Meet Crystal Griffith

Q: Where did you grow up and what did you study in school?

A: I am born and raised in Dallas, TX and studied Music at Dallas Baptist University. I am currently also pursuing an MBA in Marketing at DBU. I've wanted to go back to school for a long time, so I'm thrilled at the chance to get to now!

Q: What were your favorite things growing up that shaped who you are today?

A: I feel very strongly that whatever your focus is during your formative years of life will play in some heavy-handed way in your adult life. I spent many of my younger years studying musical theater, piano, voice, dance, and history of 20th century entertainment (movies, music, time periods - things like that). I have several rotary telephones, record players, old music recordings and consider myself possibly born in the wrong decade :) Now with directing and producing shows, all of these elements have come back to assist me....as each new show brings with it new challenges we have to solve artistically. So training is a big deal!

Q: Why Creative Arts for Christ? Why create a faith-based artistic company for a traditionally secular industry?

A: Great Question! As a young theater lover growing up, and as a young Christian in an otherwise secular world, I struggled with finding my identity in what I was passionate about. I feel many others quietly struggle too. Kids these days have so much more noise in their lives, the perfect instagram pic to take, the intimidation factors on social media websites, and the constant news media trying to dictate how we should feel and think - or what we should value as moral and good.....it is just insane. I am fortunate I did not grow up with all of this, and I realize kids and youth may just need a strong community and connection to others who are like minded, who all love the same things and can feel they are in a safe environment where we are not going to push an agenda over on you. Parents too have told me they look for quality theater programs to send their kids to, but with the quality can often come inappropriate content they didn't know they were going to be exposed to. It's not that we can protect youth from the outside world, cause that means living in a bubble and that's not good. But I feel subject matter either way off base or just pushing the boundaries of a family unit's chosen faith should have a chance to be addressed by the parents before just thrown at the kids from an uncertain source. Let parents have the chance to parent. Let the kids just be kids - and our kids just want to participate in good, clean theater that they bless other lives with!

Q: What is the next event coming up?

A: Creative Arts for Christ presents MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET November 23-27 at the Eisemann Center in Richardson. This is a great story for everyone in the family to enjoy and we hope you can make it! Tickets are on sale now with a special $2 off promotion running through October 15th. Visit https://www.eisemanncenter.com/event/i/6385/d/miracle-on-34th-street for more details!