BROOM STREET PLAY IS HEAVENLY

Debra Neff Nathans Special to The Capital Times


Friedrich Nietzsche said that "God is dead," but according to Brian Wild, the deity has just been on vacation, leaving Jesus in charge.

Jesus has a strict policy of no interference on Earth; he has enough to deal with running heaven.

St. Peter (Buck Hakes) can't process souls fast enough, so Jesus wants to replace him with the IN-RI 2002 Professional Greeting Podium (John Eichenlaub). And now Jesus' parents are rushing back from vacation, and that can only mean trouble. I just loved Wild's new play at Broom Street Theater. It is the first new post-Sept. 11 play that actually deals with Sept. 11, at least that I've seen.

"Tales for a New Millennium" is topical, cathartic, and written with love, honesty, humor and a clear message.

Wild's play and his message aren't subtle, but we're not living in subtle times. If "Tales for a New Millennium" were put into a time capsule, it could be pulled out in 200 years, and our progeny would know exactly what kinds of things we are thinking about and dealing with today.

Wild hangs his long play on a remarkably coherent, if complicated, plot.

God (John Gustafson) and Mary (Tracy Grzybowski) return from vacation early because they are having a terrible fight, and Jesus (Brad Knight) and Mary M. (Amy Lewis) are desperate to reunite the estranged couple.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, a scientist named John (Matt Grzybowski) has cloned Jesus using DNA from the stolen Shroud of Turin, and his "Personal Jesus" is kidnapping all the world leaders in a diabolical plot to change the world ... or else.

Despite the fact that comic exploration of heaven and life-after-death have been done to death (pun intended), Wild approaches his material energetically and finds fresh humor.

Usually three hours is too long for a play (unless it's Shakespeare), but Wild's plot is strong enough and his story is compelling enough to hold the audience's attention for the whole time, despite the less than comfortable seating at Broom Street.

The play uses a wall-size video screen to show a disturbing three-minute video documentary. It is upsetting, but works well within the context of the play. Mitch McDowell's video shorts were profoundly effective.

Wild's original sound design is interesting and serves the play well, and I enjoyed Ron Collins' subtle lighting design.

Despite some dark material, the play is light in tone and often hilarious. Eichenlaub and Lewis lead the rest of the cast in making the audience laugh. Eichenlaub plays the angel Gabriel with pigeon gestures and noises, and his IN-RI is a flirtatious, nasty machine that only behaves when Jesus is watching.

Eichenlaub is a wonderful physical comic, and he always seems so unpredictable on stage.

Lewis plays Mary Magdalene with a voice reminiscent of Little Nell from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the personality of ... someone not at all bright.

Her high-pitched stupidity was consistently funny, and she managed to play someone who is annoying without actually being annoying.

Knight's Jesus is patient, efficient and humble. Hakes' St. Peter lives with his cats and collects jewel-crusted cup cozies of the universe. He has a wonderful whiny-fussy quality.

I enjoyed Karl Reinhardt as the gay Holy Spirit, wearing flames and, in one scene, chaps. Grzybowski is good as the long-suffering Mary, although she isn't given that much to do.

I also enjoyed a performance from Matt Grzybowski as the mad scientist, John.

Gustafson's acting resume now includes playing not only God, but the man tortured with impotence in Joel Gersmann's "Almost a Man." I admire his versatility. Gustafson plays a God who fears no one -- except his mother-in-law (Eichenlaub).

Gustafson's God is arrogant, but ultimately loving.

LOAD-DATE: January 13, 2002