A revelation ruptures an evangelical community in Steppenwolf's 'Christians'
At the beginning of Lucas Hnath's “The Christians,” one of the characters asked congregation members to bow their heads in prayer.
At least one audience member attending the press opening for Steppenwolf Theatre's Chicago-area premiere complied. But I'll wager others considered, however briefly, the request, forgetting momentarily that Steppenwolf's North Halsted Street home is not the Middle America megachurch where Hnath's weighty drama unfolds.
It may have something to do with how scrupulously set designer Walt Spangler and lighting designer Scott Zielinski conjured the interior of those sprawling sanctuaries, which tens of thousands of evangelicals call home. Or the church music from Jaret Landon's jubilant septet.
But what captivates us during those crucial opening moments is the sincerity of K. Todd Freeman's direction and the authenticity of his actors. That's especially true of Tom Irwin, whose careful, unfailingly honest performance grounds the production. So convincing is Irwin as the founder of Hnath's fictionalized church, I would have tossed a few dollars into a collection plate had he passed it.
Centered on a revelation that ruptures a community, “The Christians” is swift, serious-minded and respectful. Hnath neither sends up nor censures the evangelical community in his candid examination of what happens when long-held beliefs are challenged.
The 80-minute play commences with the gospel-inspired prelude, performed by choristers Faith Howard, Yando Lopez, Jazelle Morriss and Mary-Margaret Roberts alongside keyboardist Landon, drummer Leonard Maddox Jr. and singer/guitarist Charlie Strater. A nondescript pop hymn is followed by more spirited tunes, which conclude with a roof-raising modern gospel number heralding the arrival of Irwin's Pastor Paul, a good man whose story partly mirrors his biblical namesake.
He strides on the stage accompanied by his wife, Elizabeth (Shannon Cochran), associate pastor Joshua (Glenn Davis) and church elder Jay (Robert Breuler). Standing before an enormous cross illuminated by ever-shifting pastels, Paul informs the congregation the church has paid off its debt. He also recalls meeting Elizabeth after slipping her a note that read: “I have a powerful urge to communicate, but I find the distance between us insurmountable.”
His sermon hints at a theological conversion. In it he recounts a missionary's story about a teenage boy living in a war-torn, non-Judeo Christian nation. The boy raced into a bombed supermarket to save his younger sister, according to the missionary, but lost his life as a result. The missionary concludes the tale despairing that such a virtuous young man will spend eternity in hell because he had not accepted Jesus Christ as his savior.
This troubles Paul. After conversing with the Almighty - who reveals hell is not the horned devil and fiery pits Paul imagined, but what people have created on earth - Paul announces a theological shift with seismic impact.
They will no longer believe in hell.
“We're no longer a church that says my way is the only way,” he proclaims.
His announcement sends shock waves through the congregation and rattles his associate pastor and protégé Joshua (Davis, memorable for his emotionally searing performance). Joshua confronts Paul. A debate over scripture and the proper translation of the word “hell” ensues, ending with Joshua quitting the church along with a handful of supporters. More defections follow, alarming Jay, who fears they will destabilize the church financially.
Single mother Jenny (a gripping, brutally honest Jacquelyn Williams) is among the believers who begin to doubt their pastor and question the timing of his new policy. More importantly, she cannot fathom a heaven shared - in the absence of hell - by the righteous and by the likes of Adolf Hitler, whose sins Christ will wash away according to Paul's newfound insight.
Jenny's not the only one unmoored by Paul's pronouncement. His wife, Elizabeth, also feels betrayed that her husband and partner imposed his will on their church without sharing his revelation with her. Cochran's show of quiet strength reflects the unassailable conviction of a woman who refuses to sacrifice her belief for her marriage.
The subtle, complex performances befit Hnath's multifaceted characters and provocative subject. It's a subject difficult to convey, but worthy of debate.
“The Christians”
★ ★ ★ ½
Location: Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago, (312) 335-1650 or
Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, through Jan. 29. No performances Dec. 24 and 25
Running time: About 80 minutes, no intermission
Tickets: $20-$89
Parking: $11 in garage adjacent to the theater, limited street parking available
Rating: For teens and older