She’s been a stage manager, organized costumes and operated lights. She was in several plays in high school and in college. With a preference for the behind-the-scenes of theater, Caitlyn Garner is returning to her church in a first-ever role: co-producer, with her mother, Lisa, of the 52nd nativity at Central Christian (Disciples of Christ).
“I’ve tried to stay active in it,” even while away at college, said Garner, who graduated last spring from Barton College in North Carolina. “It is my favorite thing about Christmas.”
The outdoor live nativity, complete with live animals, is Tuesday-Thursday nights at the Moon Road church.
A 2005 graduate of Columbus High School, at Barton she took a theater minor in her education program and had classes in directing, acting and theater history.
When she moved to Columbus at age 12, Garner immediately got involved with the church’s annual Christmas ritual. She’s been an angel three times, then Gabriel and played Mary once or twice. She came back to Columbus after graduation to teach school in the Muscogee County School District.
The Rev. Tom Stephenson, the pastor, said Lisa and Caitlyn Garner have helped revamp the production this year. Caitlyn Garner said some costuming has been re-done and they’ve devised a how-to book for producers who come after them. Contact names and numbers, advertising, where to get the live animals and other details have been compiled into a binder.
‘Simple and subtle’
The nativity is the longest-running live one in the area. It started at the church’s former location on Wynnton Road.
Stephenson said it’s easy for him to remember which number it is.
“It’s easy because it’s my age,” he said.
Despite the wintry, rainy weather last Saturday, the church had a float in the Bi-City Christmas Parade to advertise the nativity. Weather, of course, is a concern for the annual event. Garner said she’s already checked the extended forecast; and that it looks OK. Aside from a blowing rainstorm, the show will go on. Each production happens at 30-minute intervals.
When she was a child, Garner said she “hunted for the baby Jesus in the bushes” by the church each Christmas — until Easter came around. When she can during the shows, Garner enjoys sneaking looks at the faces of children in the audience.
“There’s not a lot of talking (from the actors). It’s very simple and subtle. But they seem to understand,” she said.
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