Terrence McNally poses the provocative question, “What if Jesus were gay?” in Corpus Christi, the Tony Award-winning playwright’s highly controversial reimagining of The Life Of Christ as set in his Texas hometown and performed by an all-male cast, a memorable freshman-season closer for Orange County’s The Wayward Artist.

 Both play and playwright drew the ire and protests of religious fundamentalists back in 1998 for Corpus Christi’s depiction of Jesus as a gay man and Judas as the love of his life.

What these protesters didn’t realize is that by presenting Jesus’s life and words in a new context to an audience whose experiences with organized religion may have made them resistant to what is in essence a very humanity-affirming message, McNally has retold The Greatest Story Ever Told as movingly and entertainingly as it’s ever been told before.

 Audience members entering Santa Ana’s tiny black-box Grand Central Theatre will find cast members already assembling for preshow stretches, hugs, and chats as they await baptism as disciples of the man we will soon get to know as Joshua.

 The play’s multiple supporting roles are then assigned “at random” among the twelve, from Joseph and his virgin bride to Joshua’s parochial school teachers to the bullies who made his early years a living hell to bad-boy classmate Judas, who taught Joshua the meaning of passion one sultry Corpus Christi night.

 Joyously irreverent, Corpus Christ has Joshua fumbling awkwardly with what he thinks are prom date Patricia Rudd’s breasts but missing them by a mile before hitching a ride with a blind-as-a-bat truck driver who’s been proudly manipulating a big-wheeler since boyhood.

 Later, when Joshua offers to preside at the same-sex wedding of two of his disciples, one of them expresses surprise, citing Leviticus, to which Joshua replies, “Now why would you want to memorize a verse like that?”

Indeed, much of Corpus Christi’s strength as a play comes from its juxtaposition of comedy and tragedy, and you may find yourself laughing and weeping simultaneously, no small feat.

 Foul language and same-sex kisses may get evangelicals’ nickers in a twist, but only the most closed-minded of Christians will find themselves unmoved—the play’s final ten minutes are devastating—and even non-believers will discover a new awareness of the power of this two-centuries-old tale.

Under Craig Tyrl’s imaginative direction (for this is as much a director’s play as it is an actor’s), there’s not a weak link in the college-age Wayward Artist cast, all but two of whom play multiple roles throughout, and though the production could benefit from greater ethnic diversity, its mix of body types is both rare and refreshing.

 Reid Barraza (Philip), Cody Bianchi (James), Daniel Botello (Judas), Casey Bowen (James the Less), Brandon Burns (John), Patrick Curley (Matthew), Dakota Denton (a golden-voiced Simon), Connor Dugard (Thomas), Johnny Eberhardt (Thaddeus), Aaron Ford (Bartholomew), Tanner Oertel (Andrew), and Joseph Zavala (Peter) deliver the goods throughout in roles as diverse as Pontius Pilate, Lazarus, and even James Dean, and there are real sexual, romantic sparks between Botello’s Judas and the love of his godforsaken life,

 brought to unforgettable life by the mesmerizing Eric Flores, who gives Joshua depth, beauty (both inner and outer), a sense of humor, vulnerability, and strength despite the most agonizing of pain.

 Director Tyrl, scenic designer Kristin Campbell, and properties designer Gretchen Morales make ingenious use of black boxes and crates and their contents on an otherwise bare black stage.

 Chris Henrriquez’s lighting and Lauren Zuiderveld’s audio design enhance the drama throughout and Rachael Lorenzetti scores points for costume adornments that help transform disciples into assorted distinct characters.

Burns’s fight choreography and assistant director Sierra Segal’s musical direction merit mention as well.

 Sydney Fitzgerald is stage manager and Harley Werner is assistant stage manager. Chris Schmidt is technical director. Segal composed “Kingdom Come.”

Following its season-opening Godspell, the similarly themed but infinitely more powerful Corpus Christi closes Season One to stunning, indelible effect.

CSUF Grand Central Art Center, 125 N. Broadway, Santa Ana.
www.TheWaywardArtist.org

–Steven Stanley
November 9, 2018
Photos: Jordan Kubat

Tags: Orange County Theater Review, Terrence McNally, The Wayward Artist