Professional unicyclist plays the part of Jesus

Eden Prairie’s Grace Church announced Friday that performances of “Son of God – Son of Man” will be free events this year.

The cost of tickets was originally to range from $10 to $20.

“Our elders met last night and they just collectively decided to make this year’s program free so as many people from the community could enjoy it as possible,” said church Director of Communications Jon Sorenson. “We hope it will be a blessing on many people from not only Eden Prairie but the surrounding community as well.”

“This drama is an unforgettable way to personally experience who Jesus Christ was – and is – both in his humanity and divinity,” said Caryl Hayward, executive pastor of pastoral ministries, in a news release. “The music is magnificent. And the costumes and sets are so authentic, you’ll think you’re actually there!”

 “The man who portrays Christ is from our congregation and is a wonderfully gifted actor,” Sorenson said of Dustin Kelm of Edina. “People who witness this production will come away feeling that they’ve really experienced firsthand Jesus Christ’s last days leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection.”

Sorenson pointed out that Kelm is a world-class professional unicyclist.

The ‘smiling’ Jesus

Kelm said that he spends the majority of the year traveling the world with his wife putting on unicycling shows and sharing his personal faith story.

He said he takes “unicycling into the extreme sports area.”

But the Grace Church member takes a few months off of that career each year to portray Jesus in “Son of God – Son of Man.” He dedicates the weeks beforehand to rehearsals five days a week and reviewing his lines. He does a “media fast” during that time, he said. “I spend extra time studying the gospels and reviewing what Christ did and preparing for the role myself.

“The only media I take in is listening to the soundtrack for ‘Son of God – Son of Man,’” he said. “It just helps me absorb the magnitude of the program.”

“It’s overwhelming for me to be part of something that’s so much bigger than I am,” he said of the massive undertaking.

Kelm said people are amazed at the quality of the music and the production overall.

“Some people come to this and don’t even realize that this was done and composed and created locally here,” he said.

“I feel a pretty strong burden to bring a lot to the table with the role and just portray it as realistically and as best I possibly can, staying true to what the bible says about Jesus’ character,” Kelm said.

He said that films and other portrayals often portray Jesus as very stoic and very serious.

But as he considered the concept of healing someone, as is portrayed in the Grace show, he said, “In those places, I try to imagine, if I had the opportunity to heal someone myself, the joy that would bring to that person. The joy I would experience myself would be pretty overwhelming.”

He brings an outright expression of joy to the character of Jesus, he said.

People come up to him after performances with comments. “They like the smiling Jesus,”
he said. “It became more real to them in that sense.”

The free performances offer people a great opportunity to see the production, he said.

“I think it’s just fantastic,” he said. “It’s really exciting. It’s going to bring a whole new opportunity for people who might not have thought of coming before.

“It opens up new opportunities for people to invite friends and family … Instead of spending a few bucks on a movie that night, come see something that’s live, in person and experience the live music and the characters and the sets.

“It really is an experience to behold.”

For more information, visit www.atgrace.com or call 952-224-3180. For more on Kelm’s unicycling, visit www.unishow.org.

If you go

What: “Son of God – Son of Man”

When: 7:30 p.m. March 14 and 3 and 7:30 p.m. March 15

Where: Grace Church, at the corner of Eden Prairie Road and Pioneer Trail.

Information: www.atgrace.com or 952-224-3180. All seats are general admission, so those attending are encouraged to arrive early.

More on the show: “This powerful musical drama is a vivid reenactment of Jesus Christ’s last days on earth, featuring the Palm Sunday procession, last supper, trial, crucifixion and resurrection. The production includes a cast and choir of 140, a live orchestra and special effects such as flying angels – all performed on a theatrical stage with authentic-looking sets.”