raw” by the Rev. Dr Johnny Ray Youngblood, Mt Pisgah’s senior pastor.

"I chose to write this piece because of a very thought-provoking sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood that falls outside of the 'easy-going'. traditional ideas as to what Christmas is all about.” said the musical’s creator Houston Simmons. “This became a challenge for me to encapsulate and embellish this message in the form of a musical play with elements of gospel, rock, rap, R&B, classical and some Latino flavoring while not diminishing his provocative yet insightful points. With full set design, orchestral accompaniments, special lighting, superb singing, acting and dancing, I wanted to make sure Hark! Christmas in the Raw! would totally engage the audience from the opening number through the finale as any of the best full Broadway musical productions."

Hark! Christmas in the Raw! is about a group of Brooklyn residents who come together for what they think is their annual party. Instead of partaking in the usual holiday activities -- eating, drinking, gift giving, laughing and occasionally disagreeing, they wind up discovering the real, divine and everlasting gift of Christmas and experiencing more than a few miracles.

Jesse Wooden, Jr,, director of the St. Paul Community Baptist Church Obie- Award winning musical Black Nativity, stages the production. He heads a creative team that includes: Omar Jaslin (lighting design) Jamel Gaines (choreography), Hopie Lyn Burrows (costume design) and Keith Bishop (set design with Wooden).

“Some events you just want to be part of and Hark! Christmas in the Raw! is one of them.” Wooden said. “I thank God for the opportunity to work with brilliant artists like Houston Simmons and Jamel Gaines and to help create work based from a text by the always remarkable Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood.”

Hark! Christmas in the Raw, is entertainment for the entire family.

"It matters not your persuasion or musical taste,” Simmons said. “Hark! Christmas in the Raw! will resonate with you,“

For more information about Hark! Christmas in the Raw visit www.simmonsfarrow.com.

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Listing: Theater

Johnny Ray Youngblood Ministries, Inc. presents Houston Simmons' Hark! Christmas in the Raw! A new musical experience about the naked truth of Christmas. Thursday, December 14 and Friday, December 15 @ 7pm at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, 222 Tompkins Avenue @ Dekalb Avenue in Brooklyn. Tickets: $35-$15. www.smarttix.com, 212-868-4444 or 718-384-1577.

Public Service Announcement

Johnny Ray Youngblood Ministries, Inc presents Houston Simmons' Hark! Christmas In the Raw!, A new musical experience about the naked truth of Christmas, December 14 and 15 @ 7pm at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Brooklyn. For tickets and more information visit www.smarttix.com or call 212.868.4444.