Southern Baptists Jockey for Position in ‘God’s Man in Texas’

From a strictly theatrical perspective, the most popular forms of American Christianity tend to be Catholicism for its sense of ritual, black Protestantism for its gospel music, and tiny rural congregations of any color--for the chance that someone might speak in tongues or handle live snakes. Big and predominantly white Protestant churches seldom inspire playwrights.

So it’s a notable event that David Rambo has found a wealth of both drama and comedy in the struggle for power within an enormous, very white Southern Baptist congregation.

Rambo and the characters in his “God’s Man in Texas,” at the Old Globe Theatre’s Cassius Carter Centre Stage, take God seriously--hence much of the drama. But Rambo’s attitude toward the church itself is highly irreverent--hence most of the comedy.

We’re at Rock Baptist Church in Houston. It’s huge--30,000 names on the membership rolls, schooling that goes from day care up through college, national TV broadcasts of the 10 a.m. services, two swimming pools, bowling alleys, gyms, an orchestra. The senior George Bush, Ross Perot and a slew of oil bigwigs are among the occasional congregants.

The empire is still run by the minister who built it--Dr. Philip Gottschall (Robert Symonds). But he’s 81 now, and a search committee is looking for his assistant, if not his replacement.

Actually, in a church this big, half a dozen associate pastors would probably be waiting in the wings already. But Rambo’s artistic license allows him to ignore this, so that he can keep his play focused on only three characters.

Besides Gottschall, the others are the 40ish up-and-comer Dr. Jeremiah Mears (Robert Pescovitz)--who’s preaching on Sunday evenings as an audition for a permanent gig--and the church factotum Hugo Taney (Andy Taylor), who keeps the pastors’ schedules straight, feeds them the latest gossip and helps out with the video.

Almost as much as the church itself, the subject is fathers and sons. Gottschall lacks a son and presumptive heir. Mears has two boys, but his own father--a motivational speaker and vitamin salesman turned street preacher--has long been missing. One of Mears’ favorite sermon topics is the relationship between God the father and his many mortal children. Taney’s father ran out on his family years ago, and it’s possible that Taney himself impregnated someone in his wild, pre-Christian days.

None of the three is a sexual hypocrite or a secret embezzler--a refreshing change from the treatment often accorded clerical types in many a contemporary play. Yet they’re hardly plaster saints either. Gottschall is vain and imperious as well as shrewd and savvy. Mears is ambitious and petty one moment, regretful and bighearted the next. Taney is a reformed sinner who’s still afraid of the outside world.

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In the first half of the play, Mears campaigns for a job. By the beginning of the second act, he has it--or at least a form of it--but it’s not what he had in mind.

Symonds knows how to play crusty old men inside and out and adds another accomplished portrayal to his list. Pescovitz, a veteran of A Noise Within, registers the many ambivalent feelings of Mears with commendable skill. Neither man has quite the charismatic speaking voice that one might expect, but they know how to hold the audience within the intimate Cassius Carter well enough. Taylor is convincing as a surrogate for the common man.

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Director Leonard Foglia and designer Robin Sanford Roberts interrupt the arena configuration of the Cassius Carter on its east side to make room for a pulpit, while the main playing area is a plush room where the ministers try to relax between services. But the layout isn’t as simple as it looks. During the annual Christmas parade, the stage more or less erupts into a sound and light show. Special praise be to sound designer Jeff Ladman, not only for the triumphant fanfares that greet Gottschall in public but also for the quiet moment at the end--when even disbelievers may find themselves momentarily contemplating, along with Mears, the presence of God.

* “God’s Man in Texas,” Old Globe Theatre, Cassius Carter Centre Stage, Balboa Park, San Diego. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m.; Saturdays-Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends Aug. 26. $23 to $42. (619) 239-2255. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes.

Robert Symonds: Dr. Philip Gottschall

Robert Pescovitz: Rev. Jeremiah Mears

Andy Taylor: Hugo Taney

Written by David Rambo. Directed by Leonard Foglia. Set by Robin Sanford Roberts. Costumes by Lewis Brown. Lighting by Ann Archbold. Sound by Jeff Ladman. Stage manager Raul Moncada.