“Susan and God” – nearing tech rehearsals

Susan and God, Lisa Peretti, playing Susan Trexel

Actually we’ve just finished the third week of rehearsals, and the tech and dress rehearsals start Wednesday.

Susan and God is social satire by Rachel Crothers, a playwright who wrote and directed most of her 31 plays on Broadway from the late 1910s-into the late 1940s. The play is about Susan, a socialite who returns from Europe with a new found religious fervor who sets about straightening the lives of her other wealthy friends. Over the course of few months one summer, she dabbles in the lives of others…and loses sight of the goodness of her husband and teenage daughter. In practise, she invokes her beliefs as license to ignore those who love her. It’s a funny play, really (!!), with a Noel Coward banter that turns warm hearted as Susan discovers things about her friends, husband and daughter.

Rehearsals are going very well, with Lisa Peretti, Don Brady, Ryan Childers, Kevin Brady, Nikki Visel, Heather Hawkins, Alicia Anderson and Austin Case. We having a lot of fun with these characters…who wear tennis togs and riding gear then change into tuxes and gowns for dinner! No one seems to actually have a job, except the actor amongst them! Lots of fun for all.

Why this play? I’m enjoying the balance of social satire, several love stories at risk of imploding, and the mixed up invocation of faith as the free ticket out of responsibility. The cloak of religion for selfishness isn’t new territory, but Crothers has done an intriguing job of exposing sham religion and bringing about a series of personal revelations that bring Susan around to reconciling relationships and recognizing her own need for humility and love. And it’s funny too.  Should be great theatre too!

PS: We open Friday, September 26th — pretty soon!