We tend to see mental illness as something that happens out there, to stigmatized strangers on the fringe of our churches, when in fact mental illness affects our families, friends, loved ones, congregants, and many of us personally. In short, mental illness is experienced by everyone in church communities – by “us” and our loved ones, not just by “them.” This was the recurren ...More
Restorative justice and pies will come together in a live performance of “I’d Like to Buy an Enemy,” by Ted & Company on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in Park View Mennonite Church. The one-night interactive event blends laughter and thoughtful dialogue and “peace pies.” The ...More
Faith. Hope. Love. Those three words will be the center of discussion for Ted Swartz ’89, MACL ’92 of Ted & Company, during Spiritual Life Week at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), Oct. 30-Nov. 2. “Ted combines a love of the Bible with outrageous humor and fresh perspective,” says ...More
Ted Swartz was only half of the acting duo, which for 20 years, was known as Ted and Lee TheaterWorks. But that abruptly changed when his acting partner, Lee Eshleman, took his own life in 2007 as a result of clinical depression. Since then, Swartz has avoided directly addressing the death of his friend in his productions, though he has address ...More
Baseball players fill seats, inspire songs, become talking points around the water cooler and, more importantly to a dozen Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) alumni, accumulate statistics. For the past 30 years EMU alumni reunite to banter, share familial updates, and participate in an annual fantasy baseball league, “Shenandoah’s Major Minor League.” “It’s great to see ...More
Was it Mother Nature’s idea of improvisation? Participants in the Anabaptist Communicator’s annual conference sat around tables in Martin Chapel at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, mesmerized by actor-playwright Ted Swartz’s reflections on what he believes makes a “good Mennonite actor,” while outside, snow began to cover the ...More
HARRISONBURG, Va. – How do Anabaptists communicate about their values in a visual age? Jerry Holsopple, PhD, will explore this question as plenary speaker at the 2011 Anabaptist Communicators Conference, Oct. 28-29, 2011, on the campus of Eastern Mennonite University ...More
Ted & Company TheaterWorks and the Summer Peacebuilding Institute at Eastern Mennonite University will present “I’d Like to Buy an Enemy” 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 3, in the MainStage Theater of the University Commons at EMU. PARKING ALERT: Parking on campus will be extremely limited this night due to a local public high school graduation ceremony in the University Com ...More
EMU celebrates the life and work of Lee E. Eshleman, 1963-2007, by naming the new University Commons studio theater in his honor. A small gallery at the theater entrance will showcase some of Lee’s art work and photos of him on stage. Lee was the last student to graduate with a degree from EMU’s ...More
EMU celebrates the life and work of Lee E. Eshleman, 1963-2007, by naming the University Commons studio theater in his honor. A small gallery at the theater entrance will showcase some of Lee’s art work and photos of him on stage. Read more… ...More
