"Now billed as “Sarah Ruhl’s Passion Play,” the work — three connected plays, at three and a half hours over all — is at the center of a festival of related events intended to bring together believers and nonbelievers to investigate the intersections of faith, ritual, belonging and performance.“I’ve been obsessed with the Passion play since I was a child,” Ms. Ruhl said in a telephone interview. “Maybe it was being raised a Catholic, but I was definitely also interested in how whole towns would get involved, or religiosity could be used as a cloak for other things. In that sense my play is much more about theater than it is about religion.”The festival began on March 27 with a convocation centering on different forms of devotion and songs from the church’s Lafayette Inspirational Ensemble gospel choir. The play is to begin previews on April 27, and on Sundays during the run audience members will be invited to gather for locally supplied dinner fare and discussions around the table that plays a mysterious role in “Passion Play.” Bread and wine will be served at all intermissions."
The play, the venue, the festival that it is bringing into being--this all sounds amazing! I wish my friend still lived in Fort Greene; I'd have gone and see this exciting work. The production received rave reviews. I mean--comparisons to "Angels in America" reviews. Ruhl was also a finalist for the Pulitzer for her previous play. Cue the heavy sigh...
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