The MAZE has bewildered audiences around the world for the past decade with its unique and innovative approach to entertainment, but hundreds of area teens and young adults will get the chance to find out for themselves when The MAZE comes to Owensboro.
Thanks to a group of local youth ministers, the show is coming to the Owensboro Convention Center on Thursday, December 8, 2016, at 6 p.m.
And here’s the best part: it’s absolutely FREE!
“We wanted to bring in something unique and interesting. The MAZE felt different than a typical speaker or band,”explained Justin McClure, who is coordinating the event with Local Youth-Ministers Networking for Christ (LYNC). McClure, who is also the youth minister at Buck Creek Baptist Church, discovered The MAZE through an organization called Reach Your City, which plans local outreach events for communities. “The MAZE has had a lot of success in the last 13 years with high school and college students, so we’re excited to have the opportunity to bring them into our community,” McClure said.
A MAZE event is difficult to explain, so LYNC launched a Facebook event page with promotional videos to give people an idea of what to expect. You can also find videos and more information at whatisthemaze.com. McClure describes it as “more than just a magic show.” There are typical card tricks and mind teasers, but Jim Munroe, who founded The MAZE, takes things a step further by interacting with the crowd and involving volunteers in an engaging way, all of which is projected on a big screen on either side of the stage.
If LYNC has their way, this show is going to be better than watching one of the illusion-themed shows that are very popular on TV because it will be live, in person, on stage, just feet away from the audience.
Pulling it all off takes a large team and community support. Tom Crusenberry, Middle School Pastor at Owensboro Christian Church, is serving as the liaison between LYNC, the Owensboro Convention Center technical crew, and Jim Munroe. “My role is to help oversee the stage production. The sound equipment, lighting, projector and screens. Anything to help enhance the performance for the audience,” Crusenberry explained. Tom is now working on logistics to project a live video feed with a roaming camera that follows the MAZE to get close-up shots and angles on all the illusions.
“We want it to be a very personal experience for the audience,” Crusenberry said. “Jim likes to get the crowd involved and pull them up on stage.”
The best views, though, will be reserved for the 100 VIP seats closest to the stage. Those seats will be given away through online and radio promotions or given to individual donors to offset expenses. VIP seat holders will also get a chance to meet Jim before the show and have access to a green room with refreshments.
Angie DeWitt, student minister at BridgePointe Church, is overseeing logistics with the Owensboro Convention Center. She says LYNC decided to host the event at the convention center because the venue is perfect for this type of event. “They have been amazing to work with throughout the planning process.”
Dewitt says early feedback from students and parents has been overwhelmingly positive.
“The first comment I heard from a student was, ‘I’m going to that! That looks cool!’ And parents have been saying ‘I’ve already got this on the calendar and I can’t wait to bring my whole family.’ Personally, I am excited about seeing a bunch of students come to an event focused on reaching their unchurched friends!”
The target audience is middle school students through college-aged young adults, primarily 12-24, but anyone is welcome.
Find out more at facebook.com/mazeowensboro.
Thursday, December 8, 2016 @ 6 p.m. – Owensboro Convention Center
FREE. No tickets required.
