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Laughter is Sacred Space: The Not-So-Typical Journey of a Mennonite Actor
A Preview from the Prologue, Scene 1: THIRTY-SEVEN PERCENT.
Thirty-seven percent is a comfortable humidity level, a great batting average if you're a baseball player. If it's a grade on a test, it is not...so great.
I was in seminary, training to be a pastor, and I had failed Greek Exegesis class. Not just failed, actually; obliterated might be a better description. Yes, obliterated, decimated, demolished, pulled a 37 percent on the final. Out of 100, yes.
When people talk of having a calling, we occasionally lift our eyebrows, as if they are telling us they hear voices, including the voice of God, perhaps.
And we mistrust them, these folks who hear voices. Because sometimes a calling is an excuse for selfishness, an abuse of power, and a sense of superiority.
But it's also a powerful it can shape a career, give meaning to life, clarify direction. I had thought I had one—what happened to it...this calling to be in seminary, to be a pastor?
I was thirty-two years old, married for thirteen years to my high school sweetheart; I had three beautiful sons (eight, six, and four years old), and a congregation in Pennsylvania counting on me to be a pastor. Not just counting on, but paying for five years of tuition and housing—a recognition and investment in the gifts they had discerned in me. It seemed like a well-orchestrated, God-directed plan, drenched in much prayer and great intentions. In my mind and many others, serving, ministering, pastoring a church was the highest call.
Was it possible to fail a calling?
I hadn't told the congregation about this semester's report card, wasn't anxious for that particular conversation. They hadn't invested thousands of hard-earned dollars for a 37 in Greek Exegesis...or a 70...or an 85, quite frankly. My wife, Sue, and I were products of the Swiss German Mennonite community of eastern Pennsylvania. One of the hallmarks of this community was hard work (neat lawns, good business sense) and God's subsequent reward for that effort. This wasn't the plan—failing Greek—and I wasn't wild about the daunting prospect of Hebrew or systematic theology, on the plate for the fall semester. Oh, and what I really wanted? To be an actor.
Thirty-seven percent is a comfortable humidity level, a great batting average if you're a baseball player. If it's a grade on a test, it is not...so great.
I was in seminary, training to be a pastor, and I had failed Greek Exegesis class. Not just failed, actually; obliterated might be a better description. Yes, obliterated, decimated, demolished, pulled a 37 percent on the final. Out of 100, yes.
When people talk of having a calling, we occasionally lift our eyebrows, as if they are telling us they hear voices, including the voice of God, perhaps.
And we mistrust them, these folks who hear voices. Because sometimes a calling is an excuse for selfishness, an abuse of power, and a sense of superiority.
But it's also a powerful it can shape a career, give meaning to life, clarify direction. I had thought I had one—what happened to it...this calling to be in seminary, to be a pastor?
I was thirty-two years old, married for thirteen years to my high school sweetheart; I had three beautiful sons (eight, six, and four years old), and a congregation in Pennsylvania counting on me to be a pastor. Not just counting on, but paying for five years of tuition and housing—a recognition and investment in the gifts they had discerned in me. It seemed like a well-orchestrated, God-directed plan, drenched in much prayer and great intentions. In my mind and many others, serving, ministering, pastoring a church was the highest call.
Was it possible to fail a calling?
I hadn't told the congregation about this semester's report card, wasn't anxious for that particular conversation. They hadn't invested thousands of hard-earned dollars for a 37 in Greek Exegesis...or a 70...or an 85, quite frankly. My wife, Sue, and I were products of the Swiss German Mennonite community of eastern Pennsylvania. One of the hallmarks of this community was hard work (neat lawns, good business sense) and God's subsequent reward for that effort. This wasn't the plan—failing Greek—and I wasn't wild about the daunting prospect of Hebrew or systematic theology, on the plate for the fall semester. Oh, and what I really wanted? To be an actor.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2012
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November 14, 2012
I was able to read this book because I borrowed it from my fiance who won it in a Goodreads giveaway. I had entered the drawing for the same book and was glad that even though I didn't win it, I would still get to read it.
I'll start by saying that the book wasn't what I expected it to be. My impression from the title was that the author wrote a book about growing up Mennonite and then having to reconcile that upbringing into a life of acting. I was interested in learning more about the Mennonite culture and also about how a person raised in the culture would be able to become an actor; my interpretation of 'actor' was the stereotypical Hollywood actor, which is precisely what Mr. Swartz is not.
Mr. Swartz's book is, rather, an accounting of his journey as an actor (exactly what the title says it is). He describes his acting life (and a bit of his life before acting), telling the reader about the trials and tribulations he goes through in his career. His authentic and honest voice came through; I encountered no arrogance or super-sized ego as I read.
Mr. Swartz's book is also an exploration into his grief after the death of his acting partner. His descriptions of how the death affected him were clear-eyed and poignant--his pain and grief were very much present in his telling of his story.
Although I am not a religious person, I admire what Mr. Swartz has done throughout his career in order to keep close to his religious upbringing and values. His book includes many excerpts from his plays and other writings. He uses humor in his delivery, which is a great vehicle for bringing parts of the Bible to people without preaching.
I recommend this book to anyone who would like to read an honest "this is who I am and how I got here" story. Despite the grief and pain of his loss, Mr. Swartz manages to keep going in his work and he tells his story with candor and humility.
I'll start by saying that the book wasn't what I expected it to be. My impression from the title was that the author wrote a book about growing up Mennonite and then having to reconcile that upbringing into a life of acting. I was interested in learning more about the Mennonite culture and also about how a person raised in the culture would be able to become an actor; my interpretation of 'actor' was the stereotypical Hollywood actor, which is precisely what Mr. Swartz is not.
Mr. Swartz's book is, rather, an accounting of his journey as an actor (exactly what the title says it is). He describes his acting life (and a bit of his life before acting), telling the reader about the trials and tribulations he goes through in his career. His authentic and honest voice came through; I encountered no arrogance or super-sized ego as I read.
Mr. Swartz's book is also an exploration into his grief after the death of his acting partner. His descriptions of how the death affected him were clear-eyed and poignant--his pain and grief were very much present in his telling of his story.
Although I am not a religious person, I admire what Mr. Swartz has done throughout his career in order to keep close to his religious upbringing and values. His book includes many excerpts from his plays and other writings. He uses humor in his delivery, which is a great vehicle for bringing parts of the Bible to people without preaching.
I recommend this book to anyone who would like to read an honest "this is who I am and how I got here" story. Despite the grief and pain of his loss, Mr. Swartz manages to keep going in his work and he tells his story with candor and humility.
September 13, 2012
Back at the beginning of August, I saw posted on the Ted & Co TheatreWorks FaceBook page an opportunity to get a free book. Nerd and bookworm that I was, I posted the necessary comment to get my free brain candy. Here is what I said in response to the query "tell us why laughter is sacred".
"Laughter is sacred in that it is the truest expression of joy. Laughter can happen in good times and in bad. And in those bad times, it is laughter that brings release to enjoy where you are in spite of the pain. Being able to laugh in those times expresses to the rest of the world that God's love and power brings joy to the hurting. Without laughter to liven the pained spirit, all we have left are tears."
Little did I know what I was getting myself into.
The book, Laughter Is Sacred Space is an autobiographical memoir of one Ted Swartz, walking his readers through his life from his time among a very conservative Mennonite community through his calling into some sort of ministry and into the struggles and trials of running a Christian comedy theatre company...and the darkness that somehow always seems to follow humanity wherever we go.
Swartz's primary medium for writing is in the form of scripts and dialogues for skits and sketches. So, he keeps to what he knows and writes this book in a series of 5 Acts with a prologue (is this a nod to N.T. Wright's 5 Act play of the story of Scripture...or am I just too much of a Bible geek to let it slide?). The Prologue seems out of place at first. It seems a little too dark, too gloomy at points, a little poignant, and certainly, while funny at points, doesn't seem to really be talking about laughter. But it's necessary. It sets the target for the rest of the book. Without the Prologue, what happens later on would shock us too much. We need to be primed in order to prepare us for what is to come.
Act 1 describes Swartz's life as a child in a conservative Mennonite community of south-eastern Pennsylvania. This is, to me, the funniest part of the entire book. For laughs, these scenes elicit the most joy and hilarity for me. Perhaps it is because, while I didn't grow up quite so conservative, I have enough conservative relatives and have experienced much of the same traditions and general ideas that I could relate with almost every scenario presented. I think, though, that this would probably be the biggest drawback to this book for the larger market. There are many, even in the Mennonite church today, who would not understand the jokes about women who wash feet in another room because we might see the stockings actually off the feet. These images resonate well with me, but would they with others? In any case, I enjoyed the laughter.
From that point on, while the book does have its light moments of laughter, we are taken on a journey of what it means to wrestle with calling that does not seem to fit the mold of what "ministry" looks like. I can relate to this in my own life as my "ministry' doesn't seem to be very traditional. The growth, though, of the theatre company out of the minds of Ted & Lee seem inspired. The struggles on the road of life give plenty of fodder for light-hearted humor and the interjections of scripts from the shows and the dialogues between the two main actors make the story human. But is it sacred?
The answer to that question comes in the brevity of the third act, and the depth of the fourth, and the doubt and tension of "what next" in the fifth. I hesitate to say more detail because, like any good story, giving away the ending ruins it (although, many people who know Ted Swartz and his journey already know what happened).
But my initial blurb on that FaceBook page rang true. Ted shares how humor, acting, and theatre allowed him to step out the pain and share in the joy, even while the pain was real. And that laughter even allowed him the outlet to express his pain in ways that nothing else could. As the artist behind the scripts, Ted poured his grief and agony into his work, even in the comedy (the hill-billy Jeremiah is genius) and through this was able to connect people to something sacred, something beyond themselves...and in the process was able to connect himself to that "other".
As humans, grief and pain are facts of life. We must deal with them. And we deal with them either by working through them...or surrendering to them. Ted's partner, Lee, seems to have chosen the latter. Ted chose the former. And Ted chose laughter as a way of transforming that pain. I recall my own father, in the days and months after my mother's death (coincidentally, only 6 weeks after Lee's) when he would share something about my mother, it was frequently a funny moment, a time of joy and laughter. And I hurt at the time, but my father would laugh and cry at the same time. He was grieving, but he was also remembering joy.
This is where Ted takes us in this book. We find that sacred space in the laughter where grief is transmuted into joy, where humor is applied as a balm to a deep wound, and where hilarity helps us to find that connection of community where people can come together and remember. The world around us with its wars, death, disease, hate, depression, and grief defies us to laugh. What good is there in such a world? What Ted shows us in this book is that by entering into laughter, we defy that same world. We say that we can still find the sacred spaces in between, those spaces that we fill with laughter, not to forget the pain, but to make that pain bearable so that we can cry and laugh and remember, together.
Three words: buy this book.
"Laughter is sacred in that it is the truest expression of joy. Laughter can happen in good times and in bad. And in those bad times, it is laughter that brings release to enjoy where you are in spite of the pain. Being able to laugh in those times expresses to the rest of the world that God's love and power brings joy to the hurting. Without laughter to liven the pained spirit, all we have left are tears."
Little did I know what I was getting myself into.
The book, Laughter Is Sacred Space is an autobiographical memoir of one Ted Swartz, walking his readers through his life from his time among a very conservative Mennonite community through his calling into some sort of ministry and into the struggles and trials of running a Christian comedy theatre company...and the darkness that somehow always seems to follow humanity wherever we go.
Swartz's primary medium for writing is in the form of scripts and dialogues for skits and sketches. So, he keeps to what he knows and writes this book in a series of 5 Acts with a prologue (is this a nod to N.T. Wright's 5 Act play of the story of Scripture...or am I just too much of a Bible geek to let it slide?). The Prologue seems out of place at first. It seems a little too dark, too gloomy at points, a little poignant, and certainly, while funny at points, doesn't seem to really be talking about laughter. But it's necessary. It sets the target for the rest of the book. Without the Prologue, what happens later on would shock us too much. We need to be primed in order to prepare us for what is to come.
Act 1 describes Swartz's life as a child in a conservative Mennonite community of south-eastern Pennsylvania. This is, to me, the funniest part of the entire book. For laughs, these scenes elicit the most joy and hilarity for me. Perhaps it is because, while I didn't grow up quite so conservative, I have enough conservative relatives and have experienced much of the same traditions and general ideas that I could relate with almost every scenario presented. I think, though, that this would probably be the biggest drawback to this book for the larger market. There are many, even in the Mennonite church today, who would not understand the jokes about women who wash feet in another room because we might see the stockings actually off the feet. These images resonate well with me, but would they with others? In any case, I enjoyed the laughter.
From that point on, while the book does have its light moments of laughter, we are taken on a journey of what it means to wrestle with calling that does not seem to fit the mold of what "ministry" looks like. I can relate to this in my own life as my "ministry' doesn't seem to be very traditional. The growth, though, of the theatre company out of the minds of Ted & Lee seem inspired. The struggles on the road of life give plenty of fodder for light-hearted humor and the interjections of scripts from the shows and the dialogues between the two main actors make the story human. But is it sacred?
The answer to that question comes in the brevity of the third act, and the depth of the fourth, and the doubt and tension of "what next" in the fifth. I hesitate to say more detail because, like any good story, giving away the ending ruins it (although, many people who know Ted Swartz and his journey already know what happened).
But my initial blurb on that FaceBook page rang true. Ted shares how humor, acting, and theatre allowed him to step out the pain and share in the joy, even while the pain was real. And that laughter even allowed him the outlet to express his pain in ways that nothing else could. As the artist behind the scripts, Ted poured his grief and agony into his work, even in the comedy (the hill-billy Jeremiah is genius) and through this was able to connect people to something sacred, something beyond themselves...and in the process was able to connect himself to that "other".
As humans, grief and pain are facts of life. We must deal with them. And we deal with them either by working through them...or surrendering to them. Ted's partner, Lee, seems to have chosen the latter. Ted chose the former. And Ted chose laughter as a way of transforming that pain. I recall my own father, in the days and months after my mother's death (coincidentally, only 6 weeks after Lee's) when he would share something about my mother, it was frequently a funny moment, a time of joy and laughter. And I hurt at the time, but my father would laugh and cry at the same time. He was grieving, but he was also remembering joy.
This is where Ted takes us in this book. We find that sacred space in the laughter where grief is transmuted into joy, where humor is applied as a balm to a deep wound, and where hilarity helps us to find that connection of community where people can come together and remember. The world around us with its wars, death, disease, hate, depression, and grief defies us to laugh. What good is there in such a world? What Ted shows us in this book is that by entering into laughter, we defy that same world. We say that we can still find the sacred spaces in between, those spaces that we fill with laughter, not to forget the pain, but to make that pain bearable so that we can cry and laugh and remember, together.
Three words: buy this book.
December 27, 2012
A fantastic memoir! Whenever Samantha lent it to me, I was concerned by the byline specifically naming Ted Swartz as a Mennonite actor. I thought to myself "ah, fuck. Here's another memoir written by a too-religious actor who's going to spend 200 pages talking about his unimportant, unfunny self & trying to convince us that Jesus is awesome."
Samantha assured me this wasn't the case--and she was right. I really enjoyed this memoir. As an actor, I could identify with a lot of the feelings regarding being onstage and the camaraderie that is built among fellow players.
The book also deals with mental illness in a very touching, non-clinical way. It was very moving to read (though the beginning started out a little slow), and I highly recommend it.
Samantha assured me this wasn't the case--and she was right. I really enjoyed this memoir. As an actor, I could identify with a lot of the feelings regarding being onstage and the camaraderie that is built among fellow players.
The book also deals with mental illness in a very touching, non-clinical way. It was very moving to read (though the beginning started out a little slow), and I highly recommend it.
November 29, 2016
Last year Ted performed 'Laughter is Sacred Space' at Prince of Peace. I picked up a copy of Ted's book and read it. I appreciated the design and Ted's openness. He has shared enough to allow the reader to gain some understanding of what it's been like trying to get Christians to laugh. He and his friend Lee Eshleman have performed all around the United States and beyond the borders, too. Ted's eulogy at Lee's memorial service brought tears to my eyes and helped me grieve his loss and my own. I enjoyed Lee's drawings that appear throughout the book. The book's design made it fun to read, I felt like I had entered some 'sacred space' and enjoyed laughing and crying, too.
November 12, 2013
Superb. It's good story telling, real life, and the unfolding of the Ted's acting career. I was immersed in the narrative, entertained, heart broken, and floored most of all by his honesty. The book is a window into Swartz's soul. And its also really funny!
April 15, 2013
As usual I received this book from GoodReads as part of a giveaway. Also as usual, despite the very kind and generous consideration of getting a free book, I give my candid opinions below.
This book is the autobiographical romp of Ted Swartz, an actor for small-scale religious theatre as one of the duo "Ted and Lee" (Don't look for him on IMDB as you just won't find him). Ted takes us on a decades long journey through his life as a Mennonite actor but this reader notes that there's really not much of the Mennonite side of things represented. Sure it comes up when choosing his material but the issues, joys and rewards of life as a traveling actor that this book puts on display are doubtless universal no matter who your audience is. At about two-thirds of the way through, the book turns intensely personal as Ted deals with through the suicide of his long-time partner in the act.
Swartz's writing in this novel is at times intimate and at times approaching the comical. Other reviewers have noted the novel's humor but I don't really see it. His take on things is sometimes off-beat but generally falls short of humorous. The last section of the book is achingly personal and one really feels for him; he represents his state of mind well as he deals with that terrible loss.
With every book I read I try to draw some larger truth from it, some life lesson. This volume offers many. We see the author moving on after a grave loss, of a friend and work partner all in one. Half his life's work simply vanishes one day. Yet he carries on. To those who have experienced loss he is a great example. Alternatively, when you look at this title initially the words that jump out are "Mennonite Actor". I'll admit that when I hear the word Mennonite I consider those backwards-looking women in the grocery store with their heads covered. One can easily fall into the trap of believing that they have fortified themselves completely and live in a world separate from our own. Swartz' work here demonstrates the opposing reality; we really are much more the same than we ever would think. Ted's problems on the road traveling from town to town really aren't all that different from Guns and Roses (though doubtless his rider is a bit different).
Pondering who to pass this book along to next, clearly there's a niche market for those that have heard of "Ted and Lee" but more than that I think it has a lot to say about loss. Religion isn't really the heart of Ted's story. Fundamentally he's dealing with this sudden Lee-shaped hole in his life. Anyone can benefit from that example.
In summary, Ted Swartz has presented us with a wonderfully honest view of his life from the joys to the pains. I won't say that it's the most riveting thing I've ever read but it is filled with an honesty and a soul that you won't often find.
This book is the autobiographical romp of Ted Swartz, an actor for small-scale religious theatre as one of the duo "Ted and Lee" (Don't look for him on IMDB as you just won't find him). Ted takes us on a decades long journey through his life as a Mennonite actor but this reader notes that there's really not much of the Mennonite side of things represented. Sure it comes up when choosing his material but the issues, joys and rewards of life as a traveling actor that this book puts on display are doubtless universal no matter who your audience is. At about two-thirds of the way through, the book turns intensely personal as Ted deals with through the suicide of his long-time partner in the act.
Swartz's writing in this novel is at times intimate and at times approaching the comical. Other reviewers have noted the novel's humor but I don't really see it. His take on things is sometimes off-beat but generally falls short of humorous. The last section of the book is achingly personal and one really feels for him; he represents his state of mind well as he deals with that terrible loss.
With every book I read I try to draw some larger truth from it, some life lesson. This volume offers many. We see the author moving on after a grave loss, of a friend and work partner all in one. Half his life's work simply vanishes one day. Yet he carries on. To those who have experienced loss he is a great example. Alternatively, when you look at this title initially the words that jump out are "Mennonite Actor". I'll admit that when I hear the word Mennonite I consider those backwards-looking women in the grocery store with their heads covered. One can easily fall into the trap of believing that they have fortified themselves completely and live in a world separate from our own. Swartz' work here demonstrates the opposing reality; we really are much more the same than we ever would think. Ted's problems on the road traveling from town to town really aren't all that different from Guns and Roses (though doubtless his rider is a bit different).
Pondering who to pass this book along to next, clearly there's a niche market for those that have heard of "Ted and Lee" but more than that I think it has a lot to say about loss. Religion isn't really the heart of Ted's story. Fundamentally he's dealing with this sudden Lee-shaped hole in his life. Anyone can benefit from that example.
In summary, Ted Swartz has presented us with a wonderfully honest view of his life from the joys to the pains. I won't say that it's the most riveting thing I've ever read but it is filled with an honesty and a soul that you won't often find.
December 9, 2012
I expected something different based on the title. Not having ever heard of Ted Swartz, I was judging this book by its cover. A Mennonite chomping on a stogie is not something I see every day. I suppose I was thinking that he would be some sort of Sam Kinnison-- I'm religious but I'm not, in fact, I'm WAY not.
I loved the Monty Python hook. I was much more interested in the book once I could hear Ted & Lee performing as John Cleese and Eric Idle. It was fascinating to watch how they turned a bawdy style like that into something cleaner and more wholesome. Through most of the book I was amused by the laughter angle of the story.
The use of Lee's suicide (not a spoiler) as foreshadowing was seductive for me, to say the least. I couldn't imagine how a book with such a title could use a suicide to offset humor and even to accentuate it. While Ted was giving me a glimpse into an actor's backstage, I was frequently pleading with him to just get to the part about the death. I wanted to know more about it, to see how he lived through it, to see how he got back to the humor. And while this book held my attention all the way up to the end, I was looking for a different ending, a little more in the way of 'things are great now!' I felt like the journey needed more of an ending and what Ted gave me was, 'the journey never ends. I'm hoping it continues to improve and I'd like to thank..." It was not the tightly packaged Hollywood ending I expected (and which I would normally hate), but this was real life and I wanted Ted to be happier in the end than I think he was.
All in all, this is a great book. It wanders a bit here and there, but that's life and that's why I entered the First Reads contest to get a copy of this book in the first place-- for a little real life drama. (Yeah, I won this in a First Reads Giveaway). It's a 5 star book, but the ending for me was 4 star because I wanted more laughter at the end. Sorry Ted, I feel for you and I truly appreciate this work of art. I wish you a five star ending in real life.
I loved the Monty Python hook. I was much more interested in the book once I could hear Ted & Lee performing as John Cleese and Eric Idle. It was fascinating to watch how they turned a bawdy style like that into something cleaner and more wholesome. Through most of the book I was amused by the laughter angle of the story.
The use of Lee's suicide (not a spoiler) as foreshadowing was seductive for me, to say the least. I couldn't imagine how a book with such a title could use a suicide to offset humor and even to accentuate it. While Ted was giving me a glimpse into an actor's backstage, I was frequently pleading with him to just get to the part about the death. I wanted to know more about it, to see how he lived through it, to see how he got back to the humor. And while this book held my attention all the way up to the end, I was looking for a different ending, a little more in the way of 'things are great now!' I felt like the journey needed more of an ending and what Ted gave me was, 'the journey never ends. I'm hoping it continues to improve and I'd like to thank..." It was not the tightly packaged Hollywood ending I expected (and which I would normally hate), but this was real life and I wanted Ted to be happier in the end than I think he was.
All in all, this is a great book. It wanders a bit here and there, but that's life and that's why I entered the First Reads contest to get a copy of this book in the first place-- for a little real life drama. (Yeah, I won this in a First Reads Giveaway). It's a 5 star book, but the ending for me was 4 star because I wanted more laughter at the end. Sorry Ted, I feel for you and I truly appreciate this work of art. I wish you a five star ending in real life.
July 11, 2013
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for writing a review. I almost decided not to accept this book, because our family was going through a very serious medical issue with our daughter. Who feels like laughing when sitting in a chair next to a hospital bed? It came in the mail on a day when I came home to shower and get clean clothes, so I took it with me to the hospital. As it turns out, this book was just what I needed, and I'm grateful for having read it when I did.
I wasn't familiar with Ted & Lee as a comedy act, but I was drawn into the stories of Ted's Mennonite childhood and laughed out loud at some of the funny stories. His struggles with deciding not to purse the ministry and to make it as a comedian were honest and sincere. I think every adult will identify with trying to balance a fulfilling career with the need for money and family stability. I liked him from the first pages, because he's been able to hold on to a child's ability to see the funny and ridiculous in life.
And one night, while reading with a headlamp next to our sleeping daughter, machines beeping and nurses walking up and down the hall, I got to the part where Ted loses his partner, Lee. I thought I was going to have to put the book down forever, because the pain and loss he describes hit too close to home. But the honesty and human emotion on those pages kept me reading. I sat there all night, reading, crying, snorting and laughing through my tears. The night nurse must have thought I had lost my mind.
Our daughter eventually recovered, and the nightmare of that terrible time is fading, as bad memories do. I hope that Ted has also found peace and happiness with the passing of time. I'm so glad I had this book to remind me that laughter is always the best medicine. If you can find humor in the darkest moments, you can survive.
I wasn't familiar with Ted & Lee as a comedy act, but I was drawn into the stories of Ted's Mennonite childhood and laughed out loud at some of the funny stories. His struggles with deciding not to purse the ministry and to make it as a comedian were honest and sincere. I think every adult will identify with trying to balance a fulfilling career with the need for money and family stability. I liked him from the first pages, because he's been able to hold on to a child's ability to see the funny and ridiculous in life.
And one night, while reading with a headlamp next to our sleeping daughter, machines beeping and nurses walking up and down the hall, I got to the part where Ted loses his partner, Lee. I thought I was going to have to put the book down forever, because the pain and loss he describes hit too close to home. But the honesty and human emotion on those pages kept me reading. I sat there all night, reading, crying, snorting and laughing through my tears. The night nurse must have thought I had lost my mind.
Our daughter eventually recovered, and the nightmare of that terrible time is fading, as bad memories do. I hope that Ted has also found peace and happiness with the passing of time. I'm so glad I had this book to remind me that laughter is always the best medicine. If you can find humor in the darkest moments, you can survive.
October 20, 2012
I probably could have borrowed this from a friend if I'd waited, but I didn't want to wait. I bought the book at the Goshen College bookstore while there with my high school senior for a campus visit. I read it in two sittings. I laughed aloud as much as I did reading Mennonite in a Little Black Dress. It's really two stories, equally compelling-- the story of how Ted the meat-cutter became Ted the actor, and the story of his creative partnership with Lee. I had known some of the principal characters in a formative time of life, and reading Ted's account was a very personal experience. His description of his Mennonite upbringing in the 1960s and 70s resonated with me. I loved this part of the book. Of the Ted and Lee duo, it is Lee with whom I have the history, but I really enjoyed learning Ted's "back story." Also rather wonderful was learning about Ted and Lee's process of creating comedic material from sacred scripture and performing it to various audiences. I saw them perform several times and have watched some of their videos, so it was very satisfying to gain insight into how they worked their stage magic, as well as the challenges in their relationship. Ted's right when he says that Lee's death became an "I remember where I was when I heard..." moment. I know I do. I'm grateful for this book that puts the context of a warm, joyous, anguished, story of friendship and journey of faith around it.
February 6, 2013
For several months I helped plan the night when Ted & Company came to the Bay Area for Peace, Pies and Prophets. I made a pie for the auction and hovered over the pie table during the performances. After the show, when I walked past Ted & Co's table of stuff, I knew I had to get the book. I read for the next few days; each time I picked up the book I easily re-entered Ted's life, marveling at the twists and turns.
I love his experiments and getting an inside look at the way his art comes about and which other actors influence him. "Naive persistence" seems to work for Ted's marriage and also for his acting career. There's also a deep knowing that he is supposed to act, no matter if his community has a career as a pastor in mind for Ted and no matter if his beloved acting partner drops out one day due to suicide and no matter if the money's not flowing right now. I cried and I laughed, and, because I heard and saw Ted in action just a few days before reading, Ted's deep voice sounded throughout the book.
Isn't it great someone makes a living at acting with an address of, not Hollywood, but Harrisonburg (Virginia)?
I love his experiments and getting an inside look at the way his art comes about and which other actors influence him. "Naive persistence" seems to work for Ted's marriage and also for his acting career. There's also a deep knowing that he is supposed to act, no matter if his community has a career as a pastor in mind for Ted and no matter if his beloved acting partner drops out one day due to suicide and no matter if the money's not flowing right now. I cried and I laughed, and, because I heard and saw Ted in action just a few days before reading, Ted's deep voice sounded throughout the book.
Isn't it great someone makes a living at acting with an address of, not Hollywood, but Harrisonburg (Virginia)?
November 29, 2012
Laughter is Sacred Space: The Not-So-Typical Journey of a Mennonite Actor by Ted Swartz is an honest and interesting look into the journey one makes in finding their true passion. Everyone's path is different, but as a person learns to love a craft, they are constantly changed and reformed into different people. This is a strong story of those changes.
The book is written in play format, with plenty of anecdotes, footnotes and other asides, but readers can still easily follow along. Swartz explores every aspect of his personal and professional life including being raised in the Mennonite church, getting married at a young age and finding his writing/acting partner Lee. The story progresses through their work in becoming a solid duo, writing together and performing their shows around the world. And when tragedy strikes, the emotional journey is explored.
This book provides a little bit of everything--humor, faith and human connection. It is a personal look into a life and career that will inspire anyone.
*Reviewer received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
The book is written in play format, with plenty of anecdotes, footnotes and other asides, but readers can still easily follow along. Swartz explores every aspect of his personal and professional life including being raised in the Mennonite church, getting married at a young age and finding his writing/acting partner Lee. The story progresses through their work in becoming a solid duo, writing together and performing their shows around the world. And when tragedy strikes, the emotional journey is explored.
This book provides a little bit of everything--humor, faith and human connection. It is a personal look into a life and career that will inspire anyone.
*Reviewer received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
September 7, 2015
I knew Ted Swartz during my first career (professional and academic theatre). He and his late partner, Lee Eshleman, were fellow members of CITA (Christians in Theatre Arts) and I saw them and their work at our conferences. Good guys, talented comedians, committed Christians. Like everyone else who knew them or had seen them perform, I was shocked and dismayed by Lee's untimely death.
So, I went into reading this book with some emotional ties. I was not disappointed. If, like me, you have been a part of the world of Christians in theatre, much of what Ted writes will seem very familiar to you. If you've been on the outside looking in, as a fan, then there will be some revelations, I think. Either way, Ted does a good and sensitive job talking about the strains of the business, the difficulties of maintaining values in a wide-open art form, and the ultimate joy of performing for God and God's people.
Worth a read.
So, I went into reading this book with some emotional ties. I was not disappointed. If, like me, you have been a part of the world of Christians in theatre, much of what Ted writes will seem very familiar to you. If you've been on the outside looking in, as a fan, then there will be some revelations, I think. Either way, Ted does a good and sensitive job talking about the strains of the business, the difficulties of maintaining values in a wide-open art form, and the ultimate joy of performing for God and God's people.
Worth a read.
May 4, 2013
The strength of this book is Ted Swartz's focus on the "not-so-typical journey" part of his story, especially his relationship with comedic partner Lee Eschelman. Lee was both incredibly gifted and bipolar, and sadly his struggle with depression eventually led to his death in 2007. This was a major upheaval for Ted both personally and professionally, and he tells his story both before and after Lee's death with an earthy honesty, humour, and yes, even some understandable anger. I appreciated his book, but confess I didn't read it in the order as published--instead, I read the beginning, the ending, the chapter on Lee's death until the ending, then back to fill in the rest. As a side note, my not-so-typical reading makes me think more about how books are put together, especially the structure of memoir.
May 6, 2013
I really want to give this book a better review. In my opinion, laughter IS a sacred space, a way we can approach a better understanding of ourselves, of the nature of God.
But 'rambling' is a word that just begins to describe this work. This book is a collection of experiences that reads like someone telling stories and then going back to describe the inside jokes, but you're already feeling disconnected.
In the hands of a different author, this book could probably be beautiful, it certainly has all the elements and the heart to be so. I am just going to conclude that Ted Swartz is probably better on stage than in book form.
SUFFICE IT TO SAY I still think its important this story is told. More people of faith should become involved in comedy and humor, in my opinion. The world is sometime ugly and desperately in need of a good belly laugh.
But 'rambling' is a word that just begins to describe this work. This book is a collection of experiences that reads like someone telling stories and then going back to describe the inside jokes, but you're already feeling disconnected.
In the hands of a different author, this book could probably be beautiful, it certainly has all the elements and the heart to be so. I am just going to conclude that Ted Swartz is probably better on stage than in book form.
SUFFICE IT TO SAY I still think its important this story is told. More people of faith should become involved in comedy and humor, in my opinion. The world is sometime ugly and desperately in need of a good belly laugh.
October 24, 2014
"In this life there is grace... but never enough.
There is peace... but never enough.
There is love...but never enough.
I am disappointed, I'm disappointed in myself, I'm disappointed in God...I don't come to you healed this morning...I don't come to you with answers to any questions.
But I choose to be here, here where the unhealed gather...so we take what we have, we break it, and we pass it out.
I choose to be here, in this place.
I choose to walk with you...to drink from the cup with you."
"In this life there is grace...but is it enough?
There is peace...but is it enough?
There is love...but is it enough?
We take what we have...which is never enough...we break it, and we pass it out."
Looking forward to hearing Ted's new performance, "Listening for Grace".
July 12, 2015
If you've ever loved acting, then you should read this book. If you've ever wondered what it's like to make a living as an actor, then you should read this book. If you've ever loved someone struggling with depression, then you should read this book. If you've ever taken an acting class at JMU with Tom Arthur, then you should read this book (and enjoy the walk down memory lane). Mr. Swartz is great with the words, describing his passion and draw to the theatre in a way that I have never even come close to. His writing is very honest and very funny. He wrote so personally that I though that he was someone I knew, a close friend. What a minute...
August 10, 2013
This wonderful book is hands down the best autobiography I have ever had the pleasure of reading! This one was given to me through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway, and I thank Ted and Herald Press for the opportunity to review it!
This book is jam packed with the greatest wit and charm, as well as unexpected honesty which is entirely refreshing. Laughing outloud happens frequently with this one! I have always enjoyed autobiographies, and this one will set the bar high for all the ones I read in the future.
This book is jam packed with the greatest wit and charm, as well as unexpected honesty which is entirely refreshing. Laughing outloud happens frequently with this one! I have always enjoyed autobiographies, and this one will set the bar high for all the ones I read in the future.
July 14, 2013
I'll admit it, most of what I like about this book are the connections. I almost feel as if I'm in the story. A production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, of which I was a performer, is mentioned, a high school friend is written into the biography, Ted's wife was a middle school teacher of mine, one of his acknowledgements at the end of the book is to my cousin's husband... And of course there are the countless times we saw Ted and Lee's comic routines. This is not just a book about a wanna-be pastor turned actor but about illness and life and of course, laughter.
December 15, 2012
I come from a family of Mennonites, performers, pastors and writers. I teach theater and also am a writer, so this book may resonate with me more than others. I chuckled a lot, and at times found myself nodding in agreement and saying aloud, "Yes, I know." The photos and drawings made the characters more poignant, and I was really touched by the relationships that were developed in the book.
My biggest issue now is whom to pass it on to next.
My biggest issue now is whom to pass it on to next.
April 21, 2013
I don't know Ted Swartz, and didn't know Lee Eshleman, other than in the way (as Ted writes) that performers allow audiences to know parts of them. With this book, I feel I know both of them a bit more. I laughed out loud at remembered bits and new stories and tears streamed liberally down my cheeks as I mourned with Ted after Lee's death. Read as a fan, as an actor, as a comic or a laugher, as a mourner, as a friend, as a pastor or as a believer. Just read.
October 29, 2014
I had only seen one performance of Ted and Lee so was unable to relate to much of the book that dealt with their experiences. What did resonate was Ted's journey in dealing with the loss of Lee, his close friend and performing partner. His ability to articulate his thoughts and feelings was very personal and moving.
March 11, 2017
After having the privilege of seeing Ted & Lee perform several times over the years (funny Mennonites?!), I was so saddened to hear of Lee's suicide...not my first (or last) experience with suicide of someone in the Mennonite faith. Ted's book is hilarious, tragic, and so thoroughly and completely honest. Thanks for sharing your journey, Ted. May the healing continue.
November 5, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed his writing re: Ted and Lee Theatreworks - written as his journey in theatre with Lee Eshleman (1992 - 2007); his grief following Lee's death and finding his way back. You will laugh hilariouslly at times- I did!
July 13, 2013
I enjoyed and appreciated the sincerity, as well as the unique perspective of a life in performance from a member of the church. I'm looking forward to learning more about Swartz's work and experience.
August 31, 2013
Very touching and funny.
November 6, 2012
RECEIVED FROM GOOD READS FIRST READS. THE NOT SO TYPICAL JOURNED OF A MENNONITE ACTOR.
April 7, 2013
From the hilarious to the heartbreaking, an honest reflection.
January 28, 2013
This biography of Mennonite actor/comedian gives an unvarnished view of grief an healing after his acting partner's death by suicide. It's also really funny!
April 3, 2013
Very funny book. Of course it helps that I know the author and saw many of the shows he writes about. Lee is definitely missed.
July 6, 2013
I appreciate Schwartz's dedication to laughter as the vehicle for perceiving his faith and world. All spiritual people need a lesson in laughing at ourselves and our tender journey of faith.
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