Plays and Musicals
The Xenia Christian Performing Arts Department is directed by Ken Kettering. Each school year the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are invited to audition for our fall play, which is typically scheduled in mid-November. In the spring, typically in April, our high school students present a musical with full sets, costumes, and a pit orchestra, creating multiple opportunities for student, faculty, and parental involvement and drawing crowds from the student body and surrounding community nearing 4,000.
Upcoming Productions
About the Producer/Director
Ken Kettering has directed and produced over twenty junior high and high school plays and musicals at Xenia Christian since 2000.
His love of theatre began when at age nine he played a page in Cyrano de Bergerac at Pillsbury College in Owatonna, MN, where his parents taught. He credits his high school speech class for sparking the interest in drama that resulted in his widespread acting and directing experiences. As a senior he acted in Brigadoon at John A. Johnson High School in St. Paul, MN. At Bob Jones University Ken participated in Vespers and other dramatic presentations, including the portrayal of a monk in the BJU film Flame in the Wind. While at Tennessee Temple University, where he earned a B.A. in broadcasting and a speech minor, he played roles in Romeo and Juliet and Arsenic and Old Lace. His directing began at Patterson Park Church with productions of The Gospel According to Jack Hill, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Forgiven (written by DC grad Matt Forsythe), and his favorite, Catacombs, which the cast performed at several Ohio churches.
After spending twenty-five years in broadcasting as a TV news and sports anchor/reporter, Ken is now enjoying working with his wife Cristy to develop young actors and actresses at Xenia Christian. "I thank God so much for the opportunity to work with the students at XC. My desire is to help them grow in their artistic and spiritual lives—to develop their talents and work as a team to entertain people and to honor God. We at DCSS are so blessed to have a board, administration, faculty, student body, and parents who are incredibly supportive."
Ken and his wife Cristy of 37 years reside in Beavercreek. They are proud parents of four DC/XC grads and grandparents of Faith, Presley, Logan, and Karis.
Past Productions
| Year | Junior High Plays | High School Plays/Musicals |
|---|---|---|
|
2000 |
The Blabbermouth |
Our Miss Brooks |