Skillful ‘Corpus Christi’ Preaches to the Choir

“This is not a play about Jesus being gay,” cautions the program notes for Terrence McNally’s “Corpus Christi,” the controversial off-Broadway drama making its L.A. premiere at Hollywood’s Lillian Theatre.

Rather, McNally’s tale about gay persecution in modern-day Texas closely parallels the traditional plot contours of a Passion Play. However, when it comes to stirring up conflicted passions of its own, the distinction may be splitting hairs--for those who view the life of Christ in terms of literal rather than metaphorical divinity, even the implicit comparison between McNally’s gay prophet Joshua (Nicholas Downs) and Jesus is enough to legitimately give offense.

Others willing to contemplate the issues raised by the play (and overlook its at times considerable pretensions) will find some powerful depictions of the very real alienation and prejudice endured by social outcasts.

What is beyond dispute, however, is the play’s seriousness of purpose, and the skill with which director Kristin Hanggi and her committed 13-member cast have brought it to the Lillian stage.

Expert timing and nuanced performances mine the full measure of pathos and unexpected comedy as Downs’ Joshua--a shy, loving youth--painfully comes to terms with his homosexuality and reluctantly assumes his messianic role.

McNally’s script skillfully transposes aspects of Jesus’ life into gay rites of passage--”sensitivity” in sports, awkwardness with his senior prom date, a trip through the desert conducted by a James Dean-like tempter.

The disciples hail from amusingly stereotyped occupations--a hairdresser, an actor, a catty street hustler; even Judas (Aaron Lohr) is a restaurateur.

More problematic is McNally’s attempt to invoke Christian principles of universal tolerance and love while at the same time restricting his story so exclusively to the gay experience. This insular focus diminishes the broader resonance of the Christ story, which speaks to more of the human condition than just sexual orientation.

At the same time, the sometimes heavy-handed protestations of martyrdom aren’t likely to gain many converts from the opposite camp. This one is really preaching to the choir.

*

“Corpus Christi,” Lillian Theatre, 1078 N. Lillian Way, Hollywood. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Ends Oct. 21. $27.50. (310) 289-2999. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes.