When we moved back to the States and found a church to attend, our youth pastor, Abe Stratton, reminded me of Jonas Armstrong who portrayed Robin in the series. After getting to know Pastor Stratton better, his strong leadership skills and vivacious personality made it clear that he was more like Robin Hood than just meets the eye. He cared deeply for the teenagers he was teaching and mentoring and for his church. In the Bible, a bow often symbolizes the doctrine of truth and a tool used for carrying out the gospel. Not only is the bow highly iconic for Robin Hood, but it also plays a great significance in depicting Abe Stratton as a pastor.
Several members of the Stratton family are very talented in the drama field, both theatre and film. Abe’s brother and sister-in-law, Noah and Nicole Stratton, produce and direct theatrical performances at The Academy of Arts’ Logos Theatre in Taylors, South Carolina. Their work includes the outstanding and renowned productions of The Chronicles of Narnia, of which they have done three stories. I met up with Abe at the Logos Theatre to take reference photos of him, and we used some costume pieces from the studio. It was a convenient as well as a meaningful way of tying these connections together.