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Two magic rings play a pivotal role in the play. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Seth Blattner plays the role of Uncle Andrew. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

(Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Mary Evans Kelley who plays the role of Queen Jadis sits frozen in a throne before she is brought to life during the Jefferson Street United Methodist Youth play “The Magician’s Nephew.” (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Director Joe Wild gives young actor Hayes Daly some pointers. Daly plays the role of Digory. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — The magic of the Jefferson Street United Methodist Church Youth dinner theater almost faded away.

Since the early 1980s, the youth from the downtown church presented musicals and plays to local audiences.

This year, longtime director and retired Adams County Youth Court Judge  John Hudson had to make the decision to step down from leading the youth, even though he had been molding and shaping young actors for more than 30 years.

In his new role as a youth court adviser for the Mississippi Supreme Court, Hudson had to travel to three conferences in the month usually reserved for play practice.

After Hudson decided to step down and after an unsuccessful search for a replacement, 2017 was shaping up to be the first year without a play in more than three decades.

Then Joe Wild overheard at a local parade about the end of the theater tradition and offered his services.

Having acted on stage and on film, including as the stand-in for actor Joe Pesce in the movie “JFK” when it was filmed in New Orleans, Wild offered his services to the church.

“From there everything just fell into place,” Wild said.

Like magic, the play was back.

With little time to prepare, Wild and the youth chose a short play called “The Magician’s Nephew” by C.S. Lewis.

The play is part of Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia that closely parallel stories from the Bible.

Using fantastical characters such as lions, witches and other creatures, the plays offer insight into Christian themes, Wild said.

“The Magician’s Nephew” touches on themes from the creation story, including the mysterious appearance of an apple that has life-giving properties.

“It is all magical, mystical, but it has overtones from the Bible,” Wild said.

The play is performed by the church youth.

“We have always selected plays or dramas that have a significant religious connotation or they are plays about the life of great men and women who have a message to give,” Hudson said.

This year’s cast includes Seth Blattner, Anna Rodriguez, Hayes Daly, Mary Evans Kelley and Colby Passman.

Performances in the church’s Family Life Center are at 6 p.m. today, 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday nights and at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $17 for adults, $12 for youth and $6 for children.

This year’s menu includes roasted pork loin, wild rice pilaf, sweet and sour green beans and gooey apple cake.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the church office at 601-442-3795 or at the door.

Even though Hudson is not the director of the play, he is still playing a role in this year’s production.

“I am here to do anything,” Hudson said. “I took some of the actors and worked with them on their lines.”

“We started the drama ministry as a way to express God’s love and purpose to the audience and to the kids,” Hudson said. “It is a very meaningful thing that sticks with them forever.”

“I will always be here to help them.”

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