A truly 'Fabulous' Christmas story

by Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief

A highly anticipated and successful opening was enjoyed by the Oklahoma City Theatre Company (OKCTC) this weekend. The company brought to the stage the highly anticipated, highly controversial, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told to Oklahoma City audiences and enjoyed, perhaps their best opening night ever.

“We appreciate Oklahoma City so much,” said artistic director Rachel Irick in her comments to the opening night audience. “We surpassed our private fundraising goal and no public funds were used for this production.”

In Fabulous, writer Paul Rudnick, while exploring the existence of God, uses Adam and Steve as the basis for moral behavior, rather than Adam and Eve.

Act one: visualize Genesis, if you will…Adam and Steve (Fabrice Conte and Josh Bonzie); add a Jane and Mabel (Rachel Morgan and Krissy Jones) in this Eden frenzy. Both couples are put to the test; will love endure?

As Adam and Steve meet they develop words, sounds, feelings and come across love. With this, Rudnick gives the audience the opportunity to discover how biblical history could have been if the “garden party” in Eden began with two men falling in love, rather than a man and a woman. And Rudnick didn’t leave out the first lesbians, Jane and Mabel.

At stage left, is the ‘godlike’ female Stage Manager (Jackie Smola), who gives orders, "First lightning: Go."

Act two: New York City, Christmastime. Characters are the same, but present day. The female character ‘with child’ is focus of act two. Current events are passionately discussed; HIV/AIDS, religion, gay marriage, traditional and gay families.

OKCTC did a ‘fabulous’ job presenting this controversial, diverse, yet richly thought-provoking body of work to their Oklahoma City audience. The small stage and props at the City Space Theatre, which seats less than 100 people, were used to their best advantage and the characters were well placed to accommodate the audience.

The lead characters were convincing and talented, as was the supporting cast. However, one supporting actor stole the show. OKC actor Rodney Brazil played the character of ‘Latecomer, Pharoh, Tray, and others.’ Brazil is a natural as a ‘gay son,’ he convinced the audience he could be a good Christian husband who enjoys impregnating his wife, had the audience in stiches in the Pharoah scene and warmed our hearts as a Santa…who may need a 12 step program.

It’s obvious Brazil is comfortable on a stage. He’s a natural.

However, Church group(s) complained the play “is openly offensive to Christians” because, “the playwright intentionally mocks and provokes Christians as it ‘retells the Bible from a flamboyantly gay perspective, beginning with the Adam and Steve in the Garden of Eden.’”

I do heartily agree with two parts of that statement. This play definitely “retells the Bible from a flamboyantly gay perspective.” (Oh, snap…girl, you know that’s right.)

But that’s okay with me. It’s a different take on the Bible and despite my Monotheistic upbringing, it’s acceptable to me and I made the choice to attend this event – it’s not offensive; it’s art.

I further agree with the ‘churchers’ in that the play is provoking. That is, thought provoking. As the characters and story developed, I found myself thinking about God and religion and why people fight so much; why is there poverty, disease, why can’t we love more, be more understanding, accepting and find more kindness in the world?

And I did begin to think about faith. The fact that I, too, sometimes question what is out there and why we are here.

But who can say what is offensive to Christians as a whole? Who speaks for all Christians? Or for that matter, who decides the “contemporary community standards of our fine city?”

I certainly did not feel like the play mocks Christians or Christianity, but then, I understood the play. Perhaps those who do not understand think it is a mockery.

To be fair, I was not impressed with Rudnick’s scene from the Ark. Although tastefully done in this small setting, I found those scenes unnecessary and more degrading to the gay community than adding satire or any value to the work.   

Overall, Fabulous has a very inspiring theme.  

Directed by Kory Kight, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told runs December 5-22nd in the City Space Theatre at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City (shows Thu-Sat at 8 pm and Sundays at 2:00 & 7:30). For ticket information, call (405) 297-2264 or visit www.okctc.org.

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Published - The Gayly, December 8, 2013, 5pm CST.