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Celeste M. Cooper

@_be_that_light_

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Believer. Actor. Producer. Educator. Casting Associate.
Bible Study Brunch every Monday 5-6:30pm CST Zoom.
Community Love Event, etc...

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My solo trip to Europe was the BEST birthday present I could have ever given myself. Thank you, Pearl Cleage, for making Paris sound A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and THANK YOU, Papa God, for the multiple signs that led to this solo adventure.

“You know what I learned in Paris?... How to enjoy eating by myself in a fancy restaurant. Women get married every day because they can’t figure out how to be comfortable eating alone or walking alone… Once you realize there are very few things that you can’t enjoy alone, you’re free to decide everything on the basis of your own individual ideas of pleasure and morality. You don’t need company. You don’t have to ask permission or seek approval. You simply move through your life, guided by the magic of your own feminine mystique and the universal impulse that is the essence of your true humanity.” -from the character Evie beautifully played by Erika LaVonn in South Coast Repertory 2022 Production’s of “What I Learned in Paris” by Pearl Cleage.

Awwww & it was INCREDIBLE, Pearl.THANK YOU, Papa God, for looking out for me every step of the way and bringing sooooooo many generous people my way. I felt soooooo LOVED by You, others, and myself in a new way. Such a blessing this was. I pray this encourages all of you to travel more, especially if you’re afraid to do it. Thank you soooooo much, Aunt Geno and everyone else who provided travel assistance, guidance, and recommendations. #January2024 #BirthdayMonth #SoloAdventuretoEurope #PARISandLONDON #January1stthruJanuary12th #January10thBirthday #ThankYouPapaGod #GodsTrulyGotMe #ThankYouPearlCleage #beTHATLight by @_be_that_light_

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3 years ago

Awww heeeeeey y’all!!! I wanted to share this very special and unexpected moment that happened to me on Sunday. I was sitting in church and felt spirit led to get re-baptized. I’ve felt this before, but I ignored it. I’m really grateful I confided in Phoebe, who gave me a physical nudge to do it. So, I snatched off my new wig and got in that Holy water, y’all! Aww and shout out to Amy Perras (my 1st Soul City Church friend/ prayer team member) for capturing this moment. This was a pretty HUGE & EMOTIONAL moment for me because this was the first time I really did it for just me & God. My first two baptisms weren’t really about God, but more about following orders or spite. This time was about LOVE, GRATITUDE, and APPRECIATION for Papa always being there for me. I’ve been lost and sooooo far from God at different points in my life, but no matter how many times I left Him, He never left me. This moment was my REDEDICATION and EXCITEMENT to keep kickin it with my dad, no matter how many ups and downs because He truly LOVES me more than I can comprehend.

On Sunday, in my moment of hesitation and doubt, I thought “COME AS YOU ARE”…Papa, blessed me to remember these words. I remember hearing “COME AS YOU ARE” when I visited a church back in (I believe) 2007. It was the first time I committed to God because I realized that He wanted me just as I am. I didn’t have to be what others told me to be. I didn’t have to be some BETTER version of myself because God wanted (wants) to be in relationship with EVERY version of me. Awww it really blessed me to remember that and combat any lies that made me believe that “coming as I am” wasn’t good enough.

Lol, continued in the comments.
#Rebaptized #3 #May7th2023 #ComeAsYouAre #TheyDontSpeakForGod #OrMe #GodLOVESUsUnconditionallyAndALWAYS #ChristiansArentAMonolith @soulcitychurch pastor @jarrettstevens #beTHATLight taken in Soul City Church by @_be_that_light_

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3 years ago

Happy Friday Y'all!!! I'm EXCITED to share my new reel this pilot season!!! Chris @bylsmadness with @breakthroughreels is sooooooooo FREAKIN DOPE!!! Hire him y'all!!! #snippetsfrom #4400 #ChicagoPD #Chiraq #RangeRunners #WhatsdoyouwantmetodonextPapaGOD #MayHeGetALLtheglory #Thankyoufortheunexpectedblessings💛 #beTHATLight by @_be_that_light_

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5 years ago

💗 MY OCTOBER LOVE SHOUT OUT GOES TO MY BIG SISABOO, KEISHA! 💗

Keisha is truly one of the most ambitious, hardworking, smartest, strong-willed 😂, fight-for-the-people-she-loves kind of people I know.

I didn’t always advocate for myself or stand up when people picked on me growing up. BUT I always knew one thing: if my sister found out about it, that person wasn’t going to be picking on me for long. 😂 She would intervene—and might literally fight you for ever hurting or trying to hurt me. LOL!

She’s simmered down a lot since becoming a mama to my nephew Malachi, because she loves that boy with every fiber of her being. I’ve watched her do everything she possibly can to give him everything—and more—that she never had. ❤️

FUN FACT: Keisha was the first person who truly saw the actor in me and told me I had a gift—and that I could actually go somewhere with it if I pursued it. She believed in my talent before I even fully believed in myself. And honestly, that’s just who Keisha has always been: cheering me on, believing in me, and reminding me of who I am my whole life. 😃❤️

I could literally go on forever about my sister (y’all KNOW I can get long-winded in a post 😂), but right now, my protector of me and so many others needs our support.

Keisha has been hit with a series of really difficult circumstances—from recently having spinal surgery and needing time to rest, to having to return to work because she needs the money and sometimes work 12-hour days, to her car engine failing when she relies on that car to work, and unfortunately more.

Because Keisha is a private person, she isn’t comfortable with us sharing every detail of what she’s going through. I want to honor that. But she does need financial support.

My Mom, my sister Dorian, and I created a GoFundMe (LINK IN BIO) to help Keisha cover the expenses she’s facing right now.

And honestly, we would love to exceed our fundraising goal if we can. There is so much happening, and every bit of support can make a difference.

Keisha is doing her best to stay positive, but I know this has been incredibly hard on her. I’m praying that as we’ve reached out to family...

#beTHATLight by @_be_that_light_

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5 days ago

SEPTEMBER LOVE SHOUT OUT...

Hey, what’s up, social peeps?!

At the beginning of 2020, I started highlighting one special person each month—until the world got covid. After seeing Thee Ricky Harris’ “30 Days of Praise” posts (I love you do that Ricky & YOU) and thinking about this guy I’ve wanted to give a HUGE shout-out to since River, I’ve decided to bring it back!

My September Love shout out goes to Al’Jaleel McGhee! ❤️

I’ve known AJ since 2017, when he was still a student at UIC and made a walk-on appearance at the end of the final scene each night in Court Theatre’s production of Blues for an Alabama Sky. AJ and I have been cool ever since—and he also became my #1 karaoke partner!

But something very special happened when we worked together on River.

For those who may not remember, River was Vineyard Church of Hyde Park’s first official play—a production I took on writing and producing etc. in about a month. Because we didn’t have the budget to hire a full team, I reached out to several friends and asked if they would volunteer for one evening.

When AJ came, he didn’t commit to just one night. He stayed for the remainder of the rehearsal process through the performance, stepping in as my associate director.

I honestly wasn’t expecting that—especially because he had just finished pouring his entire heart, soul, and energy into playing Levee in Goodman Theatre’s production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. If you didn’t see AJ as Levee, I am truly sorry for your loss, lol! It was THE BEST portrayal of Levee I have ever seen. The nuance, depth, vulnerability, and illumination he brought to that role was truly A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I’m not sure I can ever watch another actor play Levee without thinking about his performance. Awww man, it’s been sooooo cool watching AJ grow throughout his professional career and become the ABSOLUTE BEAST of an actor he is today!

But I digress, lol…

AJ, THANK YOU for being such an incredible friend to me.

(See remaining post in the comments, lol)

Happy first rehearsal for Downstate, AJ!!! I love you, friend! ❤️🎭✨

#SeptemberLoveShoutOutGoesTo #AlJaleelMcGhee #AJ @aljaleel.mcghee #beTHATLight by @_be_that_light_

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a month ago

Awwww y’all… I am so, sooooooo GRATEFUL to Papa God for blessing me with this INCREDIBLE last-minute mini vacay to New York City. 🙌🏾✨ Maaaaaan, Harlem has always been one of my happy places. ❤️ There is something about the energy, the history, the creativity, the people, and the sense of community that always feeds my soul.

I have been running, creating, working, and pouring out so much that I could feel myself hitting a wall. I knew I needed to unplug, recenter, breathe, and allow God to refresh me. And whew… this trip was EVERYTHING I needed and more. Thank You, Lord. 🙏🏾

I am soooooo grateful for the friends, the conversations, the incredible art, the beautiful moments, and all the little reminders that life is meant to be experienced—not just managed.

A huge shout out to @raccoonfireball for being such an amazing host and friend! Plus all my the homies @theetonimartin @mash0817 @latrishatstaples @thomasstaples2 @equianomosieri & Bereket that blessed me with a FUN time! ❤️

One of my biggest highlights was getting to see some shows that had been on my mind while I was back in Chicago. I kept thinking, “Am I going to regret not seeing these?” And now I can say with so much gratitude that I am SO glad God made it happen.

One thing I love about Harlem is seeing how people support and uplift each other. The owners and creatives I met genuinely celebrated one another, shared recommendations, and created a beautiful sense of community.

Y’all… I pray this encourages someone to unplug. Take the trip. Visit the place. Rest. Explore. Make memories.

So many of us work soooooo hard that we forget we were created to experience joy too. Thank You, God, for this reset. ❤️
@shopnilu
@malcolmshabazz_harlemmarket @roma_pizza_restaurant @artemuseum_newyork
@chelseamarketny @bigtingsnyc @dogdaybway
@proofbroadway @salesmanonbroadway @joeturnerbway @estebanandrescruz.actor @ktodd_freeman

Love you, New York homies. Love you, New York. Until next time… 🗽✨ #beTHATLight by @_be_that_light_

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3 months ago

Awwww maaaaan y'all, let's talk about how Jesus moved last week... a week ago today we were about to premiere *River* at The Vineyard Church of Hyde Park!!!

Y'all, we had an AMAZING turnout—close to the 275-person fire code capacity mark—with standing room only while others either left or watched the show from the monitors downstairs. It was an overwhelming response for a production that was conceived in just one month. Nothing but God!!!

It has also been soooooo cool hearing how audiences responded during the show and the positive feedback they've shared afterward. I'm currently working on figuring out how to license *River* (lol), because a few churches have already reached out asking about producing it themselves.

I have another post coming, but today I simply want to thank Jesus for this story, for how He literally brought everything together last Friday night, and for every person He led to help me and this production.

Shout out to Pastor Rand Tucker for believing in Phyllis and me and trusting us to produce something as large as this. Shout out to Phyllis Calderon for being such an excellent music producer, director, and musician. Shout out to Al'Jaleel McGhee for coming on as Associate Director. I'm honestly not sure what I would have done without him.

Shout out to The University of Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Pacific Garden Mission for your support and equipment.

**Production Team**

Assistant Stage Manager: Katharine Byer
Costumes: Elizabeth Umunna
Choreographers: Erin Copeland & Bernadette Chatman
Set Designer: Carmen Gardner
Tech: Gwen Griffin-Harmon & Dock Voorhies
Sound Operator: Blake Currie
Sound Design Support: Willow James
Lighting Designer: Trey Tucker
"Glorious" Music Director: Thee Ricky Harris

**Additional Special Thanks see comments**
Holy Spirit, always.
I truly don't have words—mostly just tears—for how appreciative I am for ALL of you.

Thank you so, sooooooo much.

God bless you all. ❤️

#Rehearsal&Performanceshots #RiverProduction #NothingButGod #ThankYouJesus #beTHATLight 🌞 taken in Vineyard Church of Hyde Park by @_be_that_light_

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4 months ago

Celeste's Production of "River" - 5/29/26....@_be_that_light_ You did your big one with this production. I couldn't be more proud of you! 😘 by @_be_that_light_

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4 months ago

THIS IS THE HARDEST THING I'VE EVER PRODUCED, BUT I BELIEVE FRIDAY IS GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL!!!

Hey y'all, heeeeeeey,
You might already know, but a couple weeks ago I took on a super ambitious endeavor of writing, producing, & starring in a variety style play for my church. It went from me coaching actors sometimes lol to becoming the lead producer due to a personal emergency for the previous producer/director.

I haven't had time to properly promote this show due to everything on my plate so I'm trying to get the word out now. It would mean so soooooo much if you spread the word and supported us on Friday the 29th at 7:30pm. I'd looooove as much love & support as possible. This has been a lot of really hard work that I'm still doing. I'd hate to do all this and no one attends.

I would sooooo appreciate you supporting. Even with the hard work we're doing, the limited budget, and talent at varying talent levels, I very much believe God's going to do something really special this Friday and I want everyone to experience it.

See the Partiful for more info, but click the link in the invite if you'd like to officially register for a ticket. You can also do this at the door.

Thanks sooooo much for considering! I really hope to see you there! God bless you all! #beTHATLight 🌞

https://partiful.com/e/z21acz65sTBaUjit7HVz?c=76_R5HUQ taken in Vineyard Church of Hyde Park by @_be_that_light_

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4 months ago

SURPRISE!!! Heeeeeeeey, peak a boo y’all 💛 What have I missed these last 2+ years, lol. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever come back, but I’ve realized there are parts of social media I value—especially staying connected with so many of you. That said, I’m committed to not becoming consumed by it.

So I’d love your wisdom: How do you balance social media with everything else you have going on? I’m looking to set some healthy, specific boundaries around how and how much I use it.

Also… how are your hearts and spirits? So much has/is happening in the world, on top of whatever we’re each carrying personally. Lately I’ve noticed I’m holding multiple emotions at once—deep gratitude for the blessings around me, joy and laughter, and at times real grief and sadness too.

Wherever you find yourself emotionally, I pray you know you’re not alone. If you ever have a prayer request, feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to pray for you and/or with you.
God bless you all. ✨
#beTHATLight
#DRPuntaCana #July2024SoloTrip #Photocredit @caribbeanmemoriesphotography by @_be_that_light_

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8 months ago

See y'all later, Papa God bless 😘😘😘 #beTHATLight by @_be_that_light_

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3 years ago

UPDATE: We will be seeing the 6pm showing on Wednesday, February 28th. Email me at producercmc@gmail.com if you are interested in this field trip fellowship and/or the final one for Season 4 happening next month.
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Y'all, we had an INCREDIBLE field trip fellowship last week (see story for pic) and I've decided to organize a couple more field trips for the remaining episodes. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this INCREDIBLY MOVING, POWERFUL, & EXTREMELY IMPORTANT show. I'm binge watching the previous seasons AGAIN because I LOVE it soooooooo much, lol. It's sooooooooo RELATABLE, REAL, & not cheesy like other Christian movies/ tv shows have a tendency to be. I REALLY believe this is something EVERYONE would appreciate. I definitely want to ENCOURAGE those who have experienced church hurt/ unkind/ religious/ rule focused Christians to attend/ binge previous episodes. This show will definitely remind you of how wrong they were to hurt you. The actor @jonathanroumieofficial does an EXCELLENT job of portraying an APPROACHABLE, DOWN TO EARTH, STRONG, VULNERABLE, and SUPER LOVING JESUS that welcomes EVERYONE!!! You can watch the previous seasons for FREE on https://watch.thechosen.tv !!! It's also on Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms.

TICKET PRICE: $20.16

LOW ON FUNDS: Please let me know if you are interested, but can't afford the $20.16 ticket. I will get the funds for you to join us. No problem at all. I'd LOVE to get anyone interested to attend.

DONORS: Interested in paying for someone's ticket? Let me know and THANK YOU!!!

RUN TIME: It's long, but definitely a well worth experience. 3 hours and 25 minute with a 5 minute break.

FELLOWSHIP: We'll meet at 6pm to break bread & hang before the showing.

FIELD TRIP: They'll be one more after this to conclude Season 4. Yaaaaaaaaay!!!

#FieldTrip # Fellowship #TheChosen #Season4 #Episodes4through6 @thechosentvseries @thechosenfans #beTHATLight by @_be_that_light_

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3 years ago