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Corpus Christi (play): Difference between revisions
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====Date: [[:Category:1998|1998]], [[:Category:2001|2001]]==== | ====Date: [[:Category:1998|1998]], [[:Category:2001|2001]], [[:Category:2010|2010]]==== | ||
====Region: [[:Category:North America|North America]]==== | ====Region: [[:Category:North America|North America]]==== | ||
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'''Confronting Bodies:''' Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, "National Security Movement of America," and other Christian protesters. | '''Confronting Bodies:''' Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, "National Security Movement of America," and other Christian protesters. | ||
'''Dates of Action:''' 1998 and | '''Dates of Action:''' 1998, 2001 and 2010 | ||
'''Location:''' Manhattan Theater Club, New York, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne | '''Location:''' Manhattan Theater Club, New York, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas | ||
'''Description of Artwork:''' ''Corpus Christi'' is a contemporary version of the story of Jesus and his disciples set in the town of Corpus Christi, Texas. Jesus and some of his disciples (who in this play are young professionals) are depicted as gay men and ultimately Jesus is killed by gay-bashers. Thirteen barefoot male actors in modern clothing perform a play within a play, starting with the birth of Joshua (the Jesus figure) in a Texas motel. Soon evils emerge, such as wife-beating, loveless sex, gay-bashing and clerical humiliations. The playwright uses this parallel story of Christ to tell a contemporary, colloquial tale of the fight against cruelty, division, hatred and, above all, hypocrisy. Love and acceptance are the antidotes. | '''Description of Artwork:''' ''Corpus Christi'' is a contemporary version of the story of Jesus and his disciples set in the town of Corpus Christi, Texas. Jesus and some of his disciples (who in this play are young professionals) are depicted as gay men and ultimately Jesus is killed by gay-bashers. Thirteen barefoot male actors in modern clothing perform a play within a play, starting with the birth of Joshua (the Jesus figure) in a Texas motel. Soon evils emerge, such as wife-beating, loveless sex, gay-bashing and clerical humiliations. The playwright uses this parallel story of Christ to tell a contemporary, colloquial tale of the fight against cruelty, division, hatred and, above all, hypocrisy. Love and acceptance are the antidotes. | ||
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===Indiana=== | ===Indiana=== | ||
Similar protests transpired when students at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne planned a production of the play. In July 2001, State lawmakers made up 21 of the 32 people that filed suit against the university. The group wanted to halt the production of the controversial play. The lawsuit argued that by staging this play, taxpayer funds are being used to attack religion. Defenders of the production say it's a matter of free speech. Anthony S. Benton, an attorney for the university, said in a letter that shutting down the play would infringe on students' academic freedom. The Indiana Civil Liberties Union also is involved in the case. The group is representing the play's student director, IPFW senior Jonathan Gilbert. | '''The Incident:''' Similar protests transpired when students at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne planned a production of the play. In July 2001, State lawmakers made up 21 of the 32 people that filed suit against the university. The group wanted to halt the production of the controversial play. The lawsuit argued that by staging this play, taxpayer funds are being used to attack religion. Defenders of the production say it's a matter of free speech. Anthony S. Benton, an attorney for the university, said in a letter that shutting down the play would infringe on students' academic freedom. The Indiana Civil Liberties Union also is involved in the case. The group is representing the play's student director, IPFW senior Jonathan Gilbert. | ||
'''Results of Incident:''' Indiana: The outcome of this incident has yet to unfold. | '''Results of Incident:''' Indiana: The outcome of this incident has yet to unfold. | ||
Controversies over productions in other cities continue to arise. | Controversies over productions in other cities continue to arise. | ||
'''Source:''' World Socialist Web Site (wsws.org), NCAC, Florida Atlantic University press release for their production, March 2001, Indianapolis Star, July 05, 2001 | ===Texas=== | ||
'''The Incident:''' Tarleton State University in Texas was to put on a student-directed performance of the play, before widespread protest caused the play to shut down. While at first the Unversity supported the play as an exercise in intellectual discourse and academic freedom, the university president later denounced it, saying that "we are legally bound to allow the student production to go forward" and "I see no artistic or redeeming quality in the work." However, the University was ready to put forward the play until a member of the faculty cancelled it, citing concerns for the safety of the students involved. | |||
'''Results of Incident:''' The play was pulled from production and not rescheduled. | |||
'''Source:''' World Socialist Web Site (wsws.org), NCAC, Florida Atlantic University press release for their production, March 2001, Indianapolis Star, July 05, 2001, http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/03/29/tarleton | |||
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[[Category:2001]] | [[Category:2001]] | ||
[[Category:2000s]] | [[Category:2000s]] | ||
[[Category:2010]] | |||
[[Category:21st century]] | [[Category:21st century]] | ||
[[Category:North America]] | [[Category:North America]] | ||