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Youth Sing Praise to bring ‘Moses’ to life june 26 at shrine

This year, Youth Sing Praise (YSP) will present “Moses and the Burning Within” at 7 p.m. June 26 at the shrine amphitheatre in Belleville. This is a completely new musical, according to Donna Eisenbath at the shrine.
“‘NO!’ is the first word we hear screamed from the depths of Moses’ soul,” according to the musical’s creators’ David Kauffman and William Gokelman, on their website.

Moses “is waking up to his true identity. And though he may have been aware of his dual citizenship as both a Hebrew and the adopted son of Hatshepsut, the daughter of Pharaoh, everything changed the moment he really understood the truth. … This is the story of finding a home. And being at home, being at peace, means answering the call burning within your heart.”

For more than 25 years, musically talented high school students have gathered at the shrine each year in June for YSP. Besides auditioning and rehearsing for a one-night performance, youth and their adult advisors participate in a nine-day theatre retreat, not only honing their performance but looking within themselves to grow spiritually through the experience.

Each year the program is led by a professional theatrical and ministry staff who have helped to develop the talents of the young thespians.

This year’s presentation tells the story of finding a home. To truly be home and at peace means each person must answer the call burning within the heart.

This year, as in past years, young people from the Diocese of Belleville, sent in audition tapes and were selected to participate in the project. Belleville diocesan youth are: Clare Behrmann, Brian Krause, Margarete Lamons and Katie Reitano, all of Belleville; sister and brother, Hannah and Jacob Lundy of Columbia; Alaina Geppert of New Athens; Kaitlynn Tretter of Steeleville; and Julia Yates of Waterloo.

For more information about YSP, go to snowsyouthministry.org/ysp.