Grace College to Sponsor One-Man Act ‘An Evening with C.S. Lewis’

The Grace College Department of Humanities is excited to sponsor “An Evening with C.S. Lewis,” a one-man performance starring British actor David Payne based on the life of the author of the “Chronicles of Narnia” book series. The performances will take place on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 at 7 p.m. in the Grace College Little Theatre, located in Philathea Hall, 1499 Alpha Dr., Winona Lake. The performances are ticketed and open to the public: $10 with a Grace ID and $12 for general admission. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.

“These performances will be a treat for all who attend – from those who have read the complete works of C.S. Lewis to those only familiar with ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ and everyone in between,” said Dr. Lauren Rich, chair of the Grace College Department of Humanities.

The performance is set in 1963 in C.S. Lewis’ living room near Oxford. Seated in his living room, Lewis recalls the people and events that inspired his thought and shaped his life: his friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien, why he nearly abandoned the Narnia Chronicles, how he came to embrace Christianity and the American woman who turned his life upside down.

The theatrical experience has led thousands to discover the continuing impact of the man of faith whose collected works made him one of the literary giants of the 20th Century. And according to those who have seen the production, Payne is the chief reason why.

After starting his career as an engineer, Payne spent several years in the music and entertainment industry before landing his first role as C.S. Lewis in the 1990s. Since then, Payne has become the world’s foremost actor in the world of Lewis. He has performed as C.S. Lewis in more than 1,000 productions, in front of nearly 750,000 people from all over the world.

These performances are sponsored by the Grace College Department of Humanities with support from the Elener R. (Norris) Grossman Fund. The department also offers a literature class on C.S. Lewis taught by Professor Frank Benyousky.

Tickets may be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-with-cs-lewis-tickets-391709111497. For discounted tickets for school groups, contact Dr. Lauren Rich at richlg@grace.edu.