Brooklyn playwright is making a difference

​      Josh Gerard, the Brooklyn librarian, local minister and playwright who played Santa Claus, enjoys visiting with a guest at the close of “It’s A Wonderful Christmas Story,” on Sunday, Dec. 3 at the Brooklyn Opera House. This was the second play that Gerard has written and produced and the fifth play he has directed. He has also acted in three other plays. Gerard, who grew up in Brooklyn, said he is learning to let God direct his steps and works to make a difference in the lives of others.

By J.O. Parker
 
        Brooklyn’s Josh Gerard is a man who wears many hats.
        He’s the town librarian and on Sunday mornings, you will find him in the pulpit sharing the gospel at New Beginnings Church on the south edge of town.
       He’s also quite the actor, director and playwright, having written nine plays and one musical, two of which he’s produced and directed locally through the Brooklyn Theatre Company.
        His latest production, “It’s A Wonderful Christmas Story,” was held Dec. 1-3 at the Brooklyn Opera House.   The play, which Gerard wrote in 2009, is about a dad who becomes overwhelmed and doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas.
        “He’s forgotten the reason for season,” said Gerard. “An angel shows up and tries to remind him of the meaning of Christmas, but fails repeatedly in hilarious fashion.”
          It ends with the dad figuring it all out and explaining to his daughter the real meaning of Christmas.
          “The story is about reminding us of the Gospel message during Christmas time,” said Gerard.
      His first directing gig came in the Summer of 2021 with the outdoor production in Landes Park of “Princess Party Smackdown,” a play about a young girl, Olivia, who turns seven. Her mother plans a big party that turned into outrageous demands by the birthday girl, bloody noses, an animal sacrifice and probable alien takeover of the planet.
        Gerard also acted in the “Odd Couple,” and “Every Christmas Story Ever Told,” that year and “Mama Won’t Fly,” in 2022, all at the Brooklyn Opera House.          
      Gerard grew up in Brooklyn and after graduating from BGM in 1996, he headed south to Tulsa, Okla., where he attended Oral Roberts University (ORU) to study theology.
       And on his first day at ORU, he met his future wife, Tracey. The couple married in May 1998 and just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. The couple has four children, Whit, Lorelai, Gracie and Silas.
          While at ORU, Gerard worked five years as the audio visual coordinator.
       “Literally, my job was to lug overhead projectors from classroom to classroom,” he said. “In between classes that was my job.”
      The couple become involved with Life Connection Church in Tulsa. While there, Gerard became an ordained minister and served as the associate pastor for 13 years.
        He and Tracey also served in youth ministry and started a church camp that they directed for seven years.
          “On that seventh year, in the middle of church camp, God spoke to my heart and said you are going back to Iowa,” recalled Gerard.
            So, a year later in 2010, the couple packed their belongings and the family moved to Brooklyn.
          “And in the process, we lost everything,” Gerard said. “We took a bath on our house in Oklahoma, lost our cars and savings due to the economy at the time.”
          The couple and their children lived with Gerard’s mom for 10-months while they worked to get back on their feet.
          “I felt a drift and didn’t know what I was supposed to do in Brooklyn,” he said. “Tracey kept encouraging me to not give up and to trust God’s call on our lives.”
         It was then that the couple started attending New Beginnings Church. One of the first things they did was ask how they could get involved and serve.
           “The pastor at the time said, “Could you vacuum the church,” recalled Gerard.
           Gerard said he vacuumed the church and did it unto the glory of God.
          “They (the church) were looking for help and we were looking for a place to serve,” he said. “We were an answer to their prayers and they were an answer to ours.”
          He then landed a job at Pilot Travel Center where he served as assistant manager, a position he held for nine years.
          “During this time, I become pastor of New Beginnings in 2017,” he said. “I was licensed through Open Bible Ministries, the denomination for New Beginnings.”
          And in 2019, a friend mentioned to Gerard that the Brooklyn Library was looking for a new director.
          He didn’t think he had a chance at the job, but applied anyway.
          “I put in my resume and told God that if this is where you want me, open the door,” he said.
          Gerard was hired as the new Brooklyn Library Director in October 2019. Two months 
          later, Covid hit. Gerard said he was learning how to be a librarian during a tumultuous time.
        “Because I didn’t know any better, I leaned into in-person program (during Covid) when other libraries where not,” he said. “People started flocking to our library and they keep coming to this day.”
          And in the middle of Covid, Gerard said he felt a release to pursue other interests.
          “I had reached a point in my life where I wanted to get back into community theater,” he said.
         Two years later, he resumed his acting and directing journey. In addition to his earlier work, in the Spring of 2022, Gerard directed, “The Day The Internet Died,” a production about a small town like Brooklyn that loses its internet for a week and all that transpires during that time.
           In December 2022, Gerard produced and directed, “A Carol Play,” a play he wrote while in Tulsa. The performance is about a director on the eve of the big Christmas play who has entirely forgotten the reason for the season.
        “In the middle of demanding perfection from his cast, the director sustains a head injury, and is then visited by the ghosts of Christmas plays past, present and future,” said Gerard. “Through a series of hilarious events, they just might be able to remind him of what Christmas really means.”
       And earlier this year, he produced and directed “The Alibis.” The play centered around eccentric billionaire J. Leslie Arlington who was murdered, and a clueless detective who finds the suspects are all reluctant to admit their alibis . . . because they were all committing other ridiculous crimes at the time.
            The cast in all the plays include a mixture of adults and youth from the Brooklyn area.
      In addition, this fall he served as an acting coach for the BGM production of “Brothers Grimm Spectulathon.”
         His recent production of “It’s A Wonderful Christmas Story,” which he played Santa Claus, drew more than 250 guests and included a Saturday dinner theater with food served by Brooklyn’s own Center Ground.
           “The food was excellent,” said Gerard. “Center Ground knows how to make a great pasta dish.”
           He said after one of the productions, a person told him that thy could tell that everyone on stage was getting along.
           “It’s one of the best compliments we have received,” said Gerard.
           And as for the future, Gerard said he will direct two plays in 2024, including the Christmas production of “Many Things,” a play he wrote.
           “I have written several others that we haven’t showcased yet, but it is my hope that we do,” he said.
            And through it all, Gerard said he’s learned how to let God direct his steps.
           “I know the answer now why I am here,” he said.