From The Branch is a theatre company that tours the US performing original plays at churches, camps, and conferences. It is run and produced by co-founder Michael Cleveland
// August 17th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Hey everybody, next week we’re opening our calendar to 2011 so be sure to email or call soon to book FROM THE BRANCH at your church or weekend event next year. Check out the video of “Confidence, Cohen” on the homepage.
// August 14th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Check out the new featured vid at the bottom of the homepage. First time it’s changed in a year!!! I’m awesome…
// August 13th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Hey everybody, check out our past performances on the Sweet Media Downloads page!! You can see clips of some of our flagship productions of “The Broken Record”, “Confidence, Cohen”, and “Signal 2 Noise”. Soon we will have clips of performances from 2009-2010 on here as well. So check back and enjoy!!!
// August 11th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
So I’m totally pumped right now. We’re going to be launching a brand new website beginning of October and I’m so happy about that I could squeal like a small child…(you couldn’t hear it but I just squealed)…It’s gonna be awesome and very user friendly!!! This website will continue to function SO DON’T WORRY!!! All 12 of you who come to this site on a regular basis will still have access to pointless blog entries from me and the same photo’s that have been up on this site for a year and a half. BUT, the new site is going to be awesome and make us look much cooler than we look now!!!
// August 9th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
// August 8th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Hey thanks to the good people at YCM for a great two weeks!!! For all the people at Southwind whom we got to know, I look forward to a continued relationship in the future. Youth Ministers: You’re kids are all awesome!!! You’re one of the reasons we do what we do. Thanks for your hard work and commitment 52 weeks a year. Students: Thanks for laughing at us and enjoying what we do!! You make us feel like you want us to be there and that is a great gift!! Hopefully we’ll see you all next summer!!!
// August 4th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
I’m sitting here at our housing facility at camp not really doing anything, just kind of resting. So, I figured I would just start writing. I don’t know what I’m going to write about so this should be interesting.
It’s very hot!!! I mean literally I walk out the door and have to immediately turn around, go back inside, and take a shower!! I forgot what summer is like in the deep south. Dallas, TX is hot, don’t get me wrong. But it’s nothing like this! I really just want to sit in a cool dark place and move as little as possible. We’ve been here for two weeks now and we’ve got these small children (kids of the directors) that live in our facility with us (I mean, where else would they live? They’re two and only know their parents) and so Bambi 2 and Madagascar have been on rotation the whole time. It’s not like I wanna watch “Die Hard” or something, but it just makes me laugh.
I’m eating Rice Krispie Treats like a chubby bunny!!!! That’s all I have to say about that.
I’m really proud of the show that we’re doing this summer. It’s quite funny. And it’s not just the writing (though I do love what we’ve written). It’s the people. It’s one of the strongest teams FTB has ever seen. And it’s not going to disperse at the end of the summer. We all live in Dallas so we’re all going to continue writing and performing together, at least for the time being.
Let me tell you guys about Michael Alvarado!! Great worship leader!! Such a cool guy and extremely talented. www.michaelalvarado.com
Get the ep. It’s awesome!!
K. I have to go do some things so peace out!!
MC
// July 30th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
This week FTB is in Ocala, FL at “The Great Escape”. We’re doing a brand new show called “Wild Child” and we’re having a blast. Check back for more updates soon.
// October 12th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Hello everybody!! I see that the last post was August 22 by Michael. I figured I might as well update everybody on what’s going with me and From the Branch…
From the Branch is taking a break for the fall. We, well mainly Michael, are working on a show for the spring. We have about 20 pages written which is great considering how busy Michael is. Be looking out for more information about that show in the future. We are very excited about this show and the spring, and can’t wait to bring it to a city near you.
Michael has been on the road with his wife, Courtney. God is doing some amazing things in their life. Check out their website to see what they are up to, where they’ve been, and where they are going next. www.teamemptychair.com
In August, I filmed a movie, “The Genesis Code.” Rumor has it that it comes out, limited theatres, in November. You can join the Facebook group and learn all about it. Just type in “The Genesis Code” and become a fan. I play a very small, but feature role in the film. I’m only in it for a couple of minutes, but I got to start somewhere. The film is a Christian film about a couple of college students revolving around the concept of creation versus evolution, which many college students deal with when they are on their own for the first time. It will definitely be on DVD sometime. Check it out!!
Before I sign off, I just want to give everybody an encouraging word. Now that you are all back in school and all the summer excitement has dwindled down, you might forget the things you learned this summer. Here’s what I learned this summer and encourage everyone to think about it. My life has been on a roller coaster ride since this summer. Although I had a job when I moved after this summer, filmed my small part in “The Genesis Code,” I needed and felt like there was something more. I was praying every night for a better job, for financial freedom, and for God to open doors for me. I finally got a call last week about one of my dream jobs, and for those of you who know me you know what it is… Words have a powerful impact on your life. We speak what’s on our hearts. If you were at The Great Escape camps this summer, we said that “…our tongue is the strongest muscle in the body, but it’s the toughest to tame…” I didn’t really think much about it until I started speaking what was on my heart. If you believe it, speak it, it will happen. Jesus states in Matthew 15:11-13 that your words plant something in our hearts and what comes out of our mouths, that’s what makes us “unclean.”. A plant of truth will be strong, while a plant of lies, deceptions, and false hope will be rooted. We all need to watch what we put on our hearts and what comes out of our mouths.
I hope everything is going well to everyone in our “fan club.” I created a special email address if you have any questions, comments, or just want to shoot me or anybody (I’ll pass it on… they don’t know this yet but oh well) an email go right ahead. ftbmitch@gmail.com I, or we, will try and respond to everyone, but like you, I’m, or we, also busy. Until next time……..
Proverbs 18:21 “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
// August 22nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Michael Cleveland here. It’s been a few weeks since I checked in so I thought I would update everybody on what’s happening on this end of the computer. FTB ended their summer tour on August 1. On August 3, my wife Courtney and I grabbed the dog, hopped in the truck and drove to Gainesville, GA, my hometown. We hung out with my parents for a couple of days, then headed to Birmingham, AL (we left the dog with my parents) to pick up a 25ft Maverick RV… A little back-story:
Back in February Courtney got the opportunity to go to Rwanda with WORLD VISION to see the work they are doing there. She was greatly impacted by the experience, to say the least. When she arrived home she and I began talking about what it looks like to stop talking about making a difference in the world and actually get up and do something. TEAM EMPTY CHAIR was formed out of these conversations.
Courtney and I have partnered with THE REVOLVE TOUR and HOOPS OF HOPE (a basketball shoot-a-thon started by 14 year old Austin Gutwein) to try and make a difference. We’re traveling around this fall in our Maverick with a big, pink basketball goal attached to the back, shooting hoops to raise money for children orphaned by AIDS. We’ll be holding HOOPS OF HOPE events at bookstores, churches, and in driveways across the country as we follow the 2009 REVOLVE tour schedule.
I’ll be posting blogs about our travels on FTB’s website so you can follow us here or you can check us out at TEAM EMPTY CHAIR. There you will be able to find out more about what we’re doing and where we’ll be. Hopefully we’ll see some of you out on the road. Peace out…
Copyright © 2010 From The Branch. All rights reserved.
