Performing Arts
Darren B. Litz, Director of Performing Arts
Darren B. Litz heads the music and drama outreaches at Family Life, manages program development, and produces and directs our stage productions.
Prior to coming here, Darren was the Director of Vocal & Music Theater Studies at Bradford Area High School in Bradford, PA. In addition to being a public schools music educator for 16 years, he served as Worship Coordinator at the Bradford Christian & Missionary Alliance Church and guest directed several festivals across New York and Pennsylvania.
While living in Bradford, Darren produced, directed, arranged and choreographed materials for numerous community and high school productions. His students performed with many national artists, earning regional, state, and all-eastern recognition in vocal competitions.
During the 1990’s, Darren rededicated his life to serving God and was inspired to create a gospel quartet, 4 Men for God, that ministered to thousands of people in all types of settings, from prisons to elegant auditoriums. After three years of watching God open and close doors, Darren was called to Family Life in 2002.
A graduate of Indiana University of PA, Darren is a member of the American Choral Director’s Association, Music Educator’s National Conference, and received a Diplome D’Honneur for excellence in vocal music from the Federation Internationale Des Choeurs D’Enfants. While at Bradford High School, his choral program was honored by the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
Darren lives in Bath, NY, with his wife, Kim, and their two daughters, Brielle and Ainslee. “God continues to fuel my passion for serving others with the gifts he has given me. I give all the glory to God, because apart from Him, I can do nothing. I am unworthy, but still His.”
Sandy Brownlee, Creative Writer
Sandy finds her primary place at Family Life in crafting original stage productions and radio dramas for the Performing Arts extension of the ministry. She also is highly involved as both an actress and a director for stage and radio, and hopes to eventually translate all these skills into producing creative content for the Web. Sandy also has recently found a new niche in training, directing and writing for New Vine, Family Life’s teen drama group. Sandy came to the ministry in 1998 with her husband, Denny, who now hosts Friends and Family on FLN.
Prior to this, she and Denny had spent more than a decade developing their skills in writing and performing Christian comedy and drama. As their skills grew, so did their opportunities, leading them to write and perform organizations such as for Walk Through the Bible, the Inspirational Network, and a variety of national conferences, including the national student conferences of the Southern Baptist Convention.
After Christ closed certain doors, Sandy and Denny began searching for a new directional signpost from God – that’s when a letter arrived from someone called Rick Snavely. Rick was looking for writers, but God had something more in mind. When Denny unexpectedly blurted out that he’d love to be on the #1 morning show in Christian radio, Rick took notice… and a courtship process was set in motion. After many conversations and a 3-day interview, it became crystal clear that God was in this – and that He was calling them to move to New York, and to Family Life Ministries (foreign missions, as Sandy calls it).
Even though Sandy juggles a variety of duties, she considers herself first and foremost a writer. She received her Bachelor of Creative Arts in writing from UNCC, but has always indulged in her love of theater since her college days. She loves all the arts, especially dance and music, and has even been known to pick up a banjo and autoharp now and again. She also has scratched another creative itch by taking up jewelry making in recent days. Finally, this southern girl has one more unlikely love – snow!