An Actor Writes
The Power of Pretend
An Actor's Struggle to Unite Faith & Work
Buy The Power of Pretend now through Sword & Swan Media House or Amazon.
After years of trying to integrate her faith with her work in the performing arts, Elizabeth Bernhardt was still searching for answers. As she struggled with the boundary-blurring, temptations, and emotional struggles of life as an actor, she knew there must be a better way--one only God could show her.
This book invites actors and artists who feel they have to choose between a passionate pursuit of Christ and excellent creative work. Can we trust God enough to do the impossible? Can we dare to believe that by making God our director, we'll be the artists we were created to be, watching the Kingdom touch earth through our work?
"Elizabeth Bernhardt's book is a vulnerable and transparent journey of an actor who loves both God and her work. She delves into the deep questions that every actor must wrestle with as they pursue a career as an actor. Her raw, real and thoughtful struggles will help other artists realize their journey is both meaningful and relevant. This book is a perfect example of what it means to wrestle with God."
-Joel & Michelle Pelsue, co-founders, Arts & Entertainment Ministries, Los Angeles
Original Play: Shelter Out of Place
Subtitled "A Quarantine-Inspired Love Story & Exploration of Faith in the Style of William Shakespeare," Elizabeth wrote Shelter Out of Place during the COVID lockdown of 2020. Its Zoom performance was the inaugural production for Expatriate Theatre Company in Austin, Texas.
Elizabeth also produced, directed, and acted in this production.
Play Adaptation: Romeo & Juliet in Reverse
Romeo & Juliet in Reverse reimagined Shakespeare's classic by moving in reverse order through its scenes and then revisiting the end of the story to see what would happen if just one character made a different choice. The Zoom performance of this play was the second production in Expatriate Theatre Company's inaugural season.
Elizabeth also produced, directed, and acted in this production.
Blog: 1 Slice of Apple Pie
For more of Elizabeth's thoughts on the intersection of Christian faith and the arts--and many other facets of life here on earth--you are invited to go explore her blog.
Since 2010 (when her husband convinced her to do it) Elizabeth has been occasionally journaling publicly at https://1sliceapplepie.blogspot.com.
Blog: Story Partners
Elizabeth's is part of the inaugural team of writers for the up-and-coming blog over at Story Partners. Story Partners is a team of storytellers who use video and photography to tell the stories of what God is doing around the world, in order to encourage faith and point people toward Jesus.
Check out their work here.
"The Effect of Acting on Actors"
Elizabeth's graduate research paper examining the ways that actors are affected by their work was honored at the 2015 Southeastern Theatre Conference in Chattanooga, TN. In addition to presenting the paper at SETC, Elizabeth also presented it at the University of Alabama's Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methodology, and Counseling (ESPRMC) Graduate Research Symposium in March 2016.
To see the paper abstract, click the photo for a link to Southern Theatre Magazine's June 25, 2015 edition and navigate to pages 32-33.
"Two to One" Short Play
Elizabeth's play Two to One was accepted into and performed at Tulsa Community College's 2012 Winterfest 10-Minute Play Festival. The play takes an abstract, movement-heavy, dialogue-light look at the issue of trust in a marriage--trust given, trust broken, and trust restored.