Pennsylvania theater's epic 'Noah' celebrates decades of Bible-based spectaculars

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Lancaster County is an unlikely spot for a state-of-the art entertainment venue. Many of the locals don't own a vacuum cleaner, let alone something so worldly as a television or smartphone.

Yet here it is in the tiny hamlet of Ronks, Pennsylvania: a palatial edifice rising out of the verdant rolling hills of Amish country, with seats for 2,000 and sets that rise up to 40 feet high: The Sight & Sound Theatre.

Animal lovers of all ages will adore the show's non-human actors — all 140 of them.

Its imposing scale may seem incongruous in a place where horse-drawn carriages dominate the local traffic, but on second glance, Sight & Sound is not so at odds with its pious neighbors. It's a modern-day cathedral of sorts — a wholesome showcase for stories from thousands of years ago, told through slick stagecraft and crowd-pleasing contemporary music.

Whatever the locals think of them, Sight & Sound's Broadway-style adaptations of Bible stories are a hit, attracting over a million theatergoers a year and helping to build an entertainment empire consisting of a movie studio, a streaming site, a conservatory, and a second venue in Bronson, Missouri.

Sight & Sound Theatres®

Nourishing 'Waters'

It all started with a simple vision: to share the majesty of God's creation. In 1964, local amateur photographer Glenn Eshelman and his wife, Shirley, began putting on humble multimedia shows, displaying Glenn's work on a bulky, boxy projector, accompanied by music and Glenn's live commentary.

Angel Studios

In 1976, the couple opened the Living Waters Theatre, which allowed them to add live music and special effects such as a synchronized water fountain display.

Their first full-length production, “Behold the Lamb,” followed in 1987. By 1991, the theater's growing popularity necessitated the construction of the bigger and more modern Sight & Sound Entertainment Centre a mile down the road.

When that burned down in 1997, the Eshelmans took the opportunity to come back with an even better venue, resulting in the theater Sight & Sound patrons are familiar with today.

Called to build

It was at the old Entertainment Centre in 1995 that Sight & Sound first presented its version of one of the most recognizable stories in the Old Testament: the watery saga of Noah and his ark.

“Why Noah?” founder Glenn Eshelman recalls asking, when an inner voice first suggested he do the show.

“Look how people are drawn to animals,” was the response.

“So I went down into my art room, my office, in the house,” Eshelman recalls. “Took my pencil and paper. Took my Bible, and I … laid the whole outline out for the show ‘Noah.’”

“’Noah’ was the show that really put Sight & Sound on the map,” explains Josh Enck, the theater’s president and chief creative officer. It also established a winning "formula" for future productions.

“It was big scope, family-friendly; it had live animals … and the music was very compelling and soaring. … That really was the genesis of what has become the Sight & Sound brand," says Enck.

Pilgrims' progress

The Sight & Sound stage subsequently hosted a succession of notable biblical personas: Abraham and Sarah, Ruth, Joseph, Jonah, Jesus, Samson, Moses, and, most recently, Daniel.

Which each show, the production became grander and more high-tech. Sight & Sound has never shied away from using state-of-the-art-equipment to present ancient stories of faith.

From the old-school projector, the shows have moved to floor-to-ceiling projections onstage to depict the settings of the stories. One scene from the 2023 production of “Moses,” for example, features an actor struggling against the backdrop of an epic, on-screen sandstorm.

To celebrate the theater's progress through the years — along with decades of simply making Bible stories cool again! — Sight & Sound Theatre opened a 30th anniversary revival of "Noah" on March 13.

Before the flood

Its depiction of the deepest human longings against a backdrop of thrilling spectacle makes Noah’s story an ideal challenge for Sight & Sound's talented ensemble of actors, musicians, designers, and technicians.

Building the set alone is a monumental task. While most of it was created especially for this new show, it does feature the "ark" from the original 1995 production. It's the only piece that survived the 1997 fire.

To give the audience a sense of the immensity of the ark, this "Noah" uses every inch of Sight & Sound's 300-foot wraparound stage, while also extending four stories into the space above it. The set is the highest ever to grace the Sight & Sound stage

Creature feature

Animal lovers of all ages will adore the show's non-human actors — all 140 of them. In the production I saw, even more mature audience members couldn't resist audibly fawning over the frisky goats, fat rabbits, and wing-flapping ducks. Birds flying overhead and horses trotting down the aisles — an impressive feat of logistics even for Sight & Sound — make the show a truly immersive experience.

Sight & Sound Theatres®

As usual, the actors remain unidentified, their names absent from the souvenir program — a conscious reminder that here it is the story that takes precedence.

The music is arranged and performed with a professionalism that wouldn't be out of place in a Broadway musical. The song “Building the Ark” is a standout. Sung by Noah and his crew as they busy themselves with the titular task, it inventively uses the clink of metal on metal for its rhythmic beat.

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A lasting promise

The show ends on an uplifting note with “His Promises Are True,” a stirring reminder that that wonderful band of colors in the sky is a testament to God's faithfulness.

Before we left the theater, a cast member invited patrons to pray with a nearby staff member. Sight & Sound is a storytelling ministry, and I would say “Noah” marks one of its most successful missions yet.

“Noah” plays through December 31, although buying tickets early is strongly recommended, as shows tend to sell out quickly. Take it from me: This is one time you don't want to miss the boat.

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