It's no accident that God's Man in Texas premiered at Actors Theater of Louisville's Humana Festival. Theatrically, it demands dynamic interpreters; FST is blessed with all three. Dramatically, could the title not apply to any of them? At Rock Baptist Church, Dr. Philip Gottschall (sharp-spoken, spiffy William Metzo) stars in pulpit, on TV, and among Houston's power elite as mesmerizing preacher and builder of a mega church cum community. With a wife pulling strings "backstage," Gottschall, now 81, is limited in power only by a board who've started "auditioning" possible successors in a parade of "guests" who deliver a weekly special sermon. It's also widely televised under tech manager Hugo. A former alcoholic, addict, womanizer (Rick Burford, talkily a twitter), he uses every church-sponsored means to bolster his reform. Absorbing behind the scenes info, notably as Mrs. G's spy, Hugo naturally spouts exposition while assessing preacher candidates and the needs of their audiences. (Dr. G. hasn't scored very high with the younger generation.)
At the start, Dr. Jeremiah "Jerry" Mears' auditions reveal his fervent commitment to Christian fundamentalism as well as its links with his father, a charismatic salesman who made many a closing on faith in God too. (It turns out he converted Hugo.) Though he left his family, he'd indelibly "established credibility" toward religion in Jerry (sturdy, handsome, serious Mark Capri). Though as "degree-learned" now as Dr. G, Jerry pastors a more modest number, despite his having doubled his congregation. Agreeing to be more folksy as well as to reduce the "fidget factor" in his sermons, Jerry wins support of the Gs, who have an impaired daughter and no sons and to whom "continuity is important." That Jerry seems amenable to concentrating on youth and periphery social groups in the church also helps him attain what Gotschall's manipulated into a co-pastorship. After all, as Metzo's preacher proclaims, he's not going anywhere. Not until God says "It's time!"
No sooner has Time (the magazine) featured God's new man at the Rock than he learns of the Gs' manipulations ("spiking the call," for one) in his behalf. Jerry speeds among ministries, leading to Capri taking like physical blows revelations of Gotschall's jealousy. Then he learns Hugo has an unacknowledged son by a prostitute. The father-son crises soon parallel those between God and his ministers, ministers and flock, and ministers themselves.
At the production's start, classic choral music gives way to "Bringing in the Sheaves," and the spare mahogany furnishings and subdued, geometrically designed stained-glass windows in the church contrast with the gaudy, brightly lit holiday float Dr. G rides like a Vegas showman. When he sermonizes on the theme "like father, like son," it pertains with new meaning to the three men.
There's more humor in the play than one might expect given the serious, lofty subject -- and with less irony. The theme of commercialization of religion is embedded in a human interest story rather than vice-versa. Metzo's slick showiness doesn't descend into Elmer Gantry-type cloning. Capri remains solid and straight-forward without dulling. Smaller in stature than either, Rick Burford's Hugo may seem like a little flunky, but he makes a big difference in how action and where sympathies fall. Richard Hopkins' direction is brisk while smooth, just like Dr. G proclaims his tea must taste.
