"Corpus Christi" by Terrence McNally

[quizking101]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 6:12pm

I picked up this play at Theatre Circle on my way home from Chicago Fan Day since I was interested in the subject matter. However, after reading it through, I felt somewhat underwhelmed in the end, since it seemed to offer less than what I expected (which was to be at least somewhat gayer in nature). What are your opinions on this play? Is it better to see it performed?

[TheatreDork3]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 6:24pm

You also have to remember when it was written. That play came out in 1998, so for it's time it was actually very controversial. I remember going to see it and going through security to get into the theater. I also remember the rather lack-luster protest across the street.

TD

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 6:30pm

I saw the original production at MTC and thought it was pretty good, but I've since come to the conclusion that production rose above the material, which I don't think is very good, ultimately.

[Q]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 6:46pm

There was a production out here that was cast with men and women of all ages (although they did choose to keep the Jesus & Judas characters as men.) Everyone else was put into roles without restriction. It made for a very affecting evening - probably more to the point of the piece than originally produced.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 7:02pm

I believe there's a movie version of this that was never released in the States.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 7:09pm

Snopes

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 7:44pm

Thank you, Phyllis.

The petition caused a major storm in our parish here on Long Island when one bonehead sent it to all of us in an E-Blast. I was the one who was most offended and it almost resulted in a brawl in the church parking lot.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 8:31pm

I'm not a fan of the play. Its message is far too heavy-handed for my liking and it really drags. I think I saw the same production as Q that was here a couple years ago. It was in one of the Villages. It definitely transcended the material, but it's still mediocre at best.

I applaud Terrence McNally's ambition in creating a piece of theatre like CORPUS CHRISTI, but it ultimately is just trying too hard, in my opinion.

[TheatreDork3]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 10:42am

I guess I feel the need to kind of defend the show because I was a a 22 year old gay Evangelical Christian living in Lubbock, TX, at the time. As someone who grew up in Texas, the show meant a lot to me personally. Sure the script may not have been the best and maybe the message a little heavy handed, but for a gay boy from West Texas on his first trip to New York City to see something like Corpus Christi was an amazing moment.

Maybe NYC was too jaded for the message, but as someone who grew up in the heart of Jesus-Land, I completely understood the necessity of a heavy handed message. Down in Jesus-Land, they only understand heavy handed messages.

TD