The Confession to Celebrate Its 100th Performance 8/23

A new Amish musical based on Beverly Lewis' bestselling novel, The Confession, (currently playing to record audiences at The Blue Gate Theater in Shipshewana, Indiana) will officially reach its 100th performance on August 23rd.

Word of the Indiana musical has been spreading, evidenced by increased tourism to the Shipshewana area. "At each performance, well over half of the audience is new customers for the theater," says Andrew Rohrer, Director of Marketing for The Blue Gate. Rohrer also added, "We are weekly setting new ticket sales records." The Confession premiered in Shipshewana in 2010 and was attended by Beverly Lewis, Gloria Gaither, the entire production team of The Confession, and many other local and national notables. A movie version of the story, entitled The Shunning, recently aired on the Hallmark Channel to an audience of 2.9 million viewers.

Executive producer of The Confession is Mel Riegsecker, and the musical is produced by award winning producer Dan Posthuma. The script/libretto is written by Emmy-nominated and Dove-nominated writer Martha Bolton and the music is composed by Wally Nason, who also produces the Miss Arizona Beauty pageant.

The musical will also open in the Lancaster area on September 14th and run for 12 weeks at the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. The musical is gaining the attention of other theaters as well. Mel Riegsecker and Dan Posthuma are currently in talks with theater owners in Ohio, New York, and elsewhere regarding bringing the musical to their venues.
The Confession, which some have compared to Oklahoma! and Plain and Fancy, is being overwhelmingly received by audience members of all faiths, some coming from as far away as Australia and England.