Actor Anita Gutschick has found her call in performing short plays on the lives of biblical women, like Elizabeth, whom she portrays here. Photo by Michael Martin.
Who Am I Speaking To?
By Louise Van Poll
When talking with Anita Gutschick, you might ask yourself just that question. Her mission is to bring the voices, feelings and trials of women of the Bible to life. According to her, “Biblical women reach across the generations and touch our hearts.”
Hailing from Annapolis, Maryland, Anita has been performing her Women of the Bible series for the past 20 years. Having been a stay-at-home mom, at the age of 40 she began taking acting classes and working with the community theater group.
“God put it on my heart to begin acting,” she said. Unfortunately, despite acting classes, secretarial help with the theater board and working in the theater with costumes and props, she didn’t land any theater roles for two years. Finally getting her big break, the theater became her life. In 1995, after starring in about 20 plays, she was asked to help plan entertainment for a church women’s conference.
“I said I’d do it, not realizing the one-women play I had in mind would be totally unacceptable to them,” laughed Anita. “They were appalled. After telling me we couldn’t do that piece, they said they were glad I had volunteered to line up the entertainment.”
Not knowing what else to do, Anita drew inspiration from the circle names: Sarah, Martha, Ruth and Queen Esther. She wrote the script and gathered her costumes, but never rehearsed the monologue.
“I think I was afraid because I was in over my head,” she said. “I rehearsed once that morning and cried.”
Arriving at the church, she prayed to God for help and the spirit whispered to her, telling her that these women’s lives she was portraying were all about faith, love and courage.
“I was still focused on the community theater and, I hoped, professional jobs,” Anita said. Until 1999 when she realized God was calling her to use this platform in service to women around the country. That was when she transitioned to her full-time ministry.
Gutschick says, “It’s not about me, but God working through me to change people’s lives. It’s a privilege for me to perform and bring these women alive.”
She performs more than 90 times each year, mostly at women’s retreats and conferences. She has lost count, but knows it’s been more than 1,000 programs in 36 or 37 states. Her repertoire includes 30 characters. This is Anita’s third PW Gathering. She presented as Elizabeth during the Friday morning plenary. She also led “For Such a Time as This” as a workshop on Friday, focusing on Queen Esther, Lot’s wife and Rahab.
“I love it,” she enthused about her ministry. “I get to go to all churches—Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist— and share these stories. I will keep doing this until God calls me to some other service. God is good and I want everyone to be open to a surprise in your life. I never thought I’d be doing this, so always be open to God’s miracles.”
