Photo Credit: Unknown.
MEDIA BRIDGES
Tuesday, May 28 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, May 30 at 8:30 PM
Monday, June 1 at 7:15 PM
Thursday, June 4 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 PM
Running time: 75 min.
Cemetery Golf
Jim Loucks
From Venice, CA.
SHOW DESCRIPTION
Bravely delving into the lives of a hellfire and brimstone Southern Baptist preacher and his family, this dynamic one-man show is filled with quirky characters. It explores the detrimental effects of fundamentalist Christianity with witty and insightful storytelling. Based loosely on Loucks' childhood experiences in small-town Georgia, Cemetery Golf shows how organized religion's use of fear fosters an environment of control. This timely topic is explored in Loucks' charismatic portrayal of each of the family members, enlivened by Gospel songs and his Southern humor and charm.
ARTIST/COMPANY BIOGRAPHY
Although fundamentalist Christianity is widespread throughout the United States, exploring this subject matter in a lively Southern storytelling format with traditional Gospel hymns will bring a unique perspective to this important topic. I want to share the experience of someone who was brought up in that environment that didn't necessarily believe what he was taught.
The show began as a series of stories from childhood shared with friends. The more I told them, the more fun I had. This led to rehearsing them as monologues in a quiet theater with no audience. Then I met Carol Rusoff. We recognized narrative links, and the story arc developed. After a year of hard work, we had a play. Now, after runs at the 78th Street Theatre Lab in New York City and Beyond Baroque in Los Angeles, we want to share it with as many folks as possible. Although a piece of fiction, Cemetery Golf accurately displays the controlling power of fear at the heart of fundamentalist Christianity.
'AND THE FRINGIEST PART IS ...'
Cemetery Golf deals with a hot button issue of today - fundamentalist Christianity - and how it affects children being brought up in the religion. This issue is brought to life in a playful and empathetic tone that brings humanity to both sides of the story. Utilizing both humor and drama, Cemetery Golf is a strong performance piece that connects with an audience no matter what their religious beliefs.