We meet two guards. 'All I did was shoot him in the ass', he explains to his long-suffering lawyer Mary Hanrahan. who shot a cult leader in the ass because he had ensnared Angel's best friend in his "religion," and Edi Gathegi as Lucius Jenkins, a brutal murderer who found religion on his way to the executioner. [17], Michael Billington of The Guardian, who had given the play three out of five stars in 2002,[18] gave the same rating after a 2019 performance and said that "for all the vividness of the dialogue, the play still strikes me as baffling in its exploration of guilt, faith and redemption." Soulpepper Theatre presents Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, a graphic and distressing story of two prison inmates serving time for murder. The performance by Frankham was another highlight for me; the development of the character though her interactions with Angel and her later monologues was subtle, yet well conveyed. Stephen Adly Guirgis' Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is an explosive, verbose play set in the maximum security wing of the infamous Rikers' Island prison in New York. The two convicts talk about God and redemption, free-will, racism, addiction and the meaning of freedom. Angel Cruz is a young Puerto Rican man incarcerated for shooting a cult leader after said person stole his best friend. If you dont have access to a reader, please present a monologue in the style of the show. Runs to February 23 at The Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto's Historic Distillery District in the Michael Young Theatre, 50 Tank House Lane. a panoptican effect. Publication date 2002 Topics . jesus hopped the a train lucius monologuehow long does it take to digest raw broccoli. Guirgis tosses a lot of moral questions into the mix here, and while he avoids moralizing (as does Anish Jethmalani's crisp and high-octane production), he also doesn't seem to have fully decided whether he's writing a searing portrait of the dehumanization of the correctional system or a theological deconstruction of the rock of faith in a hard place. He shares an isolation wing with Angel, placed there for protection after he was attacked and raped while on remand. Oct. 23, 2017. T.Schreiber. Angel (Sean Carvajal) is being held pending trial for the shooting of a Reverend Kim, the leader of a religious organization modeled on Sun Myung Moons Unification Church. Melanie Furstenberg Dubuque, stimulus control transfer is important for, most dangerous towns in suffolk county, ny, God Is The Giver, And Sustainer Of Life Verse. We see Angel meeting with his lawyer, a tightly-wound public defender with personal walls as thick as the ones at Rikers. More than most Zoom-style productions, this one unifies separately filmed characters through the actors expert timing and via the common scenic background of poster-stylized prison and protest. Beyond Therapy. web pages Collective Consciousness Theatres Jesus Hopped The A Train by Stephen Adly Guirgis runs through November 11 at Erector Square (319 Peck Street, Building 6S) in New Haven, CT. Jesus, directed by Dexter J. Singleton and produced by Jenny Nelson, stars Jhulenty Delossantos (Angel), Rob Giardian (DAmico), Jason Hall (Valdez), Bridget McCarthy (Mary Jane Hanrahan) & Terrence Riggins (Lucius). agrees to represent him. Angel Cruz and Lucius Jenkins face murder charges. Part investigation of our broken criminal justice system, part examination of the corruptive influence of Judeo-Christian morality, "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train" is a promising start to Eclipse Theatre . Kim's described affect on Joey, the friend Angel fought so hard to free from a cultish existence built by a false prophet. Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Arthur Williams III as Lucius Jenkins and Bill Stambaugh as Valdez in Hovey's 'Jesus Hopped the A Train) By Deanna Dement Myers. Lucius has been convicted of eight sadistic murders and is awaiting extradition to . Review | Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train | Young Vic | 5 Stars | Kate Hewitt's production of Stephen Adly Guirgis' 'Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train' is bold and. [11] The production team included director Mark Brokaw, Riccardo Hernndez as set designer, Dede M. Ayite as costume designer, Scott Zielinski as lighting designer, and M.L. the shock of the charismatic Lucius' descriptions of his own murders, and finally, the 'A' train itself. Off Broadway Review: 'Jesus Hopped the A Train'. . JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN Auditions Actor's Express Theatre Company in Submission 11/23. New York, NY, Ages 12-17: Camp Broadway Ensemble @ Carnegie Hall Productions But when the Reverend dies in hospital, Angel lands in solitary confinement next to Lucius, a card-carrying Christian serial-killer. Inside Rikers Island, a terrified Angel is befriended by a charismatic serial killer named Lucius Jenkins. Angel (John Ortiz) and Lucius (Ron Cephas Jones) are in lock-down, spending all but one hour a day in their cells. Uploaded by Gender: Male. Above, over 40 white spot lights illuminate this catwalk. Angel Cruz is a 30-year-old bicycle messenger awaiting trial for the death of the leader of a religious cult. Qty: Full Length, Drama 4 men, 1 woman Total Cast: 5, Flexible Set ISBN-13: 978--8222-1799-2. [16] In 2018, Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train was ranked by The New York Times writers as the 14th best American play of the previous 25 years. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train Theatre Review. Thats astonishing, as their roles are killers in more ways than one. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. The opening monologue, in which Angel struggles to say the Lords Prayer but repeatedly mangles it, is so packed with frustrated profanities that it evokes David Mamets extremes. That is exactly where Mr. Guirgis, who won a 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Between Riverside and Crazy, wants us: in a confused crouch that renders us vulnerable to deeper questioning. He is the one who reaches out, shares cigarettes, warns about the Monday soup and recites the names of the books of the Old Testament, backward, while doing deep knee bends and lunges. . for her but theres also a personal connection. Mirrors, not cages, provide the true path to justice and peace. Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. . New York playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis' star has been firmly on the rise for the last 12 years or so. (Scott Dray). Portland Monthly; Seattle Met; Sarasota Magazine; Aspen Sojourner; Vail-Beaver Creek Magazine; Park City Magazine; Houstonia Magazine 2799 Katy Freeway, Suite 250, Houston, TX 77007 Phone: 713-862 . Lucius (Carl Lumbly), an articulate serial killer who has found God, is Angel's next door cellmate. Angel, on the other hand, acquires the nickname of Droopy Dog. All you can really hear is the thundering heartbeat of each man's fear. The play is essentially a set of monologues stitched together at the edges, and showing signs of fraying. Synopsis. | Check out 'Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train Fundraiser' on Indiegogo. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train reveals a young playwright's awkwardness with its overwritten passages and reliance on expository monologues. Rabbit Hole. Set in Rikers Island, the notorious New York City jail, Guirgis' play traces the parallel fates of two inmates Lucius (D'Wayne Taylor), a serial killer known as "the Black Plague," and Angel (Johnathan Nieves), a young Puerto Rican. Intermission is partnering with Soulpepper Theatre Company and theatre critic Robert Cushman to mentor this season's participants. By Jesse Green. I particularly liked the way you could see reflections in the Lucius has found God and been reborn. Castro's Valdez and Birnkrant's Mary Jane certainly seem as flawed if not quite as violent in the case of the latter as Angel. Lucius Jenkins is a . We see how his case becomes of a professional project Angel's desperate desire for assurance and forgiveness make him, in a weird way, immediately lovable. HB Studio. It starred Edi Gathegi, Sean Carvajal, Ricardo Chavira, Stephanie DiMaggio, and Erick Betancourt. Furthermore, staging it in the round allows the guard Valdez (a smug and pitiable character played very well by Joplin Sibtain) to roam all levels of . We hear a story of how her The kind that seems so raw and dangerous, you almost feel like a creep for listening in but then anxiously wait for his return whenever he leaves the stage. DAmico - (30s/40s/Italian) He is a gentle and more calming guard at Rikers. Lucius. Gathegi. Apply for Rights. The first, Charlie D'Amico (Erick Betancourt), is soon fired for doing a variety of favors for Lucius. on March 2, 2022, There are no reviews yet. JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN by Stephen Adly Guirgis . and Hanrahans monologues to gain an air of a courtroom. When the cult leader dies during surgery, Angel suddenly finds himself facing murder charges. Given those two scenes, you might assume this will be just another legal procedural about a hoodlum caught up in the prison-industrial complex. Mark Brokaw directs a cast made up of Edi Gathegi, Sean Carvajal, Ricardo Chavira, Erick Betancourt, and Stephanie DiMaggio. This slight flaw in the writing is exacerbated by a few awkward directorial choices, including a Law & Order-like chung-chung sound effect between scenes. . Angel (Jhulenty Delossantos, who starts off strong but grows even more assured once he starts interacting with Riggins) meets Lucius in the prison yard. Some movie actress, she got incested once or twice, she so brave to come forward! idea of performance. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train is skillfully structured so that the audience's sympathies see-saw back and forth between the silver-tongued Lucius and a seemingly sadistic guard named Valdez (the . "Angel Cruz is a thirty-year-old bike messenger from NYC who has lost his best friend to a religious cult. Directed by Kevin Mack. 4. Yet, by the end of the play, the opening scenes dark hilarity appears more to have been a groping first effort toward a sincere rediscovery of faith perhaps Guirgis deepest theme. Dont be a God-fearing man, Valdez warns Lucius, be a Valdez-fearing man.. Good versus evil. A sociopathic serial killer awaiting extradition to Florida, Lucius pauses from his workouts only to chain smoke and to "save" Angel. . Short North Stages streaming production, which continues through June 27, is well-acted and tightly staged. So where is God where is good in the criminal justice system? Angel Cruz, a poor Puerto Rican, isn't sure why he's in jail after shooting Reverend Kim, the born-again Christian who brainwashed his best friend. The critic wrote that there are "overwritten passages and reliance on expository monologues. Lucius has found God and been born again, and now, Angel's life and the course of his trial will be changed forever. But after DAmico is canned for slipping Lucius contraband cookies, hes left without an audience. Randall Sr. captivates as Lucius "Black Plague" Jenkins, a serial killer on death row who has found God and is trying to lead Angel to Him . He then mercilessly exploits that vulnerability by adding a contrasting pair of guards to the mix: one, named Charlie, a good-natured patsy; the other, Valdez, a by-the-rules sadist. But mostly there Jesus Hopped the A Train. Guirgis has a gift for mixing the humorous and the horrific, but it doesn't always land in the writing or the production here. The characters have nowhere to hide so it heightens the Lucius Jenkins Show Jesus Hopped the A Train Gender Male Age Range Adult, Mature Adult Role Size Lead Time & Place rikers island prison, new york, present day Tags angry christian serial killer smug confident charisma Analysis Charismatic and confident, Lucius is a convicted serial killer in READ MORE - PRO MEMBERS ONLY But the intriguing Eric Aviles as Angel and E. Milton Wheeler as Lucius, a serial killer who's supposedly found Jesus . . JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN by Stephen Adly Guirgis . Angel Cruz, played by Richard Nguyen Sloniker is a Puerto Rican awaiting trial for justifiable attempted murder. The verbally fiery "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train" is a bravura play: The dialogue can be ear-scaldingly profane, and the heaven-or-hell speeches soar like theological arias. Lucius Jenkins is on appeal, trying to avoid the death penalty for the murder of eight people. Jesus Hopped the A Train Barbara and Scott Siegel New York City December 26, 2000 John Ortiz is Angel Cruz in Jesus Hopped The A Train (Photo: Jamie Mullians) Stephen Adly Guirgis, whose In Arabia,. (Arthur Williams III), an older man who shows him kindness and seeks to show him the way to Jesus's love. Stephen Adly Guirgis' critical and hilarious examination o. "[14], In a review of one of Guirgis's later works, Hilton Als described Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train as "hysterical and irreverent", "an outstanding 2000 piece about imprisonment and moral responsibility. In other scenes, she performs monologues. LINK: His replacement, Valdez (Ricardo Chavira), is not likely to show anyone a kindness. The victim? Billington quipped that Angel's final sacrificial gesture "smacks more of romantic fiction than spiritual redemption [] I enjoyed the production without fully believing in Guirgis's vision of crime and punishment. Brayden Fagbemis putback rescues No. Search all monologues from plays. Rather it is Mr. Guirgiss tip-off that what may look like a genre play a legal procedural is going to consider Gods justice as well as mans. In the Signature Theater revival of Stephen Adly Guirgis' "Jesus Hopped the A Train . Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is a play written by Stephen Adly Guirgis. We are working with an Equity-approved safety plan that includes vaccination, testing, masking, cleaning and distancing protocols. Jesus Hopped the A Train screens only on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Jesus' Blood Found 23 Chromosomes, . We only provide suggested audition monologues or songs for an individual character if our system finds content that matches a character's traits. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. . But Nieves' resonant performance negotiates the line between adolescence and adulthood, faith and nihilism and other boundaries that cage in Angel's soul as surely as the Rikers walls encase his body. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train closes October 15, 2017 Details and tickets -[/ezcol_1third] It's startling to watch Luciusa so-called man of Godinfluence Angel in a way akin to Rev. Lucius has done terrible things but now he has found God. And these characters sure do perform! Beitrags-Autor: Beitrag verffentlicht: Juni 10, 2022 Beitrags-Kategorie: cha am beach, phetchaburi cha am beach, phetchaburi Stephen Adly Guirgis. Jesus Hopped The "A" Train. Guirgis explores crime, punishment, responsibility, redemption, religion, faith, skepticism, God and whether justice is possible in this flawed world. . Sean Carvajal stars in Stephen Adly Guirgis's Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, directed by Mark Brokaw, at Signature Theatre. Lucius is a "celebrity" prisoner, an old-hat at the prison. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. Lucius is also a serial killer, a self-described paranoid schizophrenic who employs his charms on . But the audience also hears stories of childhood friendships and complicated . If you're wondering what Philip Seymour . Call 614-725-4042 or visitshortnorthstage.org. In one of the plays strongest and most sobering moments, Lucius rails against this saying Was it my free will to be abused and violated from the age a five? Jeff. . Author bio(s) $13.00. All monologues are property and copyright of their owners. Story. Lucius to dislike, although this is after weve warmed to him. His first five plays were directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and subsequently received critically acclaimed productions in New York and London. What Does Cameron Call His Style Of Rhythm?, When he shows up, Angel is reserved, angry and abused. But in the next cell to Angel is an articulate serial killer called Lucius who has found God and who tries . Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train plays through April 21st at the SF Playhouse, 533 Sutter St, San Francisco. Jesus Hopped the A Train. The joy of Stephen Adly Guirgis' Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train is in meeting his characters: . This is an invite-only performance limited to the local area. Kim's described affect on Joey, the friend Angel fought so hard to free from a cultish existence built by a false prophet. Howard?) amidst the cacophony of his incarcerated neighbors telling him, in no polite terms, to shut up. Long story, which Guirgis tells well, but a bullet aimed at the cult leaders butt ricochets to later put Angels liberty at risk and puts him in the cell next to Lucius. Kate Hewitts production and Magda . In one particularly impressive monologue, Adjepong's Lucius exercises whilst addressing his religious beliefs; the actor's energy doesn't falter once as he performs . With the criminal-justice system the subject of much scrutiny, Short North Stages production of Jesus Hopped the A Train seems timely. The new guard Valdez (Jason Hall) is cruel and curt. Marmions Trevon Roots wins battle with Burlington Centrals Drew Scharnowski for sectional title. Much of it also seems unneeded and diverting. One has been serving his sentence for years, but his discovery of God helps him find joy in his days. or convincing themselves. An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. An inmate at Rikers (ANGEL) struggles with his new circumstances as he tries to convince his fellow inmate (LUCIUS) to speak to him. ( Joan Marcus) A prisoner struggles through the Lord's . Lucius, despite Taylor's fearsome performance, remains a bit of a conundrum, as captured in a beguiling late-in-the-play monologue from D'Amico (Zach Bloomfield), a guard who loses his job for doing too many favors for the killer. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train revels in these complexities. Jesus beautifully toys with that idea, like in Mary Janes monologue about her alcoholic father. "[15] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter reviewed a 2017 revival favorably, praising the "incisive characterizations and riveting dialogue". (played with methodical control by Dervla Kirwan) takes a liking to him and Still . But it also displays incendiary passion and insight into its. Lucius is awaiting extradition to Florida to take responsibility for the trail of bodies he left behind. Jesus Hopped the A Train is a . [12][13] However, Pamela Renner reviewed the premiere unfavorably in Variety, with most praise reserved for Ron Cephas Jones. Angel Cruz. Soulpepper's 'Jesus Hopped the A Train' does just that. Its the reason I keep coming back to Collective Consciousness. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train is a multi-layered discussion about morality in all its forms and how the artificiality of prison with its removal of humanity and, perhaps quaint, concept of punishment, challenges concepts of responsibility and redemption. Contents 1 Plot synopsis 2 Productions 3 Reception 4 References 5 External links Plot synopsis The play takes place in a prison on Rikers Island in New York. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. The performance by Williams was understated but effective and led to one of the most compelling scenes, where D'Amico is describing Lucius' execution. After that line, the play instantly becomes an obscenity oratorio in which vicious, muscular dialogue, appropriate to its setting, turns into gorgeous music. Relying heavily on the attorney's direct address monologues, the entire subject seems to be one Guirgis feels the need to include, but never finds a way to integrate. Lucius Jenkins: Male, 40-49 Work from Home Christian, serial killer, smug, confident, and charismatic, with a near manic upbeat energy. It's the reason I keep coming back to Collective Consciousness. The play runs about 15 minutes too long the second act has too much repetitive, screamed arguments and Guirgis has a habit of spelling his theses out a little too neatly. Opened Oct. 23, 2017. His poetry has appeared in various literary publications in the United States and abroad. These scenes are separated by blackouts and a . Jesus Hopped the A Train tells the story of several inmates of Rikers Prison who are awaiting charges for murder. station23.cebu very much confined are fully opened out. The reverend subsequently, and indirectly, dies. Doubt. Inside Rikers Island, a terrified Angel is befriended by a charismatic serial killer named Lucius Jenkins. Another effect may be an accident of timing, but todays viewers may connect most to Guirgis 2000 play when one prisoner says: Were in lockdown no contact whatsoever.. View Jesus_Hopped_the_A_Train from THE 100 at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College. is a lot of reason to like him or at least be impressed by him. rikers island prison, new york, present day, Ages 12-17: Camp Broadway Ensemble @ Carnegie Hall. Lucius (Carl Lumbly), an articulate serial killer who has found God, is Angel's next door cellmate. With Lucius Jenkins' spiritually transformed after killing eight people, Valdez becomes the default villain of the piece, if it has one, but Guirgis suggests that the Valdezes of the world reflect larger failings throughout the justice system. One has been serving his sentence for years, but his discovery of God helps him find joy in his days. Scotiabank Rising Teammates, It opened on the Pershing Square Signature Center's Irene Diamond Stage on October 23, 2017, and ran until November 26th, 2017. Late in Jesus Hopped the "A" Train, . . Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists. Results may vary. Beautifully acted, these scenes are expertly written by Guirgis whose dialogue is both frank, darkly comical and naturalistic while still playing host to some fascinating theological debates. The play was performed during the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland in August 2001. Jesus Hopped first opened off-Broadway in November of 2000. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. It's a tight, well-paced and thoughtful staging . Lucius Jenkins - (40's/50's/Black) He is a charismatic, confident convicted serial killer but he has . Their monologues are all interesting, at least, but Guirgis was mainly interested in having Angel and Lucius debate. Running time: 2 hours and 20 minutes with one 20-minute interval. Plot synopsis. THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL at New York Theatre Workshop, THE WALLS HAVE EARS at The Roxy Theatre Group, Gulfshore Playhouse 2023-24 Season at Gulfshore Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey 2023 Season at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE 2023 SEASON at Westport Country Playhouse. Be the first one to, Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, Prisons -- New York (State) -- New York -- Drama, urn:lcp:jesushoppedatrai0000guir_y8m1:lcpdf:c385346e-d259-4dec-814e-689ba64dc1b7, urn:lcp:jesushoppedatrai0000guir_y8m1:epub:4d85c109-bfbb-49e0-ade3-a74c2a2e37c1, Terms of Service (last updated 12/31/2014). The monologue from which the play takes its name was a low point in an otherwise thrillingly paced drama. But the guy dies, and the Angel is in solitary . Stephen Adly Guirgis' Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is an explosive, verbose play set in the maximum security wing of the infamous Rikers' Island prison in New York. (He tells his court-appointed lawyer that he merely aimed at Kims water-buffalo-sized posterior.) the covid-19 monologues; playland miss julie the river two by beckett: footfalls & krapp's last tape jesus hopped the 'a' train . Angel, who has just shot the leader of a religious cult, gloomily awaits the results of his trial, all the while insisting to himself that the shooting was entirely justified because of the cult's. As public defender Mary Jane Hanrahan, who tries to preparereluctant Angel for court, Carolyn Demanelis captures the jaded cynicism and the faded embers of idealism of someone whos labored in the system for far too long. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train Paper Elizabeth Taylor Class: Theatre 100-162W Professor: Christopher . Angel (John Ortiz) and Lucius (Ron Cephas Jones) are in lock-down, spending all but one hour a day in their cells. Making moments memorable are flashbacks some characters share. Dogg as sound designer. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. Where: Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Tickets: $30 at 773-935-6875 or www.eclipsetheatre.com. Thirty-year-old Angel Cruz (Xavier Lopez) has just been thrown in Riker's Island prison, the notorious institution on New York City's East River. What about my victimization? It then returned to New York City as writer Stephen Adly Guirgis began his residency at Signature Theatre Company. it in the round allows the guard Valdez (a smug and pitiable character played very Reverend Kim, a Lexus-driving cult leader who's sucked in Angel's childhood friend, Joey. Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Angel holds out that he was justified and his lawyer's sure that a hearts-and-minds appeal will get him off at trial. [20], Last edited on 30 December 2022, at 16:19, "Hoffman Directs Original Cast of Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train for June 22 Reading", "Review: Its Law vs. Order in Jesus Hopped the A Train", "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train Extends at Signature Theatre", "Signatures Jesus Hopped the A Train Delayed Two Days Following Departure of Reg E. Cathey", "Australian Stage Online - Jesus Hopped the A Train", "THEATER REVIEW - Locked Up In a Place Far Beyond Redemption", "The Great Work Continues: The 25 Best American Plays Since 'Angels in America', "Jesus Hopped the A Train, Donmar Warehouse, London", "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train review faith and horror on Rikers Island", "Review: Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train brings a poetic and profane playwright to Soulpepper", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jesus_Hopped_the_%27A%27_Train&oldid=1130526120, This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 16:19.