[MARCH 29, 2006]
Tonight (Wednesday) a new "reality" show will
premiere on the campus of Lincoln Christian College and Seminary.
"Reality Trip," a unique, Christian approach to reality TV, is a
production of
WorldViewEyes, a grant-funded program administered through LCCS.
The show was filmed last June with a cast of six and a production
crew of 14. They were "searching for truth on the open road." The
cast, while professing Christians, had different backgrounds and
perspectives. They were forced to engage a variety of physical,
emotional and spiritual challenges -- trying to determine whether
their Christian faith can handle the realities of life. For nearly a
month, the cast traveled by RV to six Midwestern states. They
encountered such things as atheists who are former Christians,
Bible-believing gays and lesbians, wiccans, Christians who built a
city for God, the Amish, realities of death at a morgue, mega church
and hip-hop worship services, Christian "rockers," Christian
vegetarians, a "pink nun" moralist, and people with significant
disabilities. They were pushed and prodded and not allowed to live
in a "spiritual bubble" or give simplistic answers to tough
questions.
The experiences the cast members had on the road allowed them to
connect with the big questions in life, such as to how we live our
lives and how we see the world, Todd Henry said. Cast members will
be seated on stage and watching the footage for the first time.
After the showing there will be a question-and-answer period between
the cast and audience.
One of the show's co-hosts is Chris Graebe, a veteran reality
show star of MTV's "Road Rules: South Pacific" and "Battle of the
Sexes II." After being selected as an MTV reality show cast member,
Graebe became a Christian and now brings his unique experiences to
this Christian approach to reality shows.
The evening will include a preliminary screening of material from
the first two (of the projected 16) episodes, interaction with the
cast, refreshments and a follow-up concert by Run Kid Run. Tickets
are $5 and should be purchased in advance.
This is a red-carpet event with many cast and crew members
returning to campus. The 7 p.m. premiere will be in the Earl C
Hargrove chapel.
Fifteen episodes will be completed by next summer. They are
designed for purchase for high school and college ministries. There
has been some interest from television and cable channels interested
in possible syndication, Henry said.
For more information, contact Rich Knopp or Todd Henry, (217)
732-3168, or visit
www.realitytrip.org.
