Thomas and Alexander Appear in Local Youth Production Alongside Singer Kelly Price

All eyes were on city council members Friday evening, but they weren’t at a meeting or hearing in the John A. Wilson building. Instead, they took the stage at the historic Lincoln Theatre.

Council members Harry Thomas and Yvette Alexander, representatives of Ward 5 and 7, respectively, joined the Friends of Carter Barron Foundation of the Performing Arts for their 2007 holiday season musical production, also starring five-time Grammy Award nominee Kelly Price.

“It is a pleasure to be involved in an event that showcases the extraordinary musical talent of our young people,” said council member Thomas, now in his second year performing in the group’s holiday production.

“God’s Gift to D.C. – No Mo’ Crime” kicked it’s three-day schedule after having just two weeks to put the production together. Friday’s show was actually more of a dress rehearsal because it was the first time the cast had done through the entire show.

Just over a hundred people gathered to see the opening night performance on a rainy night.

Gloria Hightower, the president and co-founder emeritus of Friends of Carter Barron, said that while she was happy with the work the cast put into the show, she would never try to rush an entire production into two weeks again, because of the intense pressure it puts on the children.

“Two weeks is impossible, but these youth have done a great job,” she said.

The musical followed four angels trying to protect two D.C. families from being torn apart by drug use, unemployment, robbery and murder, as they faced off against Satan and his followers.

“Hell is living in D.C.,” exclaimed one angel, but moments later, he and another assured the city, saying, “OK D.C., God is coming.”

Despite some complications with the microphones and sound, the two and a half hour show ran relatively smoothly.

They also had to deal with the absence of Ward 8 council member Marion Barry, who was also scheduled to perform, but was forced to leave because of a family emergency.

Millicent Williams, president and chief executive of the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, attended the “performing arts ministry” event with her son.

“I call it ministry because it touches lives in ways that sometimes we don’t understand,” she said before the show.

Organizations like Friends of Carter Barron are especially important to the youth because they learn how to “act out, but through performing arts,” Williams continued.

D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation was one of many sponsors for the event.

“God’s Gift to D.C.” runs through Sunday with 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. shows on each day. Sunday’s performances will feature gospel duo Mary Mary.