Mar. 26th: Judas Iscariot!

Weird title for a blog post, right?  Judas Iscariot?  What's so awesome about him?  Well - there are several answers to that question.  For instance, the Stephen Adly Guirgis' play about him entitled, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.  Also the fact that this play will be performed by a stellar cast in Vancouver in just a few weeks.  The fact that Pacific Theatre is an associate producer (having co-produced a staged reading of the script a couple of years ago, thereby launching this production), and therefore the fact that I was able to attend the first read-through this morning.

I LOVE this play.  I loved it when I first read it, and I loved the staged reading we produced a couple of seasons ago, and I loved it as I was walking into the reading today.  But somehow I had forgotten just how much I loved the show.  The hilarity of the script, the theological discussions that arise from the content, and the heartfelt moments created by so many of the characters.  The play is an absolute masterpiece.  And it's going to be happening here, as a full production, in just a couple of weeks.

This is one of those shows that define my reason for working in theatre.  Great entertainment with a great story, inspiring great conversation.  It only took five of Vancouver's theatre companies to get this show off the ground.  To all of them I say thank you!  I can't wait.  If this show doesn't sell out in the two weeks it's on, then I'll be shocked and sad.  Sad for all of the people who missed out on a magnificent piece of theatre.