DANIEL AND THE LION's DEN - 1971 Christian Musical

DANIEL AND THE LIONS' DEN
A Musical Comedy on Drug Abuse
By Bob Curlee and Rick Carpenter

DANIEL CAST:

DANIEL -- Tommy Ellison
COACH / REFEREE -- Rick Carpenter
MOTHER -- Martha McKinney
TEACHER -- Cindy Trail
LION -- Sharon Taylor
ACCOMPANYISTS: Tommy Ellison, Rick Carpenter and Ken Flowers play guitars / David Downs, Organ / Vann Neff, Drums
SINGERS -- Barna Gant, Mary Shores, Lisa McCutchen, Dale McCutchen, Lyn Parham, Martha Patterson

'Daniel And The Lions' Den" roared into Gatlinburg, Tennessee in the summer of 1971. Hundreds flocked to the outdoor theater to watch the musical drama. Seeing the need to take a moral stand against drugs, the musical presented a nine year old Daniel, (portrayed by 260 pound Samford football player Tommy Ellision) who wants to play football.

Rick Carpenter composed the music and plays the role of the coach. Martha McKinney and Sharon Taylor also sing and act.

The song, "You Can't Get Drunk if You Don't Drink," was used by a youth conference and made it onto the internet. There it received good comments and some pretty bad ones from those who drink.

The Running Order:

[1] "DANIEL" Theme Song

[2] DANIEL AND MOM SCENE: Nine-year-old Daniel begs his mom to let him play football. She is hesitant, afraid that he will be hurt although he weighs 260 pounds. Finally she agrees to let him play, as she knows his strength comes from "Clean Living."

[3] THE COACH: Daniel and the football players are chewed out by the coach, who is trying to prepare them for their big game on Saturday with Lions. On the way home, Daniel meets on of the Lions who tries to get him drunk. Daniel tells the opposing team member that he gets his strength from another kind of "Power." (A song by Ken Flowers.)

[4] WRITING ON THE WALL: The teacher accuses Daniel of writing on the wall, only to discover it was an angel. When she finds that she is spiritually underweight, she claims she has never done anything wrong; thus prompting Daniel to sing the song, "Sometimes I Wonder."

[5] THE REFEREE: The Referee frightens Daniel, but they become friends and sing the happy-go-lucky, "I'm The Referee."

[6] HALFTIME: It's halftime and Daniel's team is behind 66-0. The jealous teammates tell the coach that it's all Daniel's fault for being do good. The coach threatens him and tellms him he's going to be in the Lion's Den. Daniel then sings, "looking for God." (A song by Tommy Ellison.)

[7] THE LION'S DEN: Like the Old Testament prophet, Daniel ends up in the Lion's Den. The Lion in this den looks ferocious, and that that name of this lion is Addition; but Daniel laughs at this menace and sings the song that's all over the internet, "You Can't Get Drunk If You Don't Drink."

[8] TESTIMONY AND INVITATION: Tommy Ellison, who really was a six-foot six football player at Samford University, plays the part of Daniel. He gives a brief testimony and an invitation to all to let Christ help you out of the Lion's Den. Then the entire group sings, "His Way."

Recorded in Stereo / New London Studios / 1971
"Daniel" is sponsored by Alabama Counsel on Alcohol Problems
Produced by the Ensley Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama