If you’re a fan of live musical performance, be sure to include a show at the Sight and Sound Theatre in your visit to Lancaster County. The Ronks location, just outside of Strasburg, is the first of two operated by the entertainment company, which produces Broadway-style Christian stories live on stage. The second location is in Branson, Missouri.
Glenn Eshelman, the son of a local dairy farmer, developed passion and skill in artistic areas of painting and photography. In 1964, he began combining this art with music and narration in the initial version of a sight and sound show. See how this entertainment has grown from its humble beginnings to become an impressive entertainment spectacle.
Through incredible staging and song, classic Bible stories are crafted into elaborate musical productions. Characters such as Noah, Daniel, Jonah and Jesus share underlying messages from Scripture against meticulously designed sets and detailed costumes, all complemented by awe-inspiring special effects.
Spectators feel as if they’re in the middle of the action, thanks to the 2,000-seat theater’s enormous center stage with wings that wrap around on the sides of the audience.
Each performance features original music composed and recorded with world-class orchestras from around the world, with singing by a cast of 50 professional actors. The stories are meant to be family-friendly and universally appealing. Attention to detail is evident throughout every facet, from set design to costumes.
Check the website to find out what is playing during your visit. The theater’s very first show was Noah, with a giant ark and pairs of trained animals on the four-story stage. Another recent show at the Ronks location is Queen Esther, a tale of the Persian Empire, beauty and bravery. Esther’s ordinary life changes as she enters the palace and becomes royalty, finding the courage to trust God’s plan. With magnificent sets, effects and live animals, this Old Testament story is mesmerizing from the start.
Shows at the Sight and Sound Theatre last about 2.5 hours. Purchase tickets on the website. Find the theater about 3 miles (5 kilometers) south of Ronks.
