WWJD (play)

[Katya]

http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd2433.pdf

This play was written as a master's thesis by BYU student Anna Christina Kohler Lewis. I'd love to discuss it with anyone else who's willing to read it.

[Rifka]

I just read it. It's very intriguing-- not at all the way I would have pictured Jesus, but fascinating, nonetheless. I really liked how, in the essay following the play, the author pointed out that she eliminated all of Jesus' lines so the audience would have to hear only the interpretations of the characters in the play. That really resonated with me, since it's a great parallel to the way we receive his words through the writings of others, our own perceptions of our feelings, etc.

[Katya]

Yeah, I agree that it's a nice device. Oddly enough, I'm reminded of a horror movie maxim that says that the monster you don't see is a lot scarier than the monster you do see, because the monster you don't see employs your own imagination to scare you. So, maybe the Jesus you don't hear directly is more powerful than the Jesus you do hear?

Also, I remember J. Scott Bronson talking about the difficulty of writing a play that had Jesus as a character (with lines). He decided that his main rule for writing Jesus' lines would be that Jesus would never tell a lie, and that actually proved to be a very difficult limitation, because he even had to avoid writing lines that consisted of white lies or half truths or misdirections and normal conversation is full of those.

[Rifka]

I like your horror movie maxim, Katya. I think that's true. I would even dare say that's why so many people saw Jesus in his lifetime, and still didn't believe he was the Messiah. They were too fixated on their own ideas of what the Messiah would be like to even realize they were walking and talking with him. It's an interesting thought. And, the "horror maxim" falls right in line with the essay when the author mentioned that she wasn't trying to portray an exact doctrinal Christ, but rather each person's personal Christ.

Well, I guess not writing any lines solves the problem of Jesus not lying at all, right? Although, you'd still have to consider if he was being deceptive in his actions.

I also really liked the contrast between the first and second acts-- in the first act, Tom can't see Jesus, and doesn't believe he's there, while everyone else can see him. By the end of the second act, Tom is the one who most believes in Jesus and wants his presence around. The parallels there were pretty cool.

[Katya]

I also really liked the contrast between the first and second acts-- in the first act, Tom can't see Jesus, and doesn't believe he's there, while everyone else can see him. By the end of the second act, Tom is the one who most believes in Jesus and wants his presence around. The parallels there were pretty cool.

It's also interesting that, even for the people who can see Jesus, having him around doesn't automatically solve all of their problems. Perhaps that's another reason that the people in ancient Israel didn't recognize the Messiah, because he had a habit of causing as more problems (in their eyes) than he solved and raising more questions than he answered.

[Dead Cat]

Did anyone else find it interesting that the character who couldn't see Christ was named Thomas?

[Katya]

Did anyone else find it interesting that the character who couldn't see Christ was named Thomas?

Oh, good catch!

[Rifka]

Did anyone else find it interesting that the character who couldn't see Christ was named Thomas?

I didn't even notice that!

[Katya]

For those without the time or inclination to read the entire play, here's a brief synopsis:

WWJD is about four college roommates, Tom, Max, TJ, and Seth. (Max is female.) One day, Tom comes home and Seth tells him that Jesus stopped by and washed their dishes (which had been piling up for a week). Tom is incredulous, but Seth seems to be taking it all in stride. Jesus is still hanging around the apartment, but Tom can't see him, for some reason, so he assumes that everyone else is just playing a stupid prank on him. The other roommates can't figure out why Tom can't see him, especially since Tom is the only one of them who goes to church.

Tom wants to borrow TJ's car to go out on a date with a very religious girl named Samantha, but TJ now says he needs his car to go miniature golfing with Jesus. (Jesus and TJ both like miniature golf. Also skateboarding.) However, TJ suggests that Tom and Samantha come miniature golfing with him and Seth, reasoning that it's the sort of wholesome date a girl like Samantha would approve of. Tom agrees, but asks his roommates to go easy on the "imaginary friend" stuff when they pick Samantha up. However, it turns out that Samantha can also see Jesus and is equally mystified as to why Seth can't. (Samantha is also mystified as to why TJ, an atheist, can see Jesus.)

Later, they go to a bar to listen to music, where they see Max with her new boyfriend. (TJ has joined them, even though he's underage; Jesus turns his drink into water.) Max's boyfriend looks like he's had a bit too much to drink and Tom pulls Max aside to point this out, as well as to point out she has a history of getting involved with guys who don't treat her well. Samantha decides that she doesn't want to date Tom because he doesn't have the faith to see Jesus.

Seth and TJ (now home) think that maybe Tom will be able to see Jesus if he has physical proof that Jesus is really there. Jesus throws an apple to Tom, but it hits him in the head (and he still can't see Jesus). Max comes home and tries to hide a fresh bruise on her face. Tom tells her that she needs to stop dating guys who knock her around, but, after she leaves, Seth and TJ speculate that maybe a girl who's kind of trashy can't expect to do any better, a sentiment that infuriates Tom, who thinks that Max could have any guy she wanted if she would stand up for herself. Tom goes to bed and Seth and TJ turn on Jesus, because they reason that he must have known Max was going to get beat up by her boyfriend. Jesus doesn't apologize or offer an explanation, and Seth and TJ kick him out of the apartment.

The next morning, Tom gets up and pours his heart out to Jesus, who he assumes is still in the living room. Tom says that he's worried about Max and asks for help in showing her that she can do better. Seth and TJ come in and ask Tom who he's talking to, then explain that they kicked Jesus out last night. (However, the audience can see that Jesus had been sitting on the front porch and has been listening to everything Tom says through the door.) Tom goes out looking for Jesus and asks for a sign if Jesus is there. (Jesus reaches into his robe and throws an apple at Tom.) Jesus agrees to meet with Max, but says that Tom isn't allowed to be there.

When Tom gets back to the apartment, Seth and TJ tell him what happened. They say that Jesus showed up and said he had a message from Tom. He took out a doll that looked like Max, then lit one on fire and said that this is how she's going to feel if she keeps going down the road that she's on. Then he put out the doll, showed it to Max, and said that this is how she sees herself. Then he showed her a mirror and said that it would show her how he sees her. Max looked in the mirror and started to cry. Jesus also said that this is how Tom sees Max, and she should date someone like that. Tom goes to talk to Max and Seth decided that he probably can't stay mad at Jesus, so long as he keeps doing the dishes.

*****

I've simplified some things and left out a couple of subplots, but that's the general gist of it.

[Dead Cat]

Nice synopsis, Katya, but there's a few places where you mixed up Seth and Tom.

[Katya]

Nice synopsis, Katya, but there's a few places where you mixed up Seth and Tom.

Dang it! I think I've fixed all of the mistakes.

[Imogen]

i really enjoyed the play, and it thought it brought up a lot of interesting issues. the one that hit home most with me was max and her struggle to find someone to really care for her. that really hit home for me.

[Katya]

i really enjoyed the play, and it thought it brought up a lot of interesting issues. the one that hit home most with me was max and her struggle to find someone to really care for her. that really hit home for me.

I think one of the strengths of the play is that the playwright has a background in counseling, which really shows up when she's creating a character who doesn't believe in her own self worth. Another writer might have made that character too 2-dimensional or have wrapped up her problems too easily.

[Katya]

I really wish I'd been able to see this when it played in Provo earlier this year. Apparently the last scene with Max was really powerful on stage. Here's a review: http://www.utahtheaterbloggers.com/4522 ... l-you-know

[Whistler]

I've always thought it would be interesting to bring Jesus into a modern context, to show how weird some of the things he said were to the people at the time (and in parallel... to us now).

[C is for]

Did you notice that they're trying to get funding for a film of it? They're using Kickstarter. As I read it I thought it might be nice to see as a film rather than just a play...but I guess I'd just need to see it.

[Katya]

Did you notice that they're trying to get funding for a film of it?

<------ My innocent face

Actually, the fundraising campaign was something of an ulterior motive for starting the thread. I've already donated and I hope that anyone else who liked the play and can make a donation will do so. (That's the end of my pitch, because I don't like badgering people. But I'm happy to answer any questions about Kickstarter, since I've donated money through them before.)