Dear Olsky:
I recently completed a drama that portrays the life of Jesus Christ……. if he were to have arrived on earth sometime around the middle 1970’s. Focusing upon the humanity of Jesus, the play represents an in-depth examination of how “the world of today” might choose to respond to one such as Jesus………… a man of God motivated by love and intent upon changing the world!
At this point, I’m not exactly sure how I would like to have the drama utilized, but one possibility is to find a group who might be willing to work with me in order to develop a video-based version of the play. The purpose of the play would be to encourage folks to consider the healing promise of Jesus’ message of love in a world so seemingly bent upon violence, rage, revenge, and war.
If you are yet interested, please take a look at the attachment below which includes a synopsis of the play, a list of characters, a biographical sketch, etc. If you still find yourself interested, send me an email or, better yet, just give me a call.
The best to you and I am certainly looking forward to hearing from you.
Peace and Love,
Doug Soderstrom
Psychologist and Playwright
WINE
The Epic Journey Of A Man Who Changed The World
A Play in Four Acts Inspired By a Lifetime of Traversing The Travesty and Travails of Truth
By G. Doug Soderstrom, Ph.D.
May 3, 2004
Synopsis
Within the context of a country (The United States of America) ravaged from within by the pious dictates of The Religious Right and a federal government fraught with corruption, dishonesty, and deceit, and besieged from without by militants battling for control of the world, the life of Jesus Christ is re-enacted as if it occurred in the world of today. Jesus is born in Bethlehem. Because of an occurrence in which his mother, Mary Margolis, is severely injured, and his father Abdul Hamdallah, a Palestinian, is killed, Jesus is adopted out to a couple (Horace and Elizabeth Crowder) who happen to be missionaries of The Church of Josiah Faracee (Hint: as in Pharisee). However, not knowing his real name, the Crowders give Jesus the name, John. So John (formerly known as Jesus) is taken to the United States where he is raised and taught to believe as his parents. Against the Crowder’s wishes, John decides to attend Harvard University where, in The Department of Philosophy and Comparative Religious Studies, John’s thoughts concerning what it means to be a human being, who God is, and the place of religion in the world are challenged, reconsidered, and eventually transformed. Upon graduation, John is drafted into the United States Military, but decides, in an unsuccessful attempt to become a conscientious objector, to go AWOL. Consequently, as a fugitive from the law, John flees to The Far East somewhere in Nepal. Having acquired a great deal of knowledge from holy men of The Buddhist and Hindu Faiths, John discovers The Paragon of Love. Before returning to the United States, he travels to Bethlehem and is able to find his mother, Mary. It is there that John discovers that his real name is Jesus. Eventually, they make their way to The United States. They settle in Greenwich Village where Jesus (previously named John) begins to preach his gospel of justice, peace, compassion, and love. In time, Jesus develops a reputation as an up and coming player in the antiwar movement protesting the audacious mendacity of the Bash and Shaney administration, the appalling ruthlessness of Arial Sharoni, and the pernicious servility of Tony Blear’s rule in Great Britain. As a matter of course, Jesus is arrested and incarcerated for having committed several acts of treason. Ultimately, Jesus is convicted and put to death in the electric chair……….. but only after some rather surprising events……….. including the reason why the play is entitled Wine!
Time and Place The play begins sometime in the middle 1970’s and continues until the present time…… around year 2005. The play commences in the United States in the middle 1970’s, moves to Bethlehem during the same period of time, then back to the United States some 17 years later (the early 1990’s), then to Cambridge, Massachusetts (Harvard University) in the middle 1990’s, then to
The Far East area around Nepal for a period of seven years, then to Bethlehem sometime around the year 2003, then to Greenwich Village in New York City a few months later, and finally in Washington, DC nearing the year 2005.
DURATION OF THE PLAY: 3 Hours 15 Minutes
NUMBER OF STAGE SETS REQUIRED: 14 Very Simple Sets
CAST OF CHARACTERS*
In order of appearance
BROTHER BOB A typical Southern Baptist type preacher.
REVEREND PAT
DOBWELL AND/OR
SENATOR
DOBWELL The National President of the Church of Josiah Faracee, Senator from the State of Texas, and a typical fundamentalist-religious right superstar.
MARY The genetic mother of Jesus.
ABDUL Presumably……. the genetic father of Jesus.
FIVE MEN Men who severely injure Mary and kill Abdul.
NURSE #2 An assistant nurse who attends Mary while she is recovering from a year-long coma in a hospital in Bethlehem.
.
NURSE #1 Mary’s primary care nurse during Mary’s recovery in Bethlehem.
ELIZABETH
CROWDER John’s (Jesus’) adopted mother who raises John in the United States.
HORACE
CROWDER John’s (Jesus’) adopted father who raises John in the United States.
JOHN/JESUS A man of great character and conviction who challenges and eventually changes the world.
DR. FROMM John’s (Jesus’) mentor at Harvard University.
BUDDHIST MONK A typical Buddhist monk.
HINDU HOLY MAN A typical Hindu holy man.
MISS RICE Director of the Angel’s of Mercy Orphanage in Bethlehem.
FIVE DISCIPLES Five of Jesus’ disciples that Mary gets to meet in their (Mary and Jesus’) apartment in Greenwich Village in New York City.
TED KOPPAL The moderator of The Ted Koppal NightTime Television Talk Show.
SECRETARY
DUMSFELD The United States Secretary of Defense who initiates the arrest and incarceration of Jesus.
SECURITY
OFFICER #1 The security officer who arrests Jesus at the antiwar rally in Washington, D.C.
FOUR OTHER
SECURITY
OFFICERS Four other security officers who assist in the arrest of Jesus.
PRISON GUARD #1 The prison guard who assists in the arrangements for Jesus’ Last Supper.
THREE OTHER
PRISON GUARDS The prison guards who stand watch while Jesus’ Last Supper is being served.
PRISON GUARD #2 The prison guard who assists in the activities associated with Jesus’ Last Supper.
WARDEN
ASCHCROFT The warden of the prison in which Jesus is incarcerated who happens to share Jesus’ Last Supper.
* Because of the rather sardonic nature of the play, you have the playwright’s exclusive permission to alter the names of several of the characters as indicated: Miss Rice (Miss Harris); Ted Koppal (Ben Balou); Secretary Dumsfeld (Secretary Shannon); Warden Aschcroft (Warden Simpson); President Bash (President Lewis); Vice President Shaney (Vice President Lane); Ariel Sharoni (Aaron Stein); Wolfowitz (Smith); Pearl (Renner); The Wine… Tejas Thomja Saint Delaysio (The Wine… Chateau Saint Zhawbay)
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Soderstrom, a nearly retired Professor of Psychology, is also a playwright, storyteller, and poet. Soderstrom has taught psychology at the collegiate level for the past thirty-eight years. His specialty and lifelong interest has been that of the psychology and philosophy of religion. He has published several articles, but the one of which he is most proud is an article entitled, Religious Orientation and Meaning in Life, which turned out to be the first article published in Division 36 (The Psychology of Religion) of The American Psychological Association. He has written one book entitled The Truth Less Told: Understanding Ourselves As We Really Are. He has been selected to be in Marquis Who’s Who in American Education twice, and once in Marquis Who’s Who In Medicine and Healthcare. Those things that have brought Dr. Soderstrom the greatest degree of joy are his son, Mike; his wife, Ann; his mother and father; the opportunity to be a teacher; hiking and camping in the Rocky Mountains; and his wonderful, loving dogs.
G. Doug Soderstrom, Ph.D.
1212 Briar Lane
Wharton, Texas 77488
Home Phone: (979) 532-0990
College Phone: (979) 532-6451
dougsod@wcjc.cc.tx.us
Commented on May 18th, 2004 at 12:38 pm.
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