The play is essentially a set of monologues stitched together at the edges, and showing signs of fraying. He's being held there because, as he tells us, he "shot a man in the ass" earlier that week. Two contrasting prison guards, although convincingly portrayed by Quinn M. Johnson Charlie DAmico (good-guy, likable Charlie DAmico) and Justin Picado (strict, cruel Valdez), remain schematic. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The new guard Valdez (Jason Hall) is cruel and curt. Early on in the play, Valdez has a monologue-which may appear to be his only redeeming moment in the play. Aint no disease a addiction for me, its free will.. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train reveals a young playwright's awkwardness with its overwritten passages and reliance on expository monologues. Anyone can read what you share. well by Joplin Sibtain) to roam all levels of the auditorium, in turn creating Their monologues are all interesting, at least, but Guirgis was mainly interested in having Angel and Lucius debate. . Jesus Hopped The A Trainquestions the legal and penal systems in the US and offers a stark reflection on how the law struggles to deal with the complexities of the human . Jeff. One gets the sense that, with only a slight reversal of fate, Valdez and Mary Jane could have easily ended up going down a dark path with Angel serving as their subsequent lawyer. Stephen Adly Guirgis's plays include Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, Our Lady of 121st Street, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Little Flower of East Orange, and The Motherf*cker with the Hat. A monologue from Jesus Hopped Jesus Hopped The A Train- Angel on Vimeo There is even something endearing about the crime that put him in prison: He shot a cult leader in the butt while trying to rescue a friend. He is a former co-artistic director of Labyrinth Theater Company. Thirty-year-old Angel Cruz (Xavier Lopez) has just been thrown in Riker's Island prison, the notorious institution on New York City's East River. For one hour each day both men share adjacent cages on Rikers Island. In the Signature Theater revival of Stephen Adly Guirgis' "Jesus Hopped the A Train . Howard?) amidst the cacophony of his incarcerated neighbors telling him, in no polite terms, to shut up. The kind that seems so raw and dangerous, you almost feel like a creep for listening in but then anxiously wait for his return whenever he leaves the stage. Jesus Hopped the "A" Train by Kerry Reid March 14, 2002 August 19, . Lucius has done terrible things but now he has found God. . agrees to represent him. Photograph by Teresa Wood. A monologue from Jesus H. . New York, NY, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent 2020. Robert Heinly (D'Amico) in Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. The play was performed during the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland in August 2001. Angel is awaiting trial - his first. Lucius Jenkins has found God, and Angel's life and the course of his trial will be changed forever. With the criminal-justice system the subject of much scrutiny, Short North Stages production of Jesus Hopped the A Train seems timely. Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter: Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train reveals a young playwright's awkwardness with its overwritten passages and reliance on expository monologues.But it also displays . , albeit in separate chain-link cages. Thats astonishing, as their roles are killers in more ways than one. Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. New York, NY, Ages 12-17: Camp Broadway Ensemble @ Carnegie Hall station23.cebu All you can really hear is the thundering heartbeat of each man's fear. Angel Cruz, played by Richard Nguyen Sloniker is a Puerto Rican awaiting trial for justifiable attempted murder. Inside Rikers Island, a terrified Angel is befriended by a charismatic serial . View Jesus_Hopped_the_A_Train from THE 100 at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train is a multi-layered discussion about morality in all its forms and how the artificiality of prison with its removal of humanity and, perhaps quaint, concept of punishment, challenges concepts of responsibility and redemption. T.Schreiber. Where: Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Tickets: $30 at 773-935-6875 or www.eclipsetheatre.com. Pulitzer Prize-winner Stephen Adly Guirgis (Between Riverside and Crazy) begins his Residency at Signature with a new production of his darkly comic meditation on redemption and faith, Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, directed by Obie Award-winner Mark Brokaw.Angel Cruz is a 30-year-old bicycle messenger awaiting trial for the death of the leader of a religious cult. Angel (John Ortiz) and Lucius (Ron Cephas Jones) are in lock-down, spending all but one hour a day in their cells. jesus hopped the a train lucius monologuehow long does it take to digest raw broccoli. Pursuant to Equity guidelines, proof of full vaccination no later than two weeks prior to in person work is a required condition of employment. New York, NY, Ages 12-17: Camp Broadway Ensemble @ Carnegie Hall Lucius Jenkins. Jesus Hopped the A Train. Isaac. Spoken in Riggins hoarse yet commanding drawl, modulating his speed and timbre with the dexterity of a blues guitarist, its the kind of moment when a play hits a perfect bulls-eye. But after he lands in 24-hour protective custody, one hour of which is spent each day in a cage in the jail yard, he meets his philosophical match. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Was it my free will to be an undiagnosed manic-depressive paranoid schizophrenic?! As public defender Mary Jane Hanrahan, who tries to preparereluctant Angel for court, Carolyn Demanelis captures the jaded cynicism and the faded embers of idealism of someone whos labored in the system for far too long. Runs to February 23 at The Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto's Historic Distillery District in the Michael Young Theatre, 50 Tank House Lane. Part investigation of our broken criminal justice system, part examination of the corruptive influence of Judeo-Christian morality, "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train" is a promising start to Eclipse Theatre . centres around Angel, who finds himself facing a murder charge after shooting a I particularly liked the way you could see reflections in the Good versus evil. It allows Lucius' evangelism to soar and Hanrahan's monologues to gain an air of a courtroom. The first, Charlie D'Amico (Erick Betancourt), is soon fired for doing a variety of favors for Lucius. We see Angel meeting with his lawyer, a tightly-wound public defender with personal walls as thick as the ones at Rikers. For one hour each day, both men share adjacent cages on Rikers Island, New York's top security prison. Its also clear that our preconceived notions of these characters color the way we view them. . When he shows up, Angel is reserved, angry and abused. JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN by Stephen Adly Guirgis . The performance by Frankham was another highlight for me; the development of the character though her interactions with Angel and her later monologues was subtle, yet well conveyed. The play is full of monologues that function to articulate each character's values, very much like back in Sophocles' day, and the directors' decision to stage the play in the round magnifies the standing and authority of each such magnificent speech. Dualities galore is the name of the game in Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train! Particularly thought-provoking is a monologue by Matthew Douglas as Charlie, the guard before Valdez who was fired, whose initial amicable relationship with Lucius is clouded by his final visitation. Stephen Adly Guirgis' Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is an explosive, verbose play set in the maximum security wing of the infamous Rikers' Island prison in New York. Rehearsals and performances held indoors at Actors Express. web pages Angel holds out that he was justified and his lawyer's sure that a hearts-and-minds appeal will get him off at trial. A sociopathic serial killer awaiting extradition to Florida, Lucius pauses from his workouts only to chain smoke and to "save" Angel. When the cult leader dies during surgery, Angel suddenly finds himself facing murder charges. Apply for Rights. Added to the mix are Lucius Jenkins, a serial killer turned born-again Christian, and Valdez, a sadistic corrections officer. Their ongoing debates become the tortured heart of the play, and sometimes put the play itself at risk of becoming didactic. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train is skillfully structured so that the audience's sympathies see-saw back and forth between the silver-tongued Lucius and a seemingly sadistic guard named Valdez (the . And Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. . Stephen Adly Guirgis' Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is an explosive, verbose play set in the maximum security wing of the infamous Rikers' Island prison in New York. Gathegi. Lucius Jenkins - (40s/50s/Black) He is a charismatic, confident convicted serial killer but he has a strong Christian faith since being incarcerated. The Vagina Monologues; Eve Ensler; 3 pages. Short North Stage will stream Jesus Hopped the A Train through June 27.Tickets cost $15. Jesus Hopped the "A" Train. [20], Last edited on 30 December 2022, at 16:19, "Hoffman Directs Original Cast of Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train for June 22 Reading", "Review: Its Law vs. Order in Jesus Hopped the A Train", "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train Extends at Signature Theatre", "Signatures Jesus Hopped the A Train Delayed Two Days Following Departure of Reg E. Cathey", "Australian Stage Online - Jesus Hopped the A Train", "THEATER REVIEW - Locked Up In a Place Far Beyond Redemption", "The Great Work Continues: The 25 Best American Plays Since 'Angels in America', "Jesus Hopped the A Train, Donmar Warehouse, London", "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train review faith and horror on Rikers Island", "Review: Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train brings a poetic and profane playwright to Soulpepper", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jesus_Hopped_the_%27A%27_Train&oldid=1130526120, This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 16:19. More . HB Studio. But it also displays incendiary passion and insight into its troubled characters". Stephen Adly Guirgis's plays include Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, Our Lady of 121st Street, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Little Flower of East Orange, and The Motherf*cker with the Hat. The play takes place in a prison on Rikers Island in New York. But me? But after DAmico is canned for slipping Lucius contraband cookies, hes left without an audience. Valdez (Christian M. Castro), the quick-with-the-club guard, has no use for Lucius' proclamations of faith. How . . More . The opening monologue, in which Angel struggles to say the Lords Prayer but repeatedly mangles it, is so packed with frustrated profanities that it evokes David Mamets extremes. Photo: Tristram Kenton. Then one day they get talking. Moon) in the hindquarters and ends up facing a murder rap when the minister dies in surgery. It is as vital now as it was at the turn of the millennium. Barrow Group. Jesus Hopped the A Train tells the story of several inmates of Rikers Prison who are awaiting charges for murder. He projects a grooviness turned dry and brittle, making each. His poetry has appeared in various literary publications in the United States and abroad. 4. If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor. on the Internet. for her but theres also a personal connection. Search the history of over 797 billion If you dont have access to a reader, please present a monologue in the style of the show. What is clear is that the justice system leaves even the people on the other side of the cage scarred. Lucius Jenkins, played by Dumi is an extremely articulate African American convicted serial killer who is trying to stall his extradition to Florida, where he will be executed. The two convicts talk about God and redemption, free-will, racism, addiction and the meaning of freedom. But mostly there . Lucius to dislike, although this is after weve warmed to him. A good opportunity to break away from the constant repetition of intense conflicts were monologues delivered to the . . Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train is a graphic and disturbing deep dive into prison life and faith. He has a great, effective monologue at the end about the death of Lucius that is sublime. He shares an isolation wing with Angel, placed there for protection after he was attacked and raped while on remand. The reverend subsequently, and indirectly, dies. Directed by Kevin Mack. Angel Cruz and Lucius Jenkins face murder charges. Lucius. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. Whereas other productions have enclosed the action in Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train plays through April 21st at the SF Playhouse, 533 Sutter St, San Francisco. a panoptican effect. Toggle navigation . . Gender: Male. Rabbit Hole. Arthur Williams III as Lucius Jenkins and Bill Stambaugh as Valdez in Hovey's 'Jesus Hopped the A Train) By Deanna Dement Myers. Riverside Jacksonville News, His lawyer Hanrahan Jesus Hopped the "a " Train( main work) . The play's format, which really focuses on a series of monologues and duologues - offers a complete focus on the individuals . So where is God where is good in the criminal justice system? other. Add into this world Lucius Jenkins, an incarcerated serial killer with a messianic personality, and two prison guards, Valdez and D'Amico, who have radically different ways of enforcing and breaking the laws of which they are functionaries, and JESUS HOPPED THE 'A' TRAIN unfolds as both riotously funny, and as a searingly dramatic rumination . George Jetson Birthday, That is exactly where Mr. Guirgis, who won a 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Between Riverside and Crazy, wants us: in a confused crouch that renders us vulnerable to deeper questioning. Brayden Fagbemis putback rescues No. In one particularly impressive monologue, Adjepong's Lucius exercises whilst addressing his religious beliefs; the actor's energy doesn't falter once as he performs . This leads you to expect Jerry Orbach, or a neat denouement that Mr. Guirgis is not about to provide. rikers island prison, new york, present day, Ages 12-17: Camp Broadway Ensemble @ Carnegie Hall. . Free will versus actions determined by the circumstances of our existence. Author bio(s) $13.00. [16] In 2018, Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train was ranked by The New York Times writers as the 14th best American play of the previous 25 years. Guirgis explores crime, punishment, responsibility, redemption, religion, faith, skepticism, God and whether justice is possible in this flawed world. These near-monologues are often gorgeous, but they can also be weirdly self-negating; in 'A' Train, they don't even always make sense. "Our Father, who art in . At a glance Short North. Best of all is Velazcos touching recounting of a youthful near-death incident that satisfyingly clarifies the plays title as religious metaphor. Theres much about It allows Lucius evangelism to soar Please prepare one of the sides available at https://actors-express.com/get-involved/ . Review | Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train | Young Vic | 5 Stars | Kate Hewitt's production of Stephen Adly Guirgis' 'Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train' is bold and. [2][3] The play was directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. We are committed to principles of ethical and diverse representation in our casting. "the Black Plague," works out furiously in the cage next to Angel. An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. Jesus Hopped the A Train characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis. Pirie has a resume of fine acting longer than Lucius' rap sheet, and it shows. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train plays through April 21st at the SF Playhouse, 533 Sutter St, San Francisco. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 8 p.m. on Saturday; matinees are at 2 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday. Angel's stated justification is that the minister ran a cult that took his best friend away from him. Jesus Hopped the A Train screens only on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Jesus' Blood Found 23 Chromosomes, He is a former co-artistic director of Labyrinth Theater Company. Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is a play written by Stephen Adly Guirgis. or convincing themselves. It is freighted by an overload of pseudo-profundity; characters upbraiding each other about the Ultimate Questions can make for rather dreary stagecraft. Kim's described affect on Joey, the friend Angel fought so hard to free from a cultish existence built by a false prophet. Jesus Hopped The A Train . Renner criticized the characters of Hanraham and Valdez as heavy-handed, and also considered the play to contain "awkward exposition. T.Schreiber. The victim? . THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL at New York Theatre Workshop, THE WALLS HAVE EARS at The Roxy Theatre Group, Gulfshore Playhouse 2023-24 Season at Gulfshore Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey 2023 Season at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE 2023 SEASON at Westport Country Playhouse. Why is it significant to the play? Our Father, who art in heaven, he stammers, Harold be thy name.. When Jesus Hopped The A Train begins, you think its going to be a story about Angel Cruz, a thirty-year-old Latino who winds up in prison after shooting a cult leader in a botched mission to rescue his brainwashed friend. Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is a play written by Stephen Adly Guirgis . Angel Cruz is a 30-year-old bicycle messenger awaiting trial for the death of the leader of a religious cult. Lucius (Carl Lumbly), an articulate serial killer who has found God, is Angel's next door cellmate. It seems simple on the surface, but between these two strong actors, Guirgis stellar script and Dexter J. Singletons finely-tuned direction, it makes for electric theater. Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists. At the opening of the play, he is in his second night of incarceration, awaiting trial for shooting the leader of that cult in the "ass." He is on his knees, alone and terrified, trying to say a prayer he no . Four glass You might even think that those first two scenes play just a little too broadly. An inmate at Rikers (ANGEL) struggles with his new circumstances as he tries to convince his fellow inmate (LUCIUS) to speak to him. And these characters sure do perform! Rehearsal: May 28 - July 7, 2018. . Late in Jesus Hopped the "A" Train, . He is the one who reaches out, shares cigarettes, warns about the Monday soup and recites the names of the books of the Old Testament, backward, while doing deep knee bends and lunges. Angel Cruz - (20s /Latino) A young man Incarcerated at Rikers Island Prison. Jesus Hopped the A Train - Play. Jesus Hopped the A Train. It's a tight, well-paced and thoughtful staging . Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. In one particularly impressive monologue, Adjepong's Lucius exercises whilst addressing his religious beliefs; the actor's energy doesn't falter once as he performs . Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train revels in these complexities. What about my victimization? Qty: Full Length, Drama 4 men, 1 woman Total Cast: 5, Flexible Set ISBN-13: 978--8222-1799-2. Lobby Hero. In fact, that symmetry is present in almost every character. Uploaded by Relying heavily on the attorney's direct address monologues, the entire subject seems to be one Guirgis feels the need to include, but never finds a way to integrate. In 2018, Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train was ranked by The New York Times writers as the 14th best American play of . Perhaps it is to keep the drama from flying into pieces, therefore, that he clamps the procedural frame so firmly in place around the prisoners debates.
