A visit from C. S. Lewis
By Cara Miller
Dr. Kevin Radaker, English professor at Anderson University and chair of the department, has long been known for his dramatic side. Since 1991, he has presented a theatrical characterization of American author and philosopher Henry Thoreau more than 350 times to audiences across the nation. In full costume, he presents the spirit and words of Thoreau in an effort to educate and entertain both children and adults, and the results have been impressive as his popularity continues to grow. Recently, Radaker has added a new personality to his repertoire — Christian author C. S. Lewis. He chose Lewis because of his popularity and his persuasive genius regarding issues of faith.
“I took on the challenge of developing a dramatic portrayal of C. S. Lewis because more than 45 years after his death, he is still considered to be the twentieth century’s most popular and important proponent of faith based on reason,” Radaker explains. “In short, to bring his articulate voice and buoyant spirit to the stage is to offer my 21st-century audience an engaging counter response to the materialist worldview.”
In his performance, “A Visit from C. S. Lewis,” Radaker recites many of Lewis’ most thought-provoking and eloquent passages from such works as The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, The Four Loves, The Problem of Pain, and Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer. The performance lasts 45-60 minutes, depending on the venue, plus an optional question-and-answer session at the end. Apart from this adult performance, Radaker has also put together a program for children, which focuses on passages from Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia children’s books and some of Lewis’ memories from his own childhood.
Radaker has been preparing for this performance for three years, devoting the summers of 2007 and 2008 and the first four months of this year to researching Lewis’ works as well as the scholarly critiques of his writings. Radaker then composed the script and has spent the summer memorizing and rehearsing it. He not only memorizes Lewis’ work, but also listens to the few remaining recordings of Lewis in order to offer a convincing Oxford dialect and accent.
Although Radaker has done all the work in piecing together an inspiring Lewis performance, he has received some help. He received from the Anderson University Falls Fund for Faculty Development a $4,000 summer stipend in 2008 and a $2,000 grant to purchase the collected works of Lewis and several secondary sources. Additionally, Radaker has received a Distinguished Scholar Award for Semester I of the 2009-10 academic year, an award funded by the Lilly Endowment that will reduce his teaching responsibilities and allow him more time for rehearsals and further research as he offers his debut performances.
Radaker explains that one of his main goals in portraying Lewis is to entertain, educate, and inspire his audience. Because Lewis’ writings address a vast array of theological issues, “A Visit from C. S. Lewis” is particularly fitting for places of worship.
In addition, because Lewis was a very prominent public intellectual of his day, Radaker will offer his performance to libraries, colleges, universities, and to his own students when it fits in with the discussion. “Designing a first-person portrayal of C. S. Lewis will undoubtedly help me to address certain theological and philosophical issues in my courses when such issues are relevant to our readings and discussions,” he says.
Besides furthering his theatrical and academic pursuits, putting together the Lewis performance has affected Radaker on a personal level as well. “I am very excited to consider the degree to which my study of Lewis and my eventual performances as Lewis have already enriched and will continue to enrich my Christian journey, allowing me the privilege to study in depth and to offer dramatically one of the most important Christian voices in the modern era.”
Radaker’s performance schedule:
• Aug. 26, 6:30 p.m., Castleton United Methodist Church, Indianapolis
• Sept. 2, 6:45 p.m., Church at the Crossing, Indianapolis
• Sept. 13, 6 p.m., East Side Church of God, Anderson
• Sept. 22, 10 a.m., all-campus Chapel at AU
• Oct. 11, 6 p.m., St. John’s Lutheran Church, Anderson
• Oct. 25, 6 p.m., Dayspring Church of God, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m., Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Noblesville, Ind.
• Nov. 15, 6 p.m., Park Place Church of God, Anderson
• Dec. 3, 7 p.m., Thiel College, Greenville, Pa.
To arrange a performance date, contact Professor Radaker at kpradaker@anderson.edu.
