FALL 2017 Fellowship Circle COMMUNICATING THE MISSION OF FELLOWSHIP FOR PERFORMING ARTS Gifts from Fellowship Circle members provide FPA the means to produce compelling theatre from a Christian worldview that engages a diverse audience.
WHAT’S INSIDE
FPA on the Move Martin Luther on Trial and The Most Reluctant Convert ‘Shadowlands’ take to the road. – PAGE 2 From Screen to Stage to Returns to Screen to Stage Shadowlands’ remarkable journey – PAGE 4 New York! From the Desk of Max McLean Tony-Nominated Play and Deus Ex Machina – PAGE 6 Stellar Cast Launch FPA’s
SHOW SCHEDULE 3rd New York Season
The love story between C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman inspired by Lewis’ classic book, A Grief Observed. “PAIN,” C.S. Lewis famously NEW YORK CITY said, “is God’s megaphone to FALL/WINTER 2017-18 rouse a deaf world.” In the play Shadowlands, author William Nicholson places that line early on, and it proves prophetic. Lewis utters it from his settled-in 500TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR bachelor’s life. NATIONAL TOUR FALL 2017 Then he meets Joy Davidman—a brash, New York Jew, former communist and a convert to Christianity. From friendship to deep love to marriage, Lewis ONSTAGE suffers the searing loss of his late-in-life love to cancer. THE MOST RELUCTANT CONVERT And audiences journey with him, as ultimately, the NATIONAL TOUR 2018 experience deepens his faith. Check FPAtheatre.com for updates. Continued on page 2 ENGAGEMENT
C.S. Lewis Onstage: The Most Reluctant Convert definitely will tour in 2018. Dates and locations LUTHER ON TRIAL. still are being finalized; however, we look forward to presenting Convert all over the United States next LEWIS ON TOUR. year. “Convert has demonstrated a remarkable ability to engage audiences,” Max said. “It has sparked FPA ON THE MOVE. some of the most interesting post-show discussions Even as Shadowlands anchors Fellowship for I’ve experienced.” Performing Arts’ third New York season, Martin With Convert, Max typically begins his Q&As Luther on Trial continues its six-city, eight-week fall by encouraging skeptical opinions about Lewis’ tour. At the same time, work progresses toward journey from vigorous debunker to the most an extensive, nationwide 2018 tour for C.S. Lewis influential Christian apologist of the 20th century. Onstage: The Most Reluctant Convert. “The questions are thoughtful and earnest,” Max Welcome to a new era for FPA. said. “Occasionally there is an odd response, such “Our mission is to engage audiences with theatre as when one person claimed that Lewis had not from a Christian worldview,” said FPA Founder uttered ‘one rational thought’ throughout the play! and Artistic Director Max McLean. “But it is a Of course, that is more than balanced by the many years-long process to take a work from idea to who express gratitude for Lewis’ struggle and how production. Now, the effort over the past few years, along with the support of so many in our Fellowship Circle, is paying off with multiple shows each with its own particular look at the Christian faith.” The timing was important to develop, premiere Following New York debuts, Martin Luther on Trial (left) and The Most Reluctant Convert continue engaging audiences on national tour. and tour Martin Luther on Trial. This honestly he explored his doubts. The play certainly year marks the shows the ‘hound of heaven’ was in pursuit, and that 500th anniversary Lewis was clearly running away. All that makes for of the Protestant compelling theatre. And it helps that the play uses Reformation and Lewis’ own words almost exclusively. offered the ideal time to takeLuther across the country. “We’re presenting the Christian worldview in a Remaining tour stops include Houston Oct. 19- theatrical context. The burden we feel is to select 29, Dallas, Nov. 3-4; Minneapolis, Nov. 11-2; and works of art capable of doing this in a way that Tulsa, Nov. 16-19. The show is timeless—a trial set is engaging, entertaining and moving. Through in the afterlife—so it also can tour past 2017. God’s wisdom and your support, FPA is positioned “We’ll be evaluating the possibility of additional to move forward with confidence.” tour stops for the coming year,” Max said. “FPA’s website, FPAtheatre.com, is always the place for the For the most up-to-date information on all FPA productions, latest information.” visit FPAtheatre.com. from a Christian worldview. Shadowlands has been Continued from front SHADOWLANDS doing that with Lewis’ story for over 30 years. “It feels like such the right time for the first It’s also the first time FPA has produced a play of revival of Shadowlands in New York since its 1990 this scale. Previously, Martin Luther on Trial, with six premiere,” said Fellowship for Performing Arts actors, was the largest production. The child actors Artistic Director Max McLean. “It reflects on how are another FPA first. It also includes two children real life tests our faith.” playing the eight-performance-a-week schedule on Opening on Nov. 1, Shadowlands marks FPA’s alternating nights. third theatrical season in New York City, and it also This is another first. marks a number of “firsts” for FPA. And it is an impressive cast. It’s the first time FPA has revived a previously Daniel Gerroll takes the role of C.S. produced play. Lewis. He was featured in the Oscar- “Our first productions were dramatic presentations winning film Chariots of Fire, did a of full books of the Bible such as Mark’s Gospel, Genesis comic turn as an obnoxious Brit on and Acts,” Max said. “We then adapted works of Seinfeld and has numerous Broadway Lewis for the stage including The Screwtape Letters, credits. He also was honored with an OBIE Award The Great Divorce and The Most Reluctant Convert, for Sustained Excellence. and we commissioned our first original work— Robin Abramson, who plays Joy Martin Luther on Trial. But Shadowlands had its own Davidman, is a stage veteran in illustrious production history on stage and screen Pittsburgh and Israel, a growing before our revival.” (See story on next page) presence in New York and recipient The key is that Shadowlands fits uniquely in FPA’s of the Performer of the Year Award mission to engage diverse audiences with theatre given annually by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The paper cited her “extraordinary emotional range.” The rest of the cast features actors with Broadway, Off-Broadway and extensive regional credits. “Our goal is to hire the most talented actors and creative team that our budgets allow,” Max said. “With these actors and our director, Christa Scott-Reed, whom many remember from her performance in The Great Divorce, we look forward lead the way, allowing us to debate what we have to a first-rate cast delivering a first-rate play.” witnessed on the trip home.’” It’s critical to FPA’s mission to be producing One thing that is not a first—the vital role played regularly in the heart of the New York theater district. by FPA’s Fellowship Circle of supporters. “We were pleased,” Max said, “when TheaterMania “Our Fellowship Circle quite literally makes this cited Fellowship for Performing Arts as bringing production possible,” Max said. “And we’re so ‘something that has been sorely missing from the grateful for their partnership.” New York theater scene for far too long: high- Shadowlands is at The Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row quality, challenging theater from a Christian through Jan. 7, 2018. For the latest information on tickets, perspective. Most impressively...they let the drama visit FPAtheatre.com. FROM SCREEN TO STAGE TO SCREEN TO STAGE An Award-Winning Journey for a Remarkable Story
As Fellowship for Performing Arts’ joy to pain to joy in the book A Grief Academy Award winner Anthony revival of Shadowlands celebrates Observed. Shadowlands won the Hopkins as Lewis and Debra Winger as opening night, it marks the latest stage British Academy of Film and Television his wife, Joy. It was nominated for Best of a remarkable artistic journey. It’s Award for Best Television Single Drama Screenplay, and Winger was awarded also the latest evidence of the enduring and Best Actress for Claire Bloom. the Best Actress Oscar. power of C.S. Lewis—his life and Nicholson then adapted that for Now, the circle continues for the play works—to capture imaginations and performance on London’s West End, with the first New York revival since its engage minds. where it won the Evening Standard Broadway debut. Shadowlands, by William Nicholson, Award for Best Play. Nigel Hawthorne “Two years ago, at a weekend tells the bittersweet story of gathering for FPA’s supporters, the love of Lewis’ life—his Christa directed a reading of late-in-life American wife Joy Lewis’ remarkable ability to just a part of Shadowlands,” Davidman—and his loss of CONNECT FAITH AND LIFE said Max McLean, FPA’s her to cancer. in a way that resonates broadly founder and artistic director. “Shadowlands is Lewis’ “In a reading, there are no deeply personal journey MATCHES PERFECTLY WITH sets, no costumes and limited from faith shaken to faith FPA’S MISSION to engage diverse stage movement. Yet, the work restored,” said Christa Scott- audiences with theatre from a absolutely captivated every Reed, FPA’s Literary Manager, Christian worldview. one of us in that room. We who directed the work. “It knew we at least had to try to makes the point that the pain secure the rights to produce it we’ve suffered is a part of the joy we was nominated for the Best Actor in New York.” can experience later, and it resonates Olivier Award as Lewis, and Jane Lewis’ remarkable ability to connect deeply with audiences.” Lapotaire won the Olivier for Best faith and life in a way that resonates In fact, it’s been resonating—and Actress as Joy broadly matches perfectly with FPA’s winning awards—for over 30 years on In 1990, Shadowlands debuted on mission to engage diverse audiences TV, the stage and movie screens. Broadway and was nominated for with theatre from a Christian Nicholson, who was nominated a Tony Award for Best Play, while worldview. for an Oscar for the screenplay of Hawthorne received the Tony for Best “We’re particularly grateful to our Gladiator, first wrote Shadowlands Actor. Fellowship Circle of supporters,” as a 1985 teleplay for the BBC. He It then came full circle, back to Max said, “for what they do to drew extensively from Lewis’ deeply the screen—this time the movie keep Shadowlands making the vital personal account of the journey from screen. The filmShadowlands starred connections that it does.” FELLOWSHIP CIRCLE Fellowship for Performing Arts presents theatre from a Christian worldview that engages a diverse audience. Our ability to mount such productions in leading theatrical venues across the country and in New York City rises from the generous support of our Fellowship Circle members. From all of us at FPA—Thank you for your partnership. To join our Fellowship Circle, visit FPAtheatre.com/support or call us at 212.582.2920 and ask for Melissa Mollner or Sarah Mills. 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how the supernatural world interacts with our ma- terial world. DEUS EX In The Most Reluctant Convert, one might disagree with Lewis’ conclusions, but it is hard to dismiss the MACHINA anxiety he experienced as God began to penetrate ne of the critiques of FPA’s productions is through his hardened heart. He had a vivid encoun- that we rely on supernatural or improbable ter with God that caused him to wrestle profoundly events to solve a play’s main problem. In against his independent and rebellious nature. This Oboth The Most Reluctant Convert and Martin Luther on led him to finally “give in” to God and, later, to Trial, God comes in and changes the outcome. This Christ. The audience’s intense engagement is clear device is known as deus ex machina. I didn’t realize evidence that Lewis’ conversion story is dramatic this has become a literary taboo. and compelling. The practice of introducing a god or some unex- One review of Convert described it this way. “We pected turn of events to resolve the plot dates from at know going in how the play ends…but how the play least the 5th century Greek gets there is the intriguing drama. Shakespeare used it, thing…purely as dramatic and it is often used in films character arc, the conver- such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, sion story in C.S. Lewis On- Lord of the Rings and almost stage is captivating.” all the James Bond movies, So, in each FPA produc- to save the lead character tion, you will see the tran- from doom. scendent, supernatural world To guardians of contem- presented as honestly as we porary theatre, this literary What sets the Christian worldview know how. That is always device generates an eye roll. apart is how the supernatural world a challenge and why this It might be OK for children, work is so hard to get right. interacts with our material world. Thankfully, because of your but educated people know The love story between C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman that “real” life doesn’t work support, we can engage some inspired by Lewis’ classic book, A Grief Observed. that way. The world is naturalistic. There is no di- of the most talented producers, designers, directors NEW YORK CITY vine intervention. and actors to help us create these stories. That is FALL/WINTER 2017-18 Contemporary theatre tends to see the world our mission. It doesn’t cheapen or weaken the story. with unresolved endings; the world just “is,” and Rather, it reintroduces a reality that many have for- the most credible solution to every story is to accept gotten: that “God is there and He is not silent.” We your fate and make the best of a world that is ulti- believe it makes for a far greater story. mately mindless and absurd. Thanks for helping us create theatre that chal- Last week, I was invited to meet with the theatre lenges skeptical opinions about the reality of a tran- 500TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR editor of The New York Times. In our meeting, I sug- scendent world. With your support we will continue NATIONAL TOUR gested that FPA’s uniqueness is that we employ deus to capture people’s imagination as we produce the- FALL 2017 ex machina in a way that captures people’s imagi- atre with excellence from a Christian worldview nation. What sets the Christian worldview apart is that reaches a diverse audience.
Please make your tax-deductible gift to FPA using the enclosed card. With any gift of $1,000 or more, your name will be included in our playbill as a member of FPA’s Fellowship Circle. (See insert for level details.) NATIONAL TOUR 2018 Fellowship Circle is a publication of Fellowship for Performing Arts • Max McLean, Founder & Artistic Director @CSLewisOnStage Paul Cozby, Editor • Ben Geist, Design • PO Box 732, New York, NY 10108 • Phone: 212.582.2920 Check FPAtheatre.com for updates.
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