Who knew ??? with the movie community all abuzz over the French  film, The Artist,”  the first silent movie in 80 years up for an Academy Award, that First Lutheran Church would be “trendy” this Friday night Feb 3 at 7:30 p.m. with the showing of the 1925 silent movie classic “Ben Hur: At Tale of the Christ” with the talented University of Michigan theater organist, Dr. Steven Ball providing some stunning  improvisational musical accompaniment on the church’s world-class pipe organ.   Tickets $10 adult, $5 student.  Join us!

Advertised as “The Picture Every Christian Ought to See,” this immediate box office smash and silent masterpiece follows a Palestinian Jew who battles against the tyranny of the Roman empire.  This film had an “extra” cast like no other. Many Hollywood stars showed up on set to watch the shooting and were pressed into service as extras, especially in the chariot race. In addition, many who would later become Hollywood’s top stars, but who were at the time just struggling actors, were also in the crowd scenes as extras. Among well-known and soon-to-be-well-known names “working” in the film were , Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper,  Clark Gable and many others.  (Source: IMDb.com)

Steven Ball occupies a rather unique place in both the worlds of the organ and carillon. In addition to being a Fulbright Scholar, he is part of a small number of artists in the world of the theater organ ever to have achieved a Doctoral degree in music, and the first to have ever done so with a degree in Organ Performance (DMusA U of M, 2008). Widely known for his scholarship with Silent Film, he has already traveled and performed extensively in both the United States and abroad.

More Info on First Lutheran Church website