Beautiful Are The Feet deserves a wider audience than merely self-publishing allows – this website lets that happen.
It is a fundraiser for an Ohio non-profit, Flat Rock Homes in Bellvue – an institution established during the Civil War to cater for young people with special needs.
Actor Geoffrey Darling is celebrating 25 years since he first began performing the gospel as solo theatre, in his native New Zealand and the recent publication of his memoir on the many experiences the gospel has brought. The book Beautiful Are The Feet will be available as part of the fundraising event.
Geoffrey is the husband of Flat Rock church visitation director Rose Darling and is making this series of performances available as part of his volunteer work for the organization.
Mark’s Gospel in Geoffrey’s hands has been seen and heard in much of the northern part of Ohio – in several prisons as well as a wide range of denominations – in the 18 years Geoffrey has lived in Ohio.
Mark’s gospel is the shortest of the four and a favorite of solo actors because of the constant action and immediacy that the writer imparts. But, at 95-100 minutes, it can also stretch audiences’ attention spans and sitting comfort.
So he varies his presentationss, according to the congregation’s wishes, For example he might begin with Palm Sunday and Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem and end with the equally triumphant resurrection and ascension – not to mention the command to spread the Good News throughout the world which concludes the gospel. Mark 11-16. About 30 minutes in all.
And Geoffrey can then give an illustrated talk about his many experiences performing the gospel, notably his 600-mile walk the length of New Zealand’s South Island, which took him a month and during which he performed the gospel whenever he came to a town or city, 18 times in all.
Geoffrey Darling is a New Zealand actor and journalist, now happily settled in Ohio.
After graduating from Rotorua Boys’ High School in 1966, where he achieved notoriety as a rebel, he set out to cram as much into his life as possible.
He was a tour guide, covering almost all of New Zealand before he was 21, then an acting student in Adelaide, a Kiwi Abroad in London and a cave guide back in New Zealand.
Four years of professional acting followed and he returned to formal study aged 30, graduating from the prestigious Wellington Polytechnic Journalism School with the Feature Writing Prize, in 1980.
His journalism career was in both community newspapers and provincial dailies. The highlight of 25 years journalism was press secretary in Parliament, for Cabinet Minister Rt. Hon. Bob Tizard.
And the highlight of the subsequent 25 years has been to “Do Mark.” Wherever, whenever, however.