The C.S. Lewis Institute - Northeast Ohio is eager to share this powerful performance “My Life’s Journey, An Evening with C.S. Lewis” with the Mahoning Valley. An Evening with C.S. Lewis stars British Actor David Payne in an inspirational one-man performance portraying C.S. Lewis.

Enter the life of C.S. Lewis through the writings, humor and life of faith of the 20th century’s greatest Christian apologist in David Payne’s “My Life’s Journey, An Evening with C.S. Lewis”. In his performance, Payne, as Lewis, talks about his relationship with key individuals in his life: his wife (Joy), his brother (Warren), his Oxford colleague (J.R.R. Tolkien) and, of course, God. Based on the life and writings of C.S. Lewis, this heartwarming, funny and inspiring show will bring you closer to the man whose intellect and interests spanned from writing children’s classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to the landmark theological text, Mere Christianity.

The first event of its kind hosted by Youngstown’s C.S. Lewis Institute, attendees are invited to join us in giving our special guest a proper Youngstown welcome with complimentary coffee, tea and the ever-famous cookie table before the show. Tickets include admission to the pre-show welcome party in C.S. Lewis Institute-Northeast Ohio’s Lecture Hall from 6-7pm. Speaker bio: London-born David Payne was living in Nashville, TN with his wife in 1996 when he spotted a Tennessee Performing Arts Center ad that asked for auditions for Shadowlands, “British accents a help.” He had the accent, but little stage experience. “I thought I might land a small role because of my accent,” Payne said, but instead he won the lead role of Lewis. Since those early performances in 1996, Payne who, on stage, uncannily looks like Lewis, has since played the famous author in a number of Shadowland productions. Yet it is his portrayal of Lewis in “An Evening with C.S. Lewis” that has won him many accolades and thrilled the many thousands that have attended over 500 performances. Payne, who lives in the UK, continues to tour throughout the United States. Off the road he is either writing or filming. He is widowed with two sons and three grandchildren.