Tommy Woodard and Eddie James are The Skit Guys. They have been best friends since high school. Think of them as the wise guys in class who had everyone laughing and managed to make a career out of it. They’ve been teaching God’s Word using comedy, drama and whatever category talking action figures available for more than 20 years.
They recently released two new books (Zondervan) Instant Skits and Skits That Teach. They also have produced other plays, skits and videos covering a wide variety of topics that are available to download through their Web site.
Tommy’s illustrious career began around 1975 on the front porch of his home in Edmond, Okla., where his older (and bossier) sister Debbie directed him in homemade plays. They’d invite their parents, neighbors and strangers walking by to sit on the lawn and enjoy their masterful works of art. He has always had a flair for the dramatic. (Some people would call it “just being moody.”)
Throughout school, Tommy participated in drama. His favorite thing was to pretend to be different characters with his best buddy Eddie. (Who knew 20 years later they would still be doing that?) After graduation, Tommy began serving in a church and going to college in pursuit of an Oral Communications degree. (Okay…at first he was going to get an accounting degree but he failed Accounting 101; and honestly, what idiot would let Tommy do their taxes?)
After graduation, Tommy got married and moved to Frisco, Texas, where he lived for 12 years, while serving as a youth pastor. In 2003, Tommy moved his family back home to Edmond. When he’s not traveling with Eddie, he works at Newchurch in Oklahoma City as the associate pastor of teaching and creativity. (If you’re ever in town, stop by and say, “Hi” – www.newchurch.tv.)
Eddie and his wife, Stephanie, live in Forney, Texas; weird name, good place. For seven years, Eddie lived in the O.C., where he worked on staff at Saddleback Valley Community Church; and two more years as a volunteer, where he honed his skills in writing, directing and teaching students and adults how to make skits accessible to audiences. While at Saddleback, Eddie started another drama group called “The Skitiots,” who currently are touring nationwide. Eddie recently expanded his ministry by working alongside students and adults at The Heights Baptist Church as a creative consultant for drama, video and different elements for Sunday morning worship. His passion is to create and provide resources that equip leaders, students and adults to minister through the exciting experience of drama.
For more than 10 years, it continues to amaze Eddie that people want to watch him and his best buddy perform skits on stage. Who would have thought God would choose to use two buddies from high school in drama together for His Kingdom? God’s ways are certainly a mystery. Eddie still can’t figure out how he ended up with a wife way outside his league and two beautiful daughters, Ainsley and Jayci. He turns on “Butterfly Kisses” every now and then just to cry like a baby and realize “of all that he’s done wrong he must have done something right to have hugs every morning and butterfly kisses at night”. Sappy? Yep. Does he care? Nope.
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