Stage Review - How to Write a New Book for the Bible (Taproot Theatre)
Stage Review - How to Write a New Book for the Bible
Presented By: Taproot Theatre - Seattle, WA
Show Run: March 20 - April 20, 2024
Date Reviewed: Thursday, March 28, 2024
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
“Write what you know”. How many times have we heard that, either from writers or to writers? Well, author, playwright, and Jesuit Priest Bill Cain hasn’t just followed that advice, he’s rolled that philosophy into his work. His play How to Write a New Book for the Bible opened at Taproot Theatre on March 20 (opening night was March 22) and runs through April 20 on their Jewell mainstage. The story is taken from experiences within his own family and specifically those around him dealing with his dying mother. It’s a story full of questions, some about family, and a lot about faith, God, and religion, taken from the perspective of a priest’s belief intersecting with the harsh reality of his family situation. The play itself has a long standing relationship with Seattle, having been developed by and premiered at Seattle Rep back in 2012, and this production, directed by Bretteney Beverly, aims to bring this story back to the PNW in the context of our own modern day struggles.
Cain’s script is excellent, it’s introspective, thought provoking, and very well written, poetic at times and full of well structured prose when it’s not. The story is simple in plot. Bill Cain is the lead character here in this autobiographical piece, having lost his father to cancer and now facing down the prospect of his mother following the same fate. He decides to move in with her, to help comfort her, and make her last few months as enjoyable as possible given the circumstances. With his father Pete gone, and his brother Paul married and moved away, it’s really up to Bill to make sure his mother Mary eats, takes her medication, and goes to her doctor appointments. The play feels like a slow roll to the inevitable and for those who have watched a loved one go through what Bill’s mother does here will recognize the fight for positivity in a situation with a predetermined end, the conflicts that occur between the caregiver and the one being cared for, and of course the questions, questions that range from whether or not God cares and why this is being thrust upon this particular person, which inevitably lead to the grander question around whether God even exists at all, to wondering if any of what we’re going through matters, and ultimately whether we as individuals matter. The telling is largely done by Bill himself, presenting the story to the audience as its narrator, toggling between that role and acting out scenes with his ailing mother. These scenes where Bill interacts with his mother, then turns to the audience to explain or provide detail, are interspersed with flashback scenes, including those with father Pete and brother Paul, in no particular order but specific to the context of the story at the time. These flashbacks go all the way back to when the boys were children and up to and including the recent past, almost as if the audience is flipping through the Cain family photo album in order to understand how each of the members’ journeys have led where they are now. Most of the flashbacks and stories are set with humor, but there are some pretty heavy as well, especially with some of what Paul went through after leaving home. And while the overall story itself is hard for quite a bit of it, the manner in which its presented is engaging and paced very well. Something like this could really drag, but this play, and particularly this production, doesn’t.
Much of this is due to how very well written it is. Bill’s aim here, as he considers faith and family, is not, as he says, to live the gospels, but rather to improve them. He presents the Bible as a second draft, the first draft being created through the oral tradition of storytelling, around what would have been the water cooler or dinner table of the time, its lessons coming from those stories and parables. As the title of the play implies, Cain ponders writing new books for the Bible, going back to that original manner of storytelling to document our lives, their details, and the lessons learned from them. He does a few things by looking at his faith this way. The first is, he admits that there is a lot he doesn’t know, and at the same time he shows that he can differentiate between an idea and a belief when it comes to God. Also, that the Bible is not the end all and be all. This immediately diffuses any thought on the audience’s part that this is a play that is somehow forcing its opinion, thereby allowing folks to listen to the story with an open mind. One other thing to note here is the situational relevance with regards to age. Good art means something different to everyone. If you’ve dealt with an aging or dying parent and were responsible for taking care of them, or part of a family where this was the case, you’ll get something different from those who haven’t had that experience. Some people will laugh at pieces of the show, while others may feel that part of the show hits a little too close to home. There are a number of these moments in the show, and it’s important to remember that each and every person brings their unique perspective into the theatre and will react as such.
Taproot’s Jewell Mainstage and its thrust configuration feels like the perfect venue for this show. Bretteney Beverly takes full advantage of it as well in the way she has designed the production. Utilizing the entirety of the stage, and the aisles in the theatre, the audience definitely feels like it is part of the storytelling. Mark Lund’s scenic design consists of a few static pieces, the outlined frame of a house toward the back of the stage, and in front of that the configuration of a living room, with chairs, a table, and desk, this space being where the majority of the show takes place. There are also two chests flanking the stage, each containing props and other story devices used at various times. There are a decent number if time jumps throughout, between Mary’s last months with Bill, and the flashbacks that provide the backstory, so in order to help the audience follow the timeline, Bretteney presents time through projections on pieces of the house frame, allowing the living room set to be used regardless of the time. Rounding out the creative team are Kilah Willams (costumes), Chih-Hung Shau (lighting), and Mark Lund does double-duty as the sound designer. The presentation of “How to Write” leaves no detail out, either, as I noted the Wegmans grocery bags brought in by Mary at one point in the show. West coasters may not appreciate this detail, but anyone from Syracuse, where the story is based, or even for those of us from other Wegmans states will definitely like the nod to one of our favorite grocery stores (that itself is an understatement, Wegmans is so much more!).
While Bill is the focal point of the show, as what happens is shown and explained largely from his perspective, it’s a team effort in this Taproot production of How to Write a New Book for the Bible. Typically that lead role is played by Richard Nguyen Sloniker, last seen by me as Jeeves in Jeeves Takes a Bow, last season’s fantastically funny late Spring offering at Taproot. Knowing how good Richard is as Jeeves and other roles I’ve seen, I’m confident that his Bill Cain is excellent, however during the Thursday evening show I attended, understudy Joe Moore stepped into the role. I am constantly amazed by the work of swings and understudies, needing to be as prepared as the principal actor, and not knowing if and when the call will be made for them to step in. Sometimes it is scheduled, sure, but even when it is, it’s a daunting task. This is my (maybe not so) brief way of saying that Joe’s performance here is every bit as good as I would have expected had he been playing this part all along. At one moment, he’s narrating from his perspective, then in what feels like flipping a switch, he steps into playing the character of Bill at specific points in his life, as I mentioned before. Predominantly Bill’s role is to make Mary comfortable, but Joe’s role is to capture the conflict, between his own life and his mother’s, or that between his religious beliefs and what reality has been set in front of him. Bill is also the moral compass, not just of the Cain family, but of the play, directing the audience toward what to consider and how to consider it, without providing any answers. It’s a role that requires a certain amount of emotional and physical agility, but also one of leadership and command of the stage. To make it work, the actor has to believe in the part, and I have no doubt that Joe Moore is all in.
Taproot founders Pam and Scott Nolte are Bill’s parents Mary and Pete. Pete doesn’t appear altogether too much here, though when he does there’s a reason, which is another nice thing about the way this is written, everything is done and said purposefully. Since Pete’s role is more limited than say, Bill’s or Mary’s, Scott is called upon to handle many of the supporting characters, doctors, therapists, etc. Scott is steady as Pete, and shows how the patriarch was the rock of the family all along until his passing. Mother Mary is a different story, however. Pam Nolte is outstanding as the aging mother who hears that she’s dying, doesn’t want to accept it until she resolves herself to it. Again, anyone who has dealt with a parent suffering from a terminal illness as ruthless as cancer will recognize how good Pam is in portraying this, running through all of the stages of grief, and questioning her faith along the way. She’s the one who asks her priest son about God, whether he exists or answers prayers and whether he even exists. These conversations are at the heart of the story, and the moments they happen in vary from tender to contentious, Bill at one point sums up his mother in saying about father Pete, “He loved entirely a woman who could not entirely be loved”. The best line from the show is also the best way to describe Mary, and to play a character like that requires some real talent, she’s in very capable hands with Pam Nolte. The beauty of her performance also lies in the ability to always present Mary at her core, regardless of what age of the character she is portraying. She’s always Mary, whether she’s younger or sick and dying, there’s a steadiness about her and Pam reflects that throughout. Rounding out the cast is brother Paul, played here by Nik Doner. As the play starts, we don’t see much of Paul, he appears on stage for an interjection or two, in a way that represents his end of a phone conversation with his brother. It’s later, when the story leans more heavily into flashbacks that Nik shows how good he is here. He’s also called upon to play other, smaller supporting parts during the play, but he’s at his best when he gets to lean into Paul, and his turn at the end of Act 1 is the best scene in the play that doesn’t have to do with Pam’s Mary.
How to Write a New Book for the Bible checks all the boxes for what makes great art, in my opinion. It’s a well written and beautifully presented piece that will mean something different to everyone, largely dependent on perspective and life experience. Regardless of anyone’s ability to directly relate to the specific situation that plays out on stage, the way playwright Bill Cain addresses love, family, responsibility and religion is universally relevant. How to Write is more heavy than it is light, but it never feels dreary or depressing just for the sake of it. It’s a human tale of balance and the struggle for truth in an inconceivable world.
How to Write a New Book for the Bible runs on stage at Taproot Theatre’s Jewell Mainstage through April 20. For more information, including ticket availability and pricing, visit https://taproottheatre.org/.
Photo credit: Robert Wade.
