Locations Secured

Here is a glimpse of a few of our filming locations for next summer! I apologize that a number of them are sideways. Blogger is never the most cooperative program...

Mayor Douglas home in Mount Sterling, IL - Kitchen 1

Mayor Douglas home in Mount Sterling, IL - Kitchen 2

Judge Carter home in Rock Valley, IA - Dining Room

Judge Carter home in Rock Valley, IA - Study

Rock Valley, IA Court House

Mayor Douglas home in Mount Sterling, IL - Private Sitting Room

[location: Bonanzaville USA, Fargo ND]

And there is so much more to look forward to!

Highlighting Amanda Carter

It's been awhile since I've been able to post any character descriptions. It isn't because I don't have them. It is, in fact, because they are located on my external hard drive which is currently out of commission. Sadly, it fell off the table and I can't open it. So...while we wait for it to be fixed...you'll have to be satisfied with the character descriptions I've posted, and perhaps a little rambling on my part about a handful of the people that make up the story of He Leadeth Me.

As I continue to work on the script, I continue to develop an even greater love for the characters in the story. One of my favorite, and perhaps arguably one of the most important characters, is Amanda Carter, the daughter of Judge Ethan Carter. If you were to compare the story of He Leadeth Me with the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, you'd understand Amanda to be the parallel character to the Prodigal's brother. She's the one who is faithful and never leaves her father. She's the one who is obediant and trustworthy. She's the one who loves him....

Isn't she?

Amanda Carter, daughter to the wealthiest and most beloved men in town, is an only child...and is not a fan of Shawn Carter, a lone young man who has been orphaned. Amanda's father has offered to adopt Shawn and to give him a permanant home. But, Amanda despises the idea and maybe, in retrospect, is more afraid of losing her father than she is of gaining a stranger for a brother. Throughout the entire plot, Amanda is determined to hate Shawn Carter and Judge Carter is determined to love him...determined to show Amanda that she, too, is in danger of becoming a prodigal herself.

What about us? Where do we fit into this story? Maybe we've thought these things...

"I can't believe he's in church.

I can't believe she's taking communion.

I can't believe he's saying that my God is his God when he doesn't even understand what it means.

I can't believe, after all of the work I've done for the church, that she's getting as much if not more recognition than I ever have.

He's my God. Not theirs..."

Ouch. And yet, don't we fall into the temptation of setting ourselves apart from others because we have a personal in with the judge himself? Just like Amanda, we often experience a number of difficult situations. We are asked to make a number of challenging decisions. We are expected, by a loving God, to love others just as we have been loved.

So, no...this isn't just Shawn's journey. This journey belongs to Amanda too.

And to us.

*For more information concerning Christ Family Film Productions, He Leadeth Me, or auditions, please email redeemerssongministries@gmail.com .

Auditions, Here We Come!

Here are some fabulous head shots recently taken! You might consider poses like these, or you may not! You may decide to take a picture with your cat in the backyard! Whatever you decide, consider auditioning (no matter how young or old you are) for the He Leadeth Me film project produced by Redeemer's Song Christ Family Film Productions! Filming begins next summer, 2011, and the film will premiere Father's Day 2012 and be submitted to the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival! For more information, email redeemerssongministries@gmail.com!

Sign-Up Now Available @ A Center for the Arts

A sign-up list is now available at A Center for the Arts in Fergus Falls. Call or stop in today to sign up for your audition time August 19, or Sept 22, 23.

TIME SLOTS LIMITED.

Reminder: you must have a completed audition form and a formal or informal headshot at your audition. Email redeemerssongministries@gmail.com for an audition form.

The Prodigal Son

Jesus told the best stories. Not just because he could relate his stories to those around him by using their everyday experiences. Not just because there was something about him that was more attractive than others. But because his stories revealed a Truth that brought peace and hope. Jesus' parables are some of the most well-known stories in the Bible. One of the most popular, if you can call any one of his stories more popular than others, is the story of the Prodigal Son. For those of us who are familiar with it, we understand what it means when someone labels another individual a "prodigal." But do you know what the word prodigal actually means? Prodigal means wasteful! Not quite what you'd expect.

In the year 1932, being wasteful was a sin in the eyes of those who worked very hard to survive. After the stock market crashed in the United States in 1929, prices skyrocketed while income plummeted. The average national income was $1,652.00 a year. People were desperately trying to stay afloat, not only financially but emotionally and spiritually. Google "Great Depression stories" and you'll be surprised at the things you'll find. The generation now that is quickly passing away (the group of people some refer to as "The Greatest Generation") is made up of those who were children during the Great Depression. You've probably heard your grandmother exclaim, "Don't throw that away! We can use it for something!" No one in 1932 dared throw anything away.

1932 and the Great Depression is one of the best settings for the story of the Prodigal Son. Any setting, really, fits this story! But, Redeemer's Song Ministries and Christ Family Film Productions sets Jesus' original story in this setting because of it's unique historical value and the relevance the "waste not, want not" mentality has when it comes to the idea of someone becoming a prodigal.

Take the time tonight to read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke, chapter 15. Enjoy Jesus' story as we prepare to tell it again through film when we premiere He Leadeth Me, written and directed by Sarah R. Larson and produced by Christ Family Film Productions, Father's Day 2012.

Meet The Characters: Walter Cole

Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

WALTER ABRAHAM COLE – AGE 13


HISTORY
- Born August 19th, 1919 in Sioux County, Iowa
- Son of: Rev. Arden Rollin Cole & Elizabeth Jacqueline (Harrington) Cole

o Siblings:
 Alyssa Adella Cole born 1917

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: NA
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “I don’t know what all the fuss is about. Shawn isn’t so bad. My sister might be in love with him…but that’s disgusting and pa would take her back behind the woodshed if she did anything about it…Are you going to eat that?”

- Character profile: Son of the preacher and inclined to take advantage of it, Walter Cole is anything but holy. Daring, mischievous, cunning, and terribly brilliant, Walter has managed to harness all of his energetic qualities to the carriage of his demands. His mother showers him with affection, and as many gifts as the financial stipend from her husband allows. And yet he is rarely satisfied. Ultimately, though he would never admit it---denying this as often as his mother encourages him to do so---Walter longs to be satisfied with simple, quality time. The attentive time only his father can give. Discipline appears to be his father’s only form of communication, and so Walter speaks in a language worthy of it.

Meet The Characters: Alyssa Cole

Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!


ALYSSA ADELLA COLE – AGE 15


HISTORY
- Born June 1st, 1917 in Sioux County, Iowa
- Daughter of: Rev. Arden Rollin Cole & Elizabeth Jacqueline (Harrington) Cole

o Siblings:
 Walter Abraham Cole born 1919

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: NA
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “I don’t know what my parents are thinking, living out here in the middle of nowhere at a time like this. And I don’t know who Amanda Carter thinks she is, flaunting her papa’s wealth all over the neighborhood. And now her pa wants to adopt Shawn Carter? She’ll pay for it.”

- Character profile: Alyssa, born years after her parents had tried conceiving children, was a delightful surprise to both of them. She grew up pampered and petted like a little store-bought doll. Never was she far from her father’s discipline, however, and she was reprimanded often enough for having personal dreams and wishes. Her mother encouraged the care of her outward appearance and taught her proper, Chicago-style etiquette while her father stamped out any expression of her natural-born creativity and passion for things, deeming it un-Christian to encourage personal pleasure. The inconsistency now forces her to express herself in egotistical ways in order to prove, not just to others but to herself, how wonderful she is. She has no specific hobbies and spends much of her time following others, longing for someone to notice her. She excels in school, the one area in which she’s allowed to express herself without fear of being guilty of unholy, blatant vanity. She harbors a certain amount of hate against anyone that has something she can’t have…especially if that something creates visible, genuine happiness. All pampering ceased when her baby brother was born.

Meet The Characters: Elizabeth Cole

Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

ELIZABETH JACQUELINE (HARRINGTON) COLE – AGE 47


HISTORY
- Born April 26th, 1885 in Cook County, Illinois
- Daughter of: Dr. Merlin Gary Harrington & Celestine Caroline (Bower) Harrington

o Siblings: NA

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: minister’s wife
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “Arden means well. I support him. I do. Though I wish that I could see my parents again.”
- Character profile: Elizabeth, a single child of a wealthy doctor, grew up in the luxury and limelight of Chicago at the turn of the century. Unaware of the dark parts of the city, she delighted in glittering coming-of-age parties, social dances, and birthday costume balls. She lovingly draped her arm through her father’s any chance she could get and enjoyed parading around the city with her beautiful parents. She attended finishing school and learned how to perform as a respected, eligible young lady. She met Arden at a seminary gathering, where her father spoke for a retirement luncheon. She had never seen anyone so handsome, and yet knew he was as penniless as the simplest of maids at home. He was daring. Secretive. And spiritually elegant. She hung on his every word and would meet him privately at the corner of her street whenever she could. Without so much as a word to her parents, they were married by the judge in the summer of 1920 and hurriedly sped off to the nearest Indian reservation in Minnesota for what Arden claimed as the “spiritual opportunity of a lifetime to convert the rejected.” From there they traveled all over the country and finally settled in Rock Valley, Iowa. She hasn’t seen her parents since and would never admit to anyone that Arden didn’t turn out to be the hero of ministers after all.

Meet The Characters: Rev. Arden Cole

Christ Family Film Productions yet again is posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

REV. ARDEN ROLLIN COLE – AGE 52


HISTORY
- Born December 2nd, 1880 in Cook County, Illinois
- Son of: Rev. Albin Isaac Cole & Elenora Edwina (Massey) Cole

o Siblings:
 Casper Ottis Cole born 1882 (deceased 1930)

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: minister
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “The Lord’s work is the work of a saint. Not everyone is called to the pulpit and the Lord our God showers down on those selected the strength to be givers of truth…even when it hurts. You need to hear it and I’m here to tell it to you. Shawn Harper will bring the devil to our door.”

- Character profile: Arden, born and raised in Chicago, attended McCormick Theological Seminary and graduated in 1902. He married Elizabeth Harrington the summer following his senior year at the seminary and the two spent a number of years on the Indian reservations preaching the Word of the Lord. Disease forced the couple to flee the reservations and they finally settled in Rock Valley, Iowa, opening one of the first Presbyterian churches in the area. Arden is known for his blunt opinions and hard political stance. He is a lover of the Word, but an extreme doer of discipline which he carries over into his household. After a falling-out with his father, Rev. Cole, he has become increasingly skeptical and wary of organized religion as a whole. The country’s depression, however, has given him no other choice: preach, or starve.

Meet The Characters: Samuel Rosgaard

Christ Family Film Productions yet again is posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

SAMUEL KEVIN ROSGAARD – AGE 12 – 13


HISTORY
- Born November 24th, 1919 in Lyon County, Iowa
- Son of: Benjamin Theodore Rosgaard & Evelyn Jenny (Miller) Rosgaard

o Siblings:
 Lenora Jenny Rosgaard born 1916
 Adam Ryan Rosgaard born 1918
 Baby Rosgaard born 1932

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: NA
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “I found a book that I can’t stop reading over and over. It’s so good, but I can’t tell you what happens ‘cause then you’ll never read it. And you need to read it. It’s too good.”

- Character profile: Samuel, the shiest of the four Rosgaard children, has been labeled “Adam’s Shadow,” much to his consternation. Born early, it was believed that Samuel wouldn’t survive. When he did survive, he contracted a serious case of the measles at age two and wasn’t expected to live. Surviving that, he fell out of a climbing tree at age nine and punctured a lung. With remedial surgery, he was able to return to school within a few months but found himself sorely behind the others. With his brother’s encouragement and his sister’s tutoring, Samuel managed to catch up sufficiently but never enough to feel confident in any of his studies. His interests rest more in the discovery of new stories hidden in the pages of his parents’ books, often read during recovery from some ailment or another. Reading far beyond his grade level, he weekly devours books on all sorts of topics and ignores all of his other school work. He wants to be a sailor when he grows up.

Meet The Characters: Adam Rosgaard

Christ Family Film Productions yet again is posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

ADAM RYAN ROSGAARD – AGE 14


HISTORY
- Born February 9th, 1918 in Sioux County, Iowa
- Son of: Benjamin Theodore Rosgaard & Evelyn Jenny (Miller) Rosgaard

o Siblings:
 Lenora Jenny Rosgaard born 1916
 Samuel Kevin Rosgaard born 1919
 Baby Rosgaard born 1932

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: NA
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “I’m like my pa. That’s what everybody tells me. I want to see our farm be rich again. I don’t think my pa’s done a bad job. I just think it’s this stinkin’ weather. And no one wants to buy what we grow anyway.”

- Character profile: Adam, the oldest son, has always assumed that the family farm would be his someday. In the 1920s, he was more than proud to admit this. Now that the stock market has fallen and with the crop prices plummeting every day, he ignores any sort of conversation about agriculture. He’s a headstrong young man with a heart for the homestead and a mind for numbers, and he refuses to see his family give up on the land. At the same time, his boyish interests distract him long enough to find joy in the simplest of things. He spends much of his time in school and favors the games over eating his lunch. He’s a class clown and yet at the top of his class in academic areas such as math and science. He’s a diligent worker, a respectful son, and worships his father. He finds a best friend in his younger brother Samuel and between the two of them keeps the family in high spirits even as the depression seems to be closing in around them.

Meet The Characters: Lenora Rosgaard

Christ Family Film Productions yet again is posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

LENORA JENNY ROSGAARD – AGE 15 – 16


HISTORY
- Born October 12th, 1916 in Sioux County, Iowa
- Daughter of: Benjamin Theodore Rosgaard & Evelyn Jenny (Miller) Rosgaard

o Siblings:
 Adam Ryan Rosgaard born 1918
 Samuel Kevin Rosgaard born 1919
 Baby Rosgaard born 1932

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: NA
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “I don’t know if there’s anywhere I’d rather be. Except maybe somewhere where the dust doesn’t blow so much. Mama wants us to sweep up the floor every day, all the time. It’s all that dust blowing in from the south. It isn’t fair. It’s a relief to go to school. Maybe it’ll rain today. I’m worried about Pa and his fields.”

- Character profile: Lenora, born on the eve of one of the wealthiest, inflated decades of the 20th century, only ever knew what it meant to be the daughter of a wealthy farmer. It wasn’t until crop prices began to fall after the market crashed in 1929 that Lenora began to realize the importance of familial cooperation. Raised in a paternally conservative home, Lenora knew what it meant to work hard, save money, and invest wisely but didn’t really understand the importance of scrimping and saving for survival. When the depression hit, she learned the lesson fast. It was all her family could do to keep Lenora in school. Determined and dedicated, Lenora found a job outside of the home and now works after school every day for two hours at the general store. Vehemently opposed to it, her father daily orders her home by dinner time and expects all of her chores to be finished before homework. Lenora is wholeheartedly supported by her mother, however, who has taken an unusual liking to the idea of female independence. Lenora has learned one lesson above all: working fast and hard allows for a little extra time with her most important friend, Amanda Carter. Intimate companionship during these difficult times has become, for Lenora and many others, more valuable than gold.

Audition Information & Head Shots

Audition Information

Early-Bird Auditions: August 19th, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Hotel Kadaatz
Auditions: September 22, 23, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Hotel Kadaatz

*Please submit an audition application and formal or informal head shot.
For more information or an audition form, contact redeemerssongministries@gmail.com

Head Shot Photography FREE for those auditioning provided by Larson Photography.

Head Shot Sessions:
July 21, 22, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
August 4, 5, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Location - 1106 N Cleveland Ave
Contact discoverlarsonphotography@gmail.com to sign up for a time.

*Alternative session available only upon special request.

Meet The Characters: Evelyn Rosgaard

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

EVELYN JENNY (MILLER) ROSGAARD – AGE 29 – 30


HISTORY
- Born October 11th, 1902 in Sioux County, Iowa
- Daughter of: Nels Ezekiel Miller & Evelyn Audrey (Rielly) Miller

Siblings:
 Rosalee Dorris (Miller) McBride born 1909
 Susanne Eda Miller born 1911

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: farmer’s wife
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “I never thought I’d be a farmer’s wife. My ma always said I’d make a good preacher’s wife, or even a good storekeeper. It’s not like I favor dirt over the pulpit…and who doesn’t like a consistent income? No…it’s the man. It’s always been about the man.”

- Character profile: Evelyn, one of three girls, was raised in town. Her parents, originally homesteaders, gave up on the homestead after a series of hailstorms and grasshopper plagues. Nels and Evelyn Audrey purchased a small plot of land on the south side of town and constructed a simple shanty that soon evolved into a comfortable and tidy home. Nels found work at the lumber yard and Evelyn taught her daughters at home until she felt religiously convicted to send them to school…especially after the women in the tea circle challenged her to become more independent. The young Evelyn then grew up extremely engaged in her learning. She eventually attended and graduated from high school, boarding at a different location for the remainder of her schooling. Even with her high school degree and an opportunity to go to college, she fondly remembered the little boy who would tag after her in the play yard and share his soup and crackers with her at mealtime. Evelyn resolutely moved back home and planted herself daily in a place where Benjamin would be sure to notice her…his front yard. The couple were married in the local Presbyterian church in the spring of 1920. Their mothers served soup and crackers at the reception.

Meet The Characters: Benjamin Rosgaard

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

BENJAMIN THEODORE ROSGAARD – AGE 37 – 38


HISTORY
- Born May 24th 1894 in Sioux County, Iowa
- Son of: Einar Myles Rosgaard & Glennie Jessica (Miller) Rosgaard

Siblings:
 Deborah Kittie (Rosgaard) Kittleson born 1896
 Liza Anetta (Rosgaard) Tyler born 1897
 Vin Gabriel Rosgaard born 1905
 Sonja Mae (Rosgaard) McCarthy born 1907

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: farmer
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “I’m just a farmer. Just a farmer. That’s all I know how to do. I wish those folks over in Washington could remember it. FDR is the only man who sees me way out here.”

- Character profile: Benjamin, born and raised on the family homestead, attended school in a one-room school house. Here, he met his beloved wife in a game of ante-over at the age of six and vowed, in a note tucked under the lid of his desk, that he’d love her forever…even if she had no money. In 1932, Benjamin is the one that has no money but has Evelyn, and four kids besides. With his innovative ways of farming, he has gained the respect of hundreds of farmers and has hosted a number of local picnics for those interested in discussing the issues of crop rotation and environmental conservation. He keeps a firm hand on his farm, his political and religious ideals, and his children. And he is the prince of Evelyn’s dreams.

Meet The Characters: Sally Price

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

SALLY MINNA PRICE – AGE 61 – 62


HISTORY
- Born September 2nd, 1866 in Grant County, Wisconsin
- Daughter of: Arthur Albert Price (deceased 1899) & Mabel Julia (Cross) Price (deceased 1907)

Siblings:
 Hermina Vertie (Price) Quinn born 1858 (deceased 1922)
 Romie Nickolas Price born 1860
 Astrid Pearl Price born 1862 (deceased 1911)
 Farris Robert Price born 1865 (deceased 1865)
 Rebecca Dee (Price) Hodges born 1865
 Ana Mabel (Price) Cobb born 1866
 Rube Angela Price born 1870
 Wayman Arthur Price 1871 (deceased 1871)

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: maid (Carter household)
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “I never married and always wanted my own child. Amanda needed a mama. And I needed work. That Ethan Carter is a saint, but he doesn’t know lick about girls.”

- Character profile: Sally, one of six surviving children, grew up in the forests of Wisconsin, helping her father fell trees and break ground for small plots of corn. She shared a small attic with her twin sister Ana and walked two and a half miles every day to school carrying a rifle to ward off wild animals. In 1881 she was offered a proposal of marriage by a land speculator moving west, twenty years her senior. Sally’s mother refused to let her go and Sally vowed, out of fear, to never allow a man to propose to her again. In 1907, after the death of her mother, she moved to Rock Valley, Iowa, to be with an ailing cousin and found employment with the city judge taking care of his daughter and preparing their meals. She has kept her promise. She has never married and, instead, dedicates the rest of her life to loving Ethan and Amanda who were like her own.

POINT OF INTEREST
- Sally is the granddaughter of Major G. M. Price, land speculator, who laid out the town of Lancaster in 1837.

Meet The Characters: Alice Holebrook

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

ALICE EVELYN HOLEBROOK – AGE 15 – 16 – Maid in Douglas household, Mount Sterling, Illinois


HISTORY
- Born July 4th, 1916 in Dallas County, Missouri
- Daughter of: Alice Jane Holebrook

Siblings:

 Dylan James Holbrook born 1914

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Occupation: maid (Douglas household)
- Location: Mount Sterling, Illinois (Brown County)

- Personal interview: “I have a roof over my head. I have food. I see Dylan sometimes. But now Mr. Douglas wants to be governor…I’d eat a cat before I’d vote for him.”

- Character profile: Alice, born to an unwed mother, was her grandmother’s little baby. She thrived under her constant supervision and resembled her so much that people in the streets would often wonder if the woman, too young to be a grandmother, was the mother of such a beautiful little girl. Alice was twelve years old when her grandparents died of influenza and fell into a deep depression, withdrawing from everyone. Her brother Dylan left to fend for himself and she awoke one morning to find her mother gone too, a note explaining her whereabouts and her intentions to marry a cousin who lived in Michigan. Alone and afraid, Alice begged a hotel manager to hire her, even part-time, to change beds. He did so, promoting her to the kitchen and providing her a place to sleep under the stairs. The work ruined her hands, robbed her of her innocence, and stole her virginity. Dylan finally rescued her months later and they left for Mount Sterling, Illinois, where she has found a job working for the mayor of the community. She still locks her bedroom door at night.

Meet The Characters: McKinley Graves

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

MCKINLEY ISAIAH GRAVES – AGE 64


HISTORY

- Born April 1st, 1868 in Murray County, Minnesota
- Son of: Joseph Earl Graves (deceased 1902) and Irene Bess (Griffith) Graves (deceased 1902)

Siblings

 Leonard Caleb Graves born 1853 (deceased 1920)
 Lacy Sofia Graves born 1854 (deceased 1854)
 Barry Cedric Graves born 1858 (deceased 1924)
 Reid Joseph Graves born 1859
 Donald Ernst Graves born 1862
 Loran Luther Graves born 1863

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

- Occupation: banker
- Location: Mount Sterling, Illinois (Brown County)

- Personal interview: “No man in his right mind should be in the banking business when a depression hits. I wish someone had told me that.”

- Character profile: McKinley, youngest of five surviving children of immigrant homesteaders, was raised on a farm in Murray County, Minnesota, where his father grew wheat and corn. Determined to avoid the doldrums of farm life, McKinley finished the eighth grade and apprenticed himself at the town bank and loan office. There, he learned the business of bank, mortgage, and loan and longed for a business of his own. He left a local sweetheart for the adventures of Illinois and established his bank and loan office in Mount Sterling on the eve of the new century. When the market crashed in 1929, his worst fears became a reality: almost all of the farms in the area with outstanding loans from McKinley’s bank stopped making payments. The vault emptied of its contents so fast that McKinley had to establish a self-initiated two-day bank holiday to give him time to borrow money from a wealthy relative. The money sustains the bank for now, but the depression continues and McKinley is desperate.

Meet The Characters: Mayor Douglas

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

MAYOR JOHN WASHINGTON DOUGLAS – Age 52 – 53


HISTORY

- Born December 31st, 1879 in Barnwell County, South Carolina
- Son of Lt. Sanford Washington Greggs (deceased 1915) & Lillian (Haygood) Greggs (deceased 1879)

Siblings

 Unknown

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

- Occupation: mayor
- Location: Mount Sterling, Illinois (Brown County)

- Personal interview: “This country is going to hell in a handbag. Our government isn’t putting money into the right places. Illinois needs to do something for itself. FDR is making promises, but Mount Sterling isn’t feeling it. How long do we need to wait until the whole state profits from his big spending? We need to fix ourselves before we all blow away with the panhandle dust.”

- Character profile: John, born to a military man, experienced the harsh realities of post-Civil War culture in the Carolinas. His family, hardened by the century’s experiences on the south eastern coast, raised John to understand the importance of defending one’s ideals. John threw himself into politics right out of high school and graduated top of his class in 1897 with hopeful political ambitions of becoming mayor, governor, and maybe even president. His hopes of joining the Carolina political scene failed, however, when a deadly family dispute interrupted his plans. He moved his wife and son to Illinois where he planted himself in the small-town government, first to hide himself and then to prove himself. He believes in quantity over quality, even at home. One son wasn’t good enough. But that’s all he could get out of her.

POINT OF INTEREST
- John is the grand-nephew of Brigadier General Johnson Hagood, Confederate States Army and 80th governor of South Carolina

Meet The Characters: Jimmy Douglas

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

“JIMMY” JAMES WASHINGTON DOUGLAS – Age 16 – 17


HISTORY

- Born May 10th, 1915 in St. Louis County, Missouri
- Son of Mayor John Jefferson Douglas & Collette Faye (Hubbard) Douglas

Siblings

 Micah Fillmore Hubbard, born 1899

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

- Occupation: NA
- Location: Mount Sterling, Illinois (Brown County)

- Personal interview: “My pa is the strongest man in the world. And I hate him.”

- Character profile: Jimmy’s historical roots in South Carolina provided him with a politically-energized environment to play in, and he is always surrounded by affluent political acquaintances of his father who believe in lofty spending and showering sons with discipline instead of frivolous love. Work hard, play mean, and the rewards will benefit. Jimmy has hardly taken to this belief system the way his father has. He finds himself much more intrigued by the professional underground gambling rings establishing themselves all over the country than in any professional, competitive political career. He finds friendship with hoboes and prefers sleeping in the jungles, or hobo shacks, along the railroad tracks. No one is calling him home. The relationship with his mother is almost non-existent, as is his relationship with his half-brother Micah whom he’s never met.

Meet The Characters: Dylan Holebrook

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

DYLAN JAMES HOLEBROOK – Age 17 – 18


HISTORY

- Born June 16th, 1914 in Dallas County, Missouri
- Son of: Alice Jane Holebrook, father unknown

Siblings

 Alice Evelyn Holebrook born 1916

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

- Occupation: professional gambler, bootlegger
- Location: Mount Sterling, Illinois (Brown County)

- Personal interview: “I’m my own boss. My sister relies on me. So I gotta do what I gotta do…anything.”

- Character profile: Dylan, born in uncertain circumstances, relied heavily on his grandparents for stability and for survival. When they both died in 1928, leaving Dylan’s mother alone with two mouths to feed, Dylan opted to leave. After spending a number of months on the road, Dylan finally grew tired of his lonely existence and returned home. His mother, without leaving so much as a forwarding address, was gone, married to a cousin. Dylan found his sister sleeping under the stairs at a local hotel and working in the dining room. The two left Missouri and rode freight trains to Mount Sterling, Illinois, where Alice has found work as a maid in the mayor’s home. Dylan, often gone for long periods of time, has become involved with a professional gambling ring and often returns to Mount Sterling but only long enough to see that his sister is being provided for.

Meet the Characters: Amanda Carter

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

AMANDA SARAH CARTER – Age 14 – 15

HISTORY

- Born August 30th, 1916 in Sioux County, Iowa
- Daughter of: Ethan Evan Carter & Laura Elizabeth (Brenow) Carter (deceased 1921)

Siblings

 Ethan Evan Carter, Jr. born 1921 (deceased 1921)

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

- Occupation: NA
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “It used to be just Pa and me and we’d go walking after supper, sometimes with Ms. Sally. Shawn Harper? He’ll break my father’s heart.”

- Character profile: Amanda, her father’s pride and joy, was born in the heat of late summer in 1916 at five o’clock in the afternoon. The doctor said she was the prettiest baby he’d ever seen. Her parents showered her with love and affection and yet kept a firm hand on the developing of her character. As the daughter of a judge, Amanda wanted for nothing and somehow managed to build for herself an unreliable, faulty belief that nothing bad would happen. With the death of her mother and brother, however, her beliefs have fallen to pieces and she has a difficult time trusting anyone. Amanda’s biggest fear is losing her father too. Ethan has hired Ms. Sally, the household maid, to care for the house and to care for Amanda in a way only a mother can.

Meet The Characters: Ethan Carter

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

JUDGE ETHAN EVAN CARTER – Age 42

HISTORY

- Born January 12th, 1890 in Clayton County, Iowa
- Son of: Lt. Evan Charles Carter (deceased 1898) & Margaret Jo (Johnson) Carter

Siblings:

 Sarah Margaret Carter born 1895 (deceased 1899)
 George Alexander Carter born 1897

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

- Occupation: judge
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “My daughter is my greatest and best distraction on the most difficult days. I miss my wife…I miss my son. I’m a judge, too…some say I’m a good one. Maybe I am. But I’ve never felt more needed than I do now.”

- Character profile: Ethan, son of a United States army officer and a Norwegian immigrant, married Laura Brenow in 1914 and was appointed judge in the railroad town of Rock Valley, Iowa one year later. Soon, Ethan and his small family became the most affluent individuals in town. His integrity as justice has gained overwhelming approval and he’s been encouraged more than once to run for mayor. He politely refuses the offer. Laura and a second child, a boy, died during childbirth in 1921. In the midst of his grieving, Ethan hired help to care for his home and his only daughter. This has allowed him to continue his financial and professional affairs in Rock Valley, though his paycheck has slowly dwindled to nothing since the market crashed in 1929. He works anyway. Ethan has one younger brother living in Boston, also a judge.

Meet The Characters: Shawn Harper

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

SHAWN BRADLEY HARPER – Age 16


HISTORY
- Born March 21st, 1916 in Sioux County, Iowa
- Son of: Orrin Wilson Harper (deceased 1932) & Fanny Hazel (Bradley) Harper (deceased, 1923)

Siblings:

 Baby Harper, male born 1914 (deceased 1914)
 Baby Harper, male born 1915 (deceased 1915)
 Baby Harper, male born 1923 (deceased 1923)

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

- Occupation: farmer
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “My pa drowned himself. My ma died awhile ago, and I don’t blame her. He was a drunk…he hated both of us. But I got the land. I got the land.”

- Character profile: Shawn was raised on the family farm. The site was originally settled in the 1870s but was purchased by Orrin Harper in 1910 after his marriage to Fanny Bradley. After many unsuccessful attempts at farming, Harper allowed the farm to fall into disrepair and became an alcoholic, illegally distributing bootleg liquor to pay the bills. Shawn, the sole surviving child of four, assumed management of the farm and never attended school because of it. Fanny Harper died in childbirth in 1923. Following her death, Orrin Harper became increasingly violent and heavily depended on the sale of his liquor to ward off the debt collectors. On a Sunday in 1932, the sheriff found Harper’s body in the Rock River. The man left behind one son and an insurmountable pile of debt.

SEARCHING FOR FILM CREW

Redeemer's Song Ministries: Christ Family Film Productions is now taking applications for film crew for our first independent film project He Leadeth Me (scheduled to begin the production process this fall, 2010). If you are interested in an application for any of the following crew positions, please email redeemerssongministries@gmail.com.
Director of Publicity
First Assistant Director
Chaplain
Script Supervisor
On Sight Videographer *
Art Director*+
On Sight Photographer*
Set Dresser*+
Video Editor of Special Features*
Props Master
Kid Wrangler
Make-up Artist/Hairdresser*+
Costume Supervisor*+
Assistant to Costume Supervisor*+
First Assistant Camera*
Key Grip (Lighting)
Best Boy (Assistant to Key Grip)
Locations Manager
Refreshments/Food (2)

* Please submit 1 sample of best work or portfolio
+ You may be asked to prepare a sample representing the year 1932

CHARACTER LIST for He Leadeth Me Project

If you're interested in learning more about September (2010) auditions for the Christ Family Film Productions project He Leadeth Me, please contact redeemerssongministries@gmail.com.

*List subject to change.
*You do NOT need to be the suggested age of the character to be cast as a specific role.

Auditions will require no preparation, but you must arrive with a COMPLETED Christ Company Film Productions application, a formal or informal acting resume, AND a formal or informal headshot.

NOTE: if you have no acting experience, simply provide a completed application and headshot.

The following roles are available for audition:

MALE
Shawn Bradley Harper, age 16
Ethan Evan Carter, age 42 (judge)
Dylan James Holebrook, age 17 – 18
“Jimmy” James Washington Douglas, age 16 – 17
John Washington Douglas, age 52 – 53 (mayor)
McKinley Isaiah Graves, age 64 (banker)
Benjamin Theodore Rosgaard, age 37 – 38 (farmer)
Adam Ryan Rosgaard, age 14
Samuel Kevin Rosgaard, age 12 – 13
Arden Rollin Cole, age 52 (minister)
Walter Abraham Cole, age 13
Samuel Michael Barry, age 35
Timothy Klein, age 7
Pea-Shooter, age 14 – 15 (hobo)
Mud, age 16 – 17 (hobo)
Lick, age 17 – 18 (hobo)
Roger Allen Higgins, Jr. (sheriff)
Jon Edward Schmidt (gravedigger)
Professional gambler & bootlegger 1
Professional gambler & bootlegger 2
Professional gambler & bootlegger 3
3 – 5 adult male extras
5 – 8 youth male extras
2 – 3 young male extras

FEMALE
Amanda Sarah Carter, age 14 – 15
Alice Evelyn Holebrook, age 15 – 16 (maid, Douglas household)
Sally Minna Price, age 61 – 62 (maid, Carter household)
Evelyn Jenny (Miller) Rosgaard, age 29 – 30
Lenora Jenny Rosgaard, age 15 – 16
Elizabeth Jacqueline (Harrington) Cole, age 47
Alyssa Adella Cole, age 15
Sara Marcy (Flynn) Barry, age 32
Angela Barry, age 6
Clara Anne Crawford, age 24 (teacher)
“Daisy” Dorothy Emmerson, age 14 – 15 (hobo)
Bonnet, age 16 – 17 (hobo)
3 – 5 adult female extras
3 – 5 youth male extras
1 – 2 young male extras

ATTENTION: interested individuals

Redeemer's Song Ministries: Christ Family Film Productions is currently taking applications for film crew for their first independent film project He Leadeth Me (scheduled to begin the production process this fall, 2010). If you are interested in an application for any of the following crew positions, please email redeemerssongministries@gmail.com.


Actors/Actresses (auditioned)
Director of Publicity
First Assistant Director
Chaplain
Script Supervisor
On Sight Videographer *
Art Director*+
On Sight Photographer*
Set Dresser*+
Video Editor of Special Features*
Props Master
Kid Wrangler
Make-up Artist/Hairdresser*+
Costume Supervisor*+
Assistant to Costume Supervisor*+
First Assistant Camera*
Key Grip (Lighting)
Best Boy (Assistant to Key Grip)
Locations Manager
Refreshments/Food (2)

* Please submit 1 sample of best work or portfolio
+ You may be asked to prepare a sample representing the year 1932