A Theatre Program for Children and Youth
With Arts and Music Classes for Parents and Younger Siblings

Staging A Miracle (SAM), a five-week summer arts program, culminated with a production of CREATE! August 14 and 15. During the five weeks of the program, arts workshops and dinner were provided for every member of participating families Tuesday/Thursday evenings, July 13 to August 12.

Along the way, participants met over 100 volunteers. The time, gifts and talents shared were life-changing for everyone involved.  This year’s theme, CREATE!, is what happens everywhere in Staging A Miracle - the creation of friendships, of trust - a new awareness of self and the power of being part of a community. 

Background

SAM was developed in to offer high-quality music and arts education to Sacramento children, regardless of their ability to pay.

In 2009, the program was directed by Michael Miiller, former director of River City Theater Company. The five-week summer program included dinner each Tuesday and Thursday evening; music and creative arts classes for parents and pre-school and infant childcare. In 2009, SAM served 100 participants, of which half were children and youth who star in the performances.  

Our 2009 community partners in the program included, among others, Family Promise, Mustard Seed School, Women’s Empowerment, St. John’s Shelter for Women and Children and Habitat for Humanity.  Their hope, and ours, is that by nurturing the creative gifts of children whose families cannot afford to purchase music and arts education, we can remind those children that they are loved by God and created to live good and productive lives. 

For more information about the 2009 program, watch a Sac Bee video. In addition, see a four-minute video on The Making of Staging a Miracle, produced by Cate Monaghan, communications director for the Cal/Nev Conference, who also contributed many of the photos in the SAM photo gallery.    

This ministry was a very big and very bold step for us in 2008, but God has been blessing and preparing us for a long time. In 2009, the number of participants in the program doubled, and we are praying for guidance to pursue our dream of a year-round program for youth and families. Please consider joining us on our journey.