America.

HOW

In church, a really big church.

And what we see is the stage, raised and carpeted;

in the center, a podium;

and further upstage, hanging, a cross;

surrounding, potted plants;

above, a screen for projections;

off to the side, two or three chairs in a row, chairs for the associate pastors;

and off to the other side, an electric church organ and organist.

Also, a full choir—the bigger the better.

And there are microphones and stands, enough for everyone in the play,

because everyone will always speak on mics, just the way pastors do,

or just the way congregants do when they testify.

The whole play is a kind of sermon.

Sometimes it’s a literal sermon.

Sometimes it’s made up of scenes that use the formal elements of a sermon.

Occasionally the Pastor narrates to the audience,

which is slightly different from addressing his congregation.

A Note On Songs

A NOTE ON SONGS

During the play, the Choir will sing four songs. Below are suggestions for what those songs could be. Even if you do not use the suggested song, the song you use should have that general tone. Additionally, the songs you use should not in any way conflict with Pastor Paul’s theological stance. It is the responsibility of the producing theatre to obtain the rights to any songs that are not in the public domain.

Song #1—Gospel, steady, comforting, e.g., “God’s Unchanging Hand.”

Song #2—Faster, rousing, revival music, e.g., “Catch on Fire.”

Song #3—A bit anthemic, deliberate, e.g., “I Feel Like Going On.”

Song #4—Bright, not-too-fast-and-not-too-slow, e.g. “Farther Along.”

Acknowledgments

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to Sarah Lunnie, Les Waters and Amy Wegener for guiding the play; to Marc Bovino, Phillip James Brannon, Katya Campbell, Rick Foucheux, Marianna McClellan, Dominique Morisseau, Gordon O’Connell, Randy Rand, Thomas Jay Ryan, Kim Schraf, P.J. Sosko for performing in various incarnations of this play; to Emily Donahoe, Andrew Garman, Linda Powell, Larry Powell, Richard Henzel for premiering the play; to Darius Smith and Scott Anthony for musical guidance; to New Dramatists and the Kennedy Center for helping develop the play; to David Collins, Dana Higginbotham, and Mark Schultz for being my theological advisors; to Darlene Forrest and Denice Martone for their support and encouragement; and a very special thank you to Pat C. Hoy, II for the stories.

Production Notes

PRODUCTION NOTES

The Christians was commissioned by and premiered in the 2014 Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville.

The Christians had its off-Broadway premiere in 2015 at Playwrights Horizons. Artistic Director, Tim Sanford. Directed by Les Waters.

Billing: I am a pagan and proud of it. Believe me,

before long, we will all be pagans.

Morten: And then will we be allowed to do anything we like?

Billing: Well, you’ll see.

—Henrik Ibsen, An Enemy of the People

I feel an uncontrollable urge to communicate with you,

but I find the distance barrier

insurmountable.