Jesus Hopped the A Train tells the story of several inmates of Rikers Prison who are awaiting charges for murder. Angel Cruz is a young Puerto Rican man incarcerated for shooting a cult leader after said person “stole” his best friend. When the cult leader dies during surgery, Angel suddenly finds himself facing murder charges. Added to the mix are Lucius Jenkins, a serial killer turned born-again Christian, and Valdez, a sadistic corrections officer. Jesus Hopped first opened off-Broadway in November of 2000. It was directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman (yes, that Philip Seymour Hoffman) and ran until the end of December that same year. Two years later a similar production was mounted at London’s Donmar Warehouse. Jesus Hopped was fairly well received by critics and though it did not pick up any major awards in its US run, it was nominated for an Olivier Award in the UK in the category of Best New Play in 2003.
Jesus Hopped the A Train guide sections
