“Child of Glory: A Gospel Nativity” has been a passion project for Carla D. Gipson for more than 15 years.

The play with music, which opens Sunday at Youngstown’s Hopewell Theatre, originally was conceived for a church presentation in 2006 when Gipson was director of the theater ministry at Ebenezer Church of God in Christ in Youngstown. A few years later, she was invited to stage it at a church in Atlanta.

“I never put it down,” Gipson said. “I was always thinking about it. When the opportunity came to present it again, I said I’d love to do it, but it needs some work, some expansion. I took it out and expanded it to a full-length production. I wrote several more songs and expanded it into a two-act musical.”

The music ranges from rap to traditional gospel, and Gipson wrote all of the songs in addition to the script.

“It’s pretty eclectic and versatile in terms of the genres and styles,” she said. “I wanted to write an original story telling of the nativity, and I wanted to include some original songs coming from the characters themselves. I wanted the story to come from their perspective. What would they sing about? What would they talk about? The songs are personal to them as individual characters.”

The cast features La’Rayja Hill, Bobby Brown Jr., Pareese Smith, Rick Haldi, Marteece D. Waters, David Brown, Dana Dreyling, Conner Burney, Joshua Yoder, Brayden Norvell, Craig White, Gail Holsing, Lois Thornton, Chiara Chambers, La-Tasha Dendy, Merashah Cox, Shiree Wilson, Tay’ler Cox, Arcale Peace, Pareese Smith Jr., Malivia Blackmon Davis and Karey Rivers.

“It’s pretty emotional for me to see it take this turn and come into this full realization of the work,” Gipson said, and Hopewell has been a supportive partner. “Having them say, ‘OK, Carla, we’re on board with you’ makes it even that much more important for me.”

If you go …

WHAT: “Child of Glory: A Gospel Nativity”

WHEN: 2 p.m. Sunday and Dec. 11 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday

WHERE: Hopewell Theatre, 702 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and senior citizens and are available online at hopewelltheatre.org and by calling 330-746-5455.