(In the Photo: Crissy Winegard as Gloria and Rick Frederick as Gabriel)

Chris Mackowski — Hal, the intern for hair/makeup/costumes
Rick Frederick — Gabriel, director for the Angel Broadcasting Company
Playwright Cindy Dlugolecki
Dick Marcott — Andy, the guardian angel
Publicity Coordinator Sharie Radzavich
Kate Yurick — Bea, the producer
Cristin Winegard — Gloria, the anchor
Eric Van Druff — stage directions and music 

Hospitality: Carol and Dick Marcott and Diane Kerner Arnett
Publicity: Sharie Radzavich and Chris Mackowski
Box office: Betsy Matz

A Mechanicsburg, Pa., resident, Cindy Dlugolecki has been playwriting since the late 80s. Her scripts have been featured in venues across the Capitol Region. 

Dlugolecki serves on the board for the Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg (LTM), where she coordinated the theatre’s playwriting group. Her original musical, Into the Desert, was named one of the most popular plays in LTM’s 50-year history.

She teaches creative writing at Trinity High School in Camp Hill, Pa., and she also works as a freelance writer. She has authored several video and radio scripts. Recently, Dlugolecki received the 2002 Proclaim Award by the Catholic Communications Campaign for "Great Expectations," a video promoting vocations to the priesthood and the religious life.

"Religion is intensely personal to most people, but most writers treat it as if it’s ‘off-limits’ to write about," Dlugolecki says. "I can’t think of a more important topic to explore through my own writing. I try to be thought-provoking without being confrontational."

     Angels. I believe in them. I read about them. I decorate with them. And I’m glad my faith tells me that God has appointed guardian angels to my personal care. So it was with great enthusiasm last year that I began developing a script for a not-so-angelic, behind-the-scene look at the nativity. 

     However, my delight in creation soon turned to trepidation. Why? Because I had no personal experience with angels; and there I was, creating a world in which angels lived. There were many details I had to consider and sort out. Angels are androgynous, so why do angels mentioned in the Bible have man’s names? Are all angels men? Do angels know the future or does God keep some secrets? Angels are powerful, but are they perfect? Are angels challenged by God to learn new things? Is it possible that every invention ever to be invented in our world already exists in the galaxy, and we mortals just have to wait for someone like Bill Gates to "divine" something like computers into everyday life?

     As I began creating MY world of angels (and please point out any issues that are still muddy), the play evolved into a chaotic and comic perspective of the nativity. A.N.G.E.L.s Inc. is very different from traditional holiday theatre fare, so the audience should be prepared. Yes, my five angels are flawed; but I hope they deliver both laughter and the message that God loves angels—and all of us human beings—in spite of flaws. 

     I would like to thank Chris Mackowski and BLT for this opportunity to share A.N.G.E.L.s, Inc. as a work-in-progress. And for the record, although I love each and every angel I’ve created, I’m hoping my own personal guardian angel is just like Hal.

"Is it an ‘I’ night or a ‘V’ night?" asks one of the angels in A.N.G.E.L.s, Inc. Should they be visible or invisible? Should people see the miraculous works the angels do?

My grandfather, Bill Mackowski, was a firm believer in "I" angels. That’s because he was one.

Bill carried out his many works of service without fanfare, making the world a beter place one quiet act of charity at a time. He was invisible in this work. Even I, who saw him nearly every day, never saw the scope of his generosity. But to Bill, it didn’t matter if people knew of his service because God knew of his service. God knew of his good works.

My grandfather passed away shortly before we began work on A.N.G.E.L.s, Inc. Now we have one more angel watching over us. He’s with us, tonight, I’m sure--taking a break from his good works in Heaven. Even if it is an "I" night for him, I’m glad to have him here.

(In the Photo: Chris Mackowski pitches a diva-fit as Hal.)

The director would particularly like to offer his gratitude to Sharie Radzavich, whose aid was instrumental in making this event a success.