Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train - Softcover

Stephen Adly Guirgis

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0413772136 ISBN 13: 9780413772138

Publisher: Methuen Drama, 2002

Synopsis

"Its aggressive high-octane style is like a shot of caffeine straight in the veins" - Lyn Gardner, Guardian 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. 'All I did was shoot him in the ass', he explains to his long-suffering lawyer Mary Hanrahan. But when the Reverend dies in hospital, Angel lands in solitary confinement next to Lucius, a card-carrying Christian serial-killer. Angel holds out that he was justified and his lawyer's sure that a hearts-and-minds appeal will get him off at trial. But then, in a knife-edge final discussion before Lucius is sent to the electric chair, Angel extraordinarily finds that he too is turning towards the faith that he has so far shunned, thus jeopardising his own case against the born-agains. This is a truth-telling, cage-rattling play about faith, justice and diminishing options in an American prison.A 2001 Edinburgh Festival and Off-Broadway hit, the play's London premieres at the Donmar Warehouse in March 2002.

About this title

About the Author

Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis is a longtime member of NYC's LAByrinth Theater Company. His plays have been produced on five continents and throughout the United States. They include: the extended, sold out run of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Our Lady of 121st Street (10 best plays of 2003; Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Best Play Nominations), Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train (Edinburgh Fringe First Award, Olivier Nomination as London's Best New Play, Barrymore Award, Detroit Free Press Best Play Award), and In Arabia We'd All Be Kings(10 Best of '99, TimeOut New York, critics pick, TimeOut London). All four plays were originally produced by LAByrinth, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and are published through Dramatists Play Service and by Faber and Faber. Stephen was awarded a 2004 TCG fellowship, attended the 2004 Sundance Screenwriter's Lab, was named one of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film by FilmMaker magazine, and appeared in Entertainment Weekly s 2005 Summer Must List. Television writing credits include NYPD Blue , The Sopranos , David Milch s CBS drama Big Apple , and Shane Salerno's NBC drama UC: Undercover . As an actor, he has appeared in Brett C. Leonard s Guinea Pig Solo produced at the Public Theatre in New York, and played leading roles in two recent films: Todd Solondz's Palindromes, and Brett C. Leonard's award winning Jailbait opposite Michael Pitt. Currently, he is writing his first feature film for Scott Rudin Productions, to be directed by George C. Wolfe. He lives in New York City

From AudioFile

All the rhythms and immediacy of a live stage production come through in this intense, intelligent, and fast-paced drama. A young Latino finds himself on death row at Riker's Island after a prank accidentally leads to homicide. Joe Quintero is outstanding as he portrays the anger and confusion of Angel Cruz, a man whose only human contact is with a guard (David Zayas), an overzealous public defender (Janel Moloney), and a born-again death-row inmate (Charlie Robinson). The script is edgy, the actors top-notch, and the emotions electric as the play draws to an all too realistic conclusion. This is exceptional theater for the ear. B.P. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Edition details

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0413772136
• ISBN 13: 9780413772138
• Binding: Paperback