Church & State was supposed to hit the stage in May 2020, but due to the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and renovations at Fort Worth’s Stage West Theatre, the play is showing now until February 20. With a combination of comedy and drama, this fast-paced story will keep you invested while the uplifting, heartbreaking, funny, and thought-provoking action unfolds right before your eyes.
Church & State was written by Jason Odell Williams, an Emmy-nominated producer and writer as well as an award-winning novelist and playwright, according to Stage West Theatre’s website.
In the performance, the play’s protagonist, North Carolina Senator Charles Whitmore, goes through a crisis of faith three days before bidding for re-election. Due to this internal crisis, Whitmore makes comments about two victims of a school shooting after their funeral, causing his campaign to spiral out of control.
According to Stage West Theatre, the story is a comment on one perception of America’s views: how it seems as though religion has infiltrated politics and politics has ultimately become a religion.
Actor Ashley Wood, who portrays Whitmore, told NBC DFW, “The anchoring event of the show is so heavy, and this is about people dealing with it, trying to see if there’s anything they can do to make sure this kind of stuff doesn’t happen again. So, without an infusion of hope, it would just be a leaden, terrible, awful evening.”
Director Jenna Burnett shared, “The comedy comes from how much these people love each other. They trust each other. It just naturally comes out of their relationship.”
The cast includes actors Ashley Wood, Shannon J. McGrann, Madeline Dockery-Fuhrmann, and Ryan Michael Friedman.
The public can see the story unfold at the Jerry Russell Theatre stage within Stage West Theatre, located at 821 West Vickery Boulevard in Fort Worth. The show is being performed weekly on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. until February 20.
Tickets are on sale for $40 for Thursdays and Fridays and are set at $45 dollars for Saturdays and Sundays. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.