Doomsday - Getting A Clue

Okay, I'm not one of the brightest bulbs in the pack. You know, a couple cans short of a six-pack. A couple floats short of a parade. So sometimes it takes me a bit to actually get clued in to what's going on. It started with rehearsals last week. I had a couple of actors that came up to me saying how the play seems to mirror what's going on in the world right now. Aside from the references to the economy tanking, the play also refers to an impending war between China and India that could escalate into a world war. Of course, the whole thing going on between Russia and Georgia this last week seemed to perk some people up, not that the situation could ever escalate that much, but you never know.

Now before I go on about the prophetic nature of the play, let me just say how amazing our cast is. Just wonderful! Trista is playing my sidekick, Gigi, and I'm so glad. She's a really great actress with a wonderful sensibility and great comedic timing. Ross and Olivia are playing Alice and Joe, a couple in the city looking to adopt after having lost their only child. They do so well capturing the pain of this couple. Really something to behold. Marisa does an outstanding Mo, heiress to a real estate mogul, pretentious but she brings some real heart to the role. Kay plays Rose, the ex-socialite maven who has had enough loss in her life. Kay is always the professional and a joy to have in any cast. First time she's playing more of a real person and not a character role. I'm excited to see what she does with this. Herve is playing Jay. I said this last time, this young man has a real presence. You just have to see him. Then our cops, Kayla is a tough yet heartfelt Tru, Brendan is hilarious as Pete and Rollin as Ace -- quite intense, the cast is already scared of him. So we have a really great cast and Cathy is doing outstanding directing all of us. You must come see!

Now about the story. I wrote the play because I thought it would be an interesting story. As I was thinking about it the other day and from what some of the actors mentioned to me their feelings, I had this little voice in the back of my head saying, "Dude, this story is bigger than you think it is". Okay. First, why does the voice in my head call me "dude"? Second, bigger in what way?

So back in the day when I was about 12 (maybe 10 or 15 years ago -- you believe me, right?), there was this huge movement in the church dealing with the end times. This writer, Hal Lindsay, wrote a book "The Late Great Planet Earth" that tried to define the book of Revelation and put the imagery from the book into context in light of world events. I was hooked. I consumed every book or article about the end times. I saw "The Omen" series. I listened to various speakers on the subject. I mean, I was a walking encyclopedia (or wikipedia to you kids) on the subject. The Rapture. The Tribulation. The Great White Throne. The Four Horsemen. Bowls and Trumpets and Scrolls -- Oh My! All the arguments having to do with a Post-Trib, Pre-Trib or Mid-Trib Rapture. I knew it all! Had the timeline of the end times down pat. It wasn't until years later when it dawned on me. Every single author/speaker had a different interpretation on when, how and what was going to happen. In other words, nobody really knew, other than it would happen -- some time!

And so I wrote Doomsday, not as a scenario as to what the end times will be like. NOT as a chapter from the Left Behind series (yeesh!). I wrote it as a commentary on mankind having to deal with fear and loss in light of the possible end of the world. Is there any way to find hope in the midst of the world coming unhinged. And by world, I mean the world at large AND our own personal worlds. Each of the characters in the play deal with the unknown danger that is beyond the front door of the bar they find themselves in as well as dealing with their own personal loss or fears in their own lives. I find that interesting, that we have to deal with our humanity regardless of whether the world falls apart.

But on a bigger note, I recall a prophetic friend of mine, Jean Darnall, making a statement back in the year 2000, that this century will be one marked by tragedy. I have never forgotten that. I'm not saying we're living in the last days. I would be an idiot if I did. But I do believe that things will most probably get worse before they get better. The ecnomy. The middle east. The ferocity of disasters that seems to grow. Golbal warming. Crime. Darfur. AIDS. The list goes on. Is there a way to find hope in the midst of all this? I believe there is -- because I believe we're not alone. I believe in Someone who cares about the state of the world AND cares about each and every one of us in the world. The end is coming. I believe that. When, I don't know. But what I do know is that the end is not something to fear.

So as I think about the play, it always amazes me how I sit down and write something and never consider the weight of what I'm writing until afterwards. The whole prophetic nature of it is really fascinating. It is prophetic, but not from the standpoint of WHAT will happen, but how we as human beings need to come to terms with ourselves. I hope that makes sense.

Now if I can only do something about those long freakin' monologues, the audience may stick around long enough to actaully SEE the play.

Peace out!