Live nativity transforms Opportunity Village campus into Bethlehem

By Paul Takahashi

Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010 | 2:36 p.m.

Dramatic music and animal bleats pierced the chilly night sky as townspeople dressed in period clothing milled about on stage. A booming, deep voice echoed through the amphitheater, narrating the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus Christ.

The risers were packed as more than 800 people huddled, coats buttoned up, blankets on laps, children in tow, as they watched a live nativity performance Wednesday night by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The free, 25-minute performance – held at Opportunity Village’s Engelstad Campus, 6050 S. Buffalo Drive – featured more than 100 volunteer thespians and members of the Redrock Stake in Summerlin as cast members.

Additional performances are scheduled through Saturday evening.

The LDS ward put in more than 11,000 hours to host the annual show, which was formerly performed at the Las Vegas Nevada Stake, 3400 W. Charleston Blvd. The popular nativity, first performed in 1990, had been on a two-year hiatus because it outgrew its Water District location, said David Day, a counselor in the stake presidency at Redrock. This year marks the first performances in the new space.

“We were excited for it come back. Everyone missed it,” Day said. “It’s a proud opportunity for us to show people what we believe in.”

The church updated the set, mended and created new costumes and transformed the outdoor Kitty Rodman Events Center at Opportunity Village into Bible-era Bethlehem.

Just outside the 1-year-old amphitheater, dozens of carolers, school musicians and bell choir members performed holiday classics. Visitors also enjoyed a Crèche display with Nativities from around the world made from wood, porcelain, glass and even fishbone. Opportunity Village clients, dressed up as townspeople, greeted guests and showed off their silk-screen creations that adorned the walkway leading up to the theater.

“It’s a beautiful facility,” Day said. “The people at Opportunity Village have been wonderful to us.”

For the husband and wife duo playing Joseph and Mary, the performance was a special one. Kam Brian, 35, and his wife, Katherine, 36, have been bringing their three children to the live nativity production on and off for the last decade.

This year, the Summerlin residents saw a chance to participate in what has become a family tradition. Kam Brian grew a beard for 11 weeks and the couple hired babysitters so they could attend the weekly rehearsals.

“The rehearsals were no fun, but when you see the crowds here, it makes it worth it,” Kam Brian said. “December’s always a busy time, but it’s really important to put things in perspective. This is a great Christmas tradition.

“We’re giving back all the times we came to the show,” Katherine Brian said. “It really makes me appreciate all the years it’s been going on.”

The crowd Wednesday night seemed to appreciate the performance as well, clapping boisterously as the show ended.

Professional organizer Liz Nitta, 58, watched the show with her daughter, Alayne Berstler, an American Sign Language interpreter. Nitta, a southwest valley resident, said she thought the performance was a “short, but poignant” one.

“It was very moving; I cried,” she said. “It was a wonderful depiction of the birth of our savior … The sound was beautiful. It pierces your soul. The animals, the scenery, it was just beautiful.”

Berstler, 29, agreed.

“People think Vegas is just the Strip, lights and glam, but this shows we can get together as a community and celebrate Christmas.”

Performances are scheduled at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. nightly, through Saturday. Admission is free.