The night of Tuesday, October 22, found the CCC student body in attendance at the gym for the showing of "After the Chariots."
Here's a heads up; it wasn't a performance about post-Roman Empire Europe. In fact, the events of Rich Swingle's performance took place a world away in Northeastern China.
Mr. Swingle wrote the one-man show about Eric Liddell in the spring of 2004, after months of research. During this time he read many volumes on Mr. Liddell's life and interviewed Mr. Liddell's youngest daughter Maureen, who resides in Canada.
"The more I studied his life, the more I was inspired by all he had sacrificed to help the Chinese people," said Mr. Swingle.
The play covers Liddell's post-Olympic life as a missionary in China, as told from the perspective of Mai-Ker, a fictional character created to represent the many students Liddell impacted during his Chinese ministry.
It follows him from soon after his arrival in the Orient, includes his relationship with Florence McKenzie, whom he married in March 1934, and ends with his death in a Japanese prison camp near the end of World War II.
The story is a touching one, as all in attendance would likely report should you ask them. Mr. Swingle did an excellent job of performing with many accents and dialects to portray Mai-Ker's flashbacks about Liddell.
Coincidentally, a movie about this period of Liddell's life is scheduled to be produced sometime in the next year or so, and Mr. Swingle has been in contact with the producer and director.
He would like to portray the part of Liddell, Lord willing. Fans should keep their eyes open for further developments.
Meanwhile, Mr. Swingle's website www.richswingle.com is available to all who seek more information on his performances.
