Actor brings Gospel to life in Mt. Prospect
In one performance, actor Brad Sherrill becomes Roman prefect Pontius Pilate, disciples Simon and Peter, and Jesus Christ, while reciting more than 20,000 words from the Bible.
The Gospel of John will be played out at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 15, at St. Cecilia's at 700 S. Meier Road in Mount Prospect.
The one-man performance by Atlanta-based actor Sherrill has been seen across the country and in Europe, said Joanne Kapps, a St. Cecilia parishioner, who's handling publicity for the church.
"I believe hearing it will have the power to enrich your faith as it has mine," Kapps says. "And that's what we are doing, enriching people's faith."
Sherrill begins the performance hiding as one of the audience members, dressed in street clothes. He then goes to the church's altar where he takes the stage, recounting the entire fourth Gospel in the canon of the New Testament, as it retells the life of Jesus, she said.
According to Sherrill's Web site, the most common question he gets is why he does it.
"Since memorizing the nearly 20,000 words which compromises the fourth Gospel, this has been one question most frequently asked of me," Sherrill said. "I can only respond as other believers have, by stating that John's Gospel is nourishment for the mind, heart and soul."
Church members had seen Sherrill perform at a church in Park Ridge and asked if he'd like to make a stop in Mount Prospect, Kapps said.
The 2-hour performance is not a fundraiser for the church; rather it's part of the Lent season celebration. The money collected helps pay for Sherrill's performance, Kapps said.
Also, it's not intended for young children, who would find it difficult to sit for two hours, Kapps said. But teens, ages 14 and up, might like it, as well as adults.
Tickets are $15.
For more information, call (847) 437-6208.
If you go
What: Brad Sherrill's Gospel of John
When: 3:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: St. Cecelia's Catholic Church, 700 S. Meier Road, Mount Prospect
Cost: $15
Info: (847) 437-6208