The Christians

Play

Writers: Lucas Hnath

Overview

Show Information

Category
Play
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
2014
Genres
Drama
Settings
Contemporary, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
A megachurch in 21st-century America
Cast Size
small
Orchestra Size
None
Dancing
None
Ideal for
College/University, Ensemble Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast
Casting Notes
Mostly male cast
Includes adult characters

Synopsis

Highly theatrical and yet intimate at the same time, Lucas Hnath’s The Christians blurs the line between church and theatre (and in some ways, turns one into the other). In an unspecified American locale, Pastor Paul basks in the glory of having built a megachurch with thousands of loyal congregants and a newly-paid-for building. But a singular sermon that will radically shift the church’s teachings starts a ripple effect that could have devastating consequences both personally and professionally. Hnath’s masterful use of language illuminates the showmanship and the faltering of a pastor caught between preserving what he believes to be true or the church that he’s dedicated his life to building. With richly layered and authentic characters, The Christians is an immersive look at the cost of internal politics.

Lead Characters


The Christians guide sections