. . 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. the shock of the charismatic Lucius' descriptions of his own murders, and finally, the 'A' train itself. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. We see Angel meeting with his lawyer, a tightly-wound public defender with personal walls as thick as the ones at Rikers. A monologue from the play Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train by Francesco Di MaioShot and Directed by Hitop Films. [2][3] The play was directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train is a graphic and disturbing deep dive into prison life and faith. The play's format, which really focuses on a series of monologues and duologues - offers a complete focus on the individuals . New York, NY, Ages 12-17: Camp Broadway Ensemble @ Carnegie Hall Jesus hopped the 'A' train by Guirgis, Stephen Adly. (Arthur Williams III), an older man who shows him kindness and seeks to show him the way to Jesus's love. Their monologues are all interesting, at least, but Guirgis was mainly interested in having Angel and Lucius debate. Lucius Jenkins is a . But the guy dies, and the Angel is in solitary . who shot a cult leader in the ass because he had ensnared Angel's best friend in his "religion," and Edi Gathegi as Lucius Jenkins, a brutal murderer who found religion on his way to the executioner. 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. Riggins has done terrific work at Collective Consciousness before. Randall Sr. captivates as Lucius "Black Plague" Jenkins, a serial killer on death row who has found God and is trying to lead Angel to Him . Collective Consciousness Theatre, the black box theater in Erector Square with a penchant for urban dramas and works by authors of color, is back with its first production of the season: Stephen Adly Guirgis' sobering Jesus Hopped the A Train.First produced in 2000, the play sets up a situation where crime and punishment . This leads you to expect Jerry Orbach, or a neat denouement that Mr. Guirgis is not about to provide. He is the author of the award winning book of poetry "Hip Hop Is Dead - Long Live Hip Hop: The Birth, Death And Resurrection Of Hip Hop Activism" (2017) and is the inaugural Poet Laureate of Alachua County, Florida (2020 - 2022). . Lucius Jenkins is on appeal, trying to avoid the death penalty for the murder of eight people. If you dont have access to a reader, please present a monologue in the style of the show. 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. [9][10] Previews started two days late, on October 5, due to Reg E. Cathey leaving the company suddenly to be replaced by Mr. Father Flynn. Angel Cruz - (20s /Latino) A young man Incarcerated at Rikers Island Prison. Uploaded by He has a great, effective monologue at the end about the death of Lucius that is sublime. [7] It was nominated for the Olivier Award, Best New Play for 2003.[8]. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train begins and ends with the same image: a young prisoner, Angel, on his knees, praying in darkness. Jesus Hopped the A Train characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis. Lucius, despite Taylor's fearsome performance, remains a bit of a conundrum, as captured in a beguiling late-in-the-play monologue from D'Amico (Zach Bloomfield), a guard who loses his job for . Although he takes responsibility for his actions, he still fears execution. Signature Theater; 294 seats; $65 top. Pulitzer Prize-winner Stephen Adly Guirgis darkly comic meditation on redemption and faith, Angel Cruz is a 30-year-old bicycle messenger awaiting trial for the death of the leader of a religious cult. . Mark Brokaw directs a cast made up of Edi Gathegi, Sean Carvajal, Ricardo Chavira, Erick Betancourt, and Stephanie DiMaggio. For tickets and information, call Ticket Central at 212 . Angel holds out that he was justified and his lawyer's sure that a hearts-and-minds appeal will get him off at trial. The legal procedural in the play With some bravado, Angel insists that what he did was therefore only technically wrong. Jesus Hopped the A Train is a . Publication date 2002 Topics . Some prisoners go out of their minds when confined to the 23-hour isolation wing of Rikers Island prison. 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 . Jethmalani's production gets a little overstated in the small space, with some dialogue lost in the echoes. Submit at https://actors-express.com/get-involved/ . Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. -+ Ravi Ghosh . You might even think that those first two scenes play just a little too broadly. 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. 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. (Kevin Scott's grimy set and Kevin Hagan's harsh lighting capture the joyless world of the jail yard.). Creative_Project (1).docx. But the audience also hears stories of childhood friendships and complicated . . Search all monologues. Singhateh is compelling as evangelising killer Lucius, his performance cleverly toying with the audience's sympathies as he slips between charming bonhomie and cold-bloodedness. Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is a play written by Stephen Adly Guirgis . He brings Lucius Oreo cookies and cigarettes; his wife baked Lucius a shepherd's pie; D'Amico and Lucius share a buddylike badinage. Elysium Theatre deserve much credit for bringing Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train to Manchester for the first time. Although some of its pungent dialogue verges on debate and a few monologues seem too on the nose, Stephen Adly Guirgis off-Broadway drama ultimately transcends ideology to offer a poignant portrait of human fallibility and good intentions gone astray. Yet, Jesus Hopped the A Train may be trickier to perform, with its passions verging on melodrama and its frequent alternating monologues sometimes telling rather than showing. Jesus Hopped the "A" Train. While the sermonic Lucius speaks of redemption before God, of renouncing darkness and embracing salvation, the early interactions between client and lawyer feel underweight in comparison. "Our Father, who art in . Renner criticized the characters of Hanraham and Valdez as heavy-handed, and also considered the play to contain "awkward exposition. More than most Zoom-style productions, this one unifies separately filmed characters through the actors expert timing and via the common scenic background of poster-stylized prison and protest. Stuart. Lucius Jenkins - (40's/50's/Black) He is a charismatic, confident convicted serial killer but he has . JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN - Equity video submissions Actor's Express Theatre Company | Atlanta, GA, Associate Artistic Director Amanda Washington. , albeit in separate chain-link cages. 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. White, polished and put-together, Mary Jane dug herself out of a childhood filled with violence and poverty while Lucius succumbed to mental illness and hard drugs. Jesus Hopped the A . Thats astonishing, as their roles are killers in more ways than one. In some productions of Stephen Aldy Guirgis play, that might be the case, but at Collective Consciousness Theatre the shows gravitational pull changes the second Terrence Riggins walks on stage. Monologues for Women; Comedic; . Jesus Hopped The A Train . . Angel Cruz and Lucius Jenkins face murder charges. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train closes October 15, 2017 Details and tickets -[/ezcol_1third] It's startling to watch Luciusa so-called man of Godinfluence Angel in a way akin to Rev. Dogg as sound designer. it in the round allows the guard Valdez (a smug and pitiable character played very In one of the plays strongest and most sobering moments, Lucius rails against this saying Was it my free will to be abused and violated from the age a five? So where is God where is good in the criminal justice system? on the Internet. Vocal Part: Angel Cruz. Beyond Therapy. But when the Reverend dies in hospital, Angel lands in solitary confinement next to Lucius, a card-carrying Christian serial-killer. Two years later a similar production was mounted at Londons Donmar Warehouse. Lucius to dislike, although this is after weve warmed to him. (Kevin Greene) Soulpepper Theatre presents Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, a graphic and distressing story of two prison inmates serving time for murder. 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. Anyone can read what you share. (Scott Dray). very much confined are fully opened out. Mary Jane Hanrahan - (late 20s/early 30s/White) She is Angels jaded and tired state appointed attorney. Intermission is partnering with Soulpepper Theatre Company and theatre critic Robert Cushman to mentor this season's participants. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Theres much about On his first night at Rikers Island, a terrified inmate named Angel Cruz tries to reconstruct the Lords Prayer from his broken memories. . 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 . Marmions Trevon Roots wins battle with Burlington Centrals Drew Scharnowski for sectional title. Short North Stages streaming production, which continues through June 27, is well-acted and tightly staged. 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 . the covid-19 monologues; playland miss julie the river two by beckett: footfalls & krapp's last tape jesus hopped the 'a' train . When "Jesus Hopped The A Train" begins, you think it's 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. Lucius, despite Taylor's fearsome performance, remains a bit of a conundrum, as captured in a beguiling late-in-the-play monologue from D'Amico (Zach Bloomfield), a guard who loses his job for . Lucius (Carl Lumbly), an articulate serial killer who has found God, is Angel's next door cellmate. Presented by Ron Kastner, Roy Gabay, and John Gould Rubin at the East 13th Street Theater, 136 E. 13 St., NYC, Nov. 29-Dec. 31. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Seeking 2 Actor Team for Spring Lucius Jenkins: Male, 40-49 Work from Home Christian, serial killer, smug, confident, and charismatic, with a near manic upbeat energy. A lot of what we hear from the lawyer is in the form of direct . All people wanna do is cry for the victims! Then one day they get talking. Angel (Sean Carvajal) is being held pending trial for the shooting of a Reverend Kim, the leader of a religious organization modeled on Sun Myung Moons Unification Church. An LA Theater Works production of Stephen Adly Guirgis's play about Angel Cruz, a Puerto Rican who is in jail after a prank turned badly: He shoots Reverend Kim in the, uh, posterior, after Kim, a rich hypocrite preacher, brainwashed his best friend. On his first night at Rikers Island, a terrified inmate named Angel Cruz tries to reconstruct the Lord's Prayer from his broken memories. Robert Heinly (D'Amico) in Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. Angel's desperate desire for assurance and forgiveness make him, in a weird way, immediately lovable. 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. For one hour each day, both men share adjacent cages on Rikers Island, New York's top security prison. 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 . But in the next cell to Angel is an articulate serial killer called Lucius who has found God and who tries . Rather it is Mr. Guirgiss tip-off that what may look like a genre play a legal procedural is going to consider Gods justice as well as mans. Lucius is awaiting extradition to Florida to take responsibility for the trail of bodies he left behind. The other actors do fine with their characters, who are written to mostly speak through direct-address. The performance by Williams was understated but effective and led to one of the most compelling scenes, where D'Amico is describing Lucius' execution. Lucius has found God and been born again, and now, Angel's life and the course of his trial will be changed forever. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. Still . 0. (played with methodical control by Dervla Kirwan) takes a liking to him and View All Characters in Jesus Hopped the A Train. 1 Benet in a sectional final. One of the most striking things about Soulpepper's Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is how multi-dimensional its main characters are. The kind that opens up the scope of a script. Lucius Jenkins is on appeal, trying to avoid the death penalty for the murder of eight people. Collective Consciousness Theatres Jesus Hopped The A Train by Stephen Adly Guirgis runs through November 11 at Erector Square (319 Peck Street, Building 6S) in New Haven, CT. Jesus, directed by Dexter J. Singleton and produced by Jenny Nelson, stars Jhulenty Delossantos (Angel), Rob Giardian (DAmico), Jason Hall (Valdez), Bridget McCarthy (Mary Jane Hanrahan) & Terrence Riggins (Lucius). Inside Rikers Island, a terrified Angel is befriended by a charismatic serial killer named Lucius Jenkins. 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 lot of what we hear from the lawyer is in the form of direct address, and these monologues lack the poetry (brute or not) of the rest. We are committed to principles of ethical and diverse representation in our casting. 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. JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN Auditions Actor's Express Theatre Company in Submission 11/23. Angel Cruz, a poor Puerto Rican, isn't . 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. His first five plays were directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and subsequently received critically acclaimed productions in New York and London. Barrow Group. In fact, that symmetry is present in almost every character. about justice and redemption, whats right and wrong, and the power of belief. . A monologue from Jesus H. Seeking 2 Actor Team for Spring A great deal of Jesus are the conversations between these two. Guide written by. Author bio(s) $13.00. But they are also particular to our time and place, perhaps even more so now that the United States is the worlds largest jailer than they were in 2000. Late in Jesus Hopped the "A" Train, . Jeff. Dont be a God-fearing man, Valdez warns Lucius, be a Valdez-fearing man.. In the Signature Theater revival of Stephen Adly Guirgis' "Jesus Hopped the A Train . But when performed, as it is here, by a cast that can recreate its rapture as well as its moral gravity, it achieves the doubleness of great art, burrowing deeper the higher it flies. . Pirie has a resume of fine acting longer than Lucius' rap sheet, and it shows. JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN. Visceral Adventure . It opened on the Pershing Square Signature Center's Irene Diamond Stage on October 23, 2017, and ran until November 26th, 2017. 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. Thats not to say everything in Jesus works so well. We only provide suggested audition monologues or songs for an individual character if our system finds content that matches a character's traits. But youd be wrong. The opening joke is not, therefore, cheap. Laura Baronet. Stephen Adly Guirgis' critical and hilarious examination o. When the cult leader dies during surgery, Angel suddenly finds himself facing murder charges. Ben Brantley reviews Labyrinth Theater Company production of Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, at East 13th Street Theater; photo (M) Lucius Jenkins is a serial killer, . The monologue from which the play takes its name was a low point in an otherwise thrillingly paced drama. Start your review of Jesus Hopped the A Train. No wonder its so profane. A long traverse stage, no more than two It's a tight, well-paced and thoughtful staging . Photograph by Teresa Wood. Angel Cruz is a 30-year-old bicycle messenger awaiting trial for the death of the leader of a religious cult. Lucius. When he shows up, Angel is reserved, angry and abused. Howard?) amidst the cacophony of his incarcerated neighbors telling him, in no polite terms, to shut up. Postponed from April when an actor became ill with COVID-19, this pandemic-era production forges resonant metaphors after so many months of socially separated isolation. It then returned to New York City as writer Stephen Adly Guirgis began his residency at Signature Theatre Company. As his name implies, Angel wrestles with questions of faith, and those questions come pouring out from Lucius during their side-by-side exercise sessions in the prison's outdoor cages. . father stabbed someone at a dance when she was younger, but, In Rikers, Angel meets Lucius Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train does not offer a clear verdict, even while it implicitly criticises the judicial and penal systems of America. This 2000 play, which has had a few productions locally, probably carries extra resonance in a year when criminal justice and questions about mass incarceration have been pushed to the foreground. Lucius Jenkins Show Jesus Hopped the A Train Gender Male Age Range Adult, Mature Adult Role Size Lead Time & Place rikers island prison, new york, present day Tags angry christian serial killer smug confident charisma Analysis Charismatic and confident, Lucius is a convicted serial killer in READ MORE - PRO MEMBERS ONLY But the intriguing Eric Aviles as Angel and E. Milton Wheeler as Lucius, a serial killer who's supposedly found Jesus . Scotiabank Rising Teammates, Stephen Adly Guirgis's Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train runs through Dec. 3 on the Irene Diamond Stage at Pershing Square Signature Center (480 W. 42nd St.). . An inmate at Rikers (ANGEL) struggles with his new circumstances as he tries to convince his fellow inmate (LUCIUS) to speak to him. Playing Lucius Jenkins, a fellow inmate convicted of murdering eight people, Riggins delivers the kind of bravura performance that makes you lean in closer to not miss a single syllable. Synopsis Jesus Hopped the A Train tells the story of several inmates of Rikers Prison who are awaiting charges for murder. 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. Lucius Jenkins, a monologue from Jesus Hopped the A-Train by Stephen Adly Gurgius. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. | Check out 'Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train Fundraiser' on Indiegogo. Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more! Re-read the monologue. they come through these characters whose unbridled sense of humour, stories, Angel Cruz. Lucius has found God and been born again, and now, Angel's life and the course of his trial will be changed forever. Monologues from Plays. [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. The play takes place in a prison on Rikers Island in New York. The two convicts talk about God and redemption, free-will, racism, addiction and the meaning of freedom. Good cop is D'Amico (a warm and sturdy Robert Heinly), who exemplifies kind-hearted compassion. The others Stephanie DiMaggio as Hanrahan, Erick Betancourt as Charlie and especially Ricardo Chavira as the terrifying Valdez support them, and the plays whipsawing arguments, handily. His play Between Riverside and Crazy won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Rehearsal: May 28 - July 7, 2018. . His lawyer Hanrahan jesus hopped the a train lucius monologuehow long does it take to digest raw broccoli. Inside Rikers Island, a terrified Angel is befriended by a charismatic serial killer named Lucius Jenkins. well by Joplin Sibtain) to roam all levels of the auditorium, in turn creating Jesus beautifully toys with that idea, like in Mary Janes monologue about her alcoholic father. a panoptican effect. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train reveals a young playwright's awkwardness with its overwritten passages and reliance on expository monologues. Their ongoing debates become the tortured heart of the play, and sometimes put the play itself at risk of becoming didactic. It is as vital now as it was at the turn of the millennium. Backed up by wonderful performances all around especially McCarthy who does heart-breaking and detailed work as Mary Jane Jesus is the kind of tough, uncompromising theater that is as philosophically engaging as it is emotionally and theatrically. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train is a play written by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Where: Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Tickets: $30 at 773-935-6875 or www.eclipsetheatre.com. That Lucius (Edi Gathegi) is generally sunny and witty despite having killed eight people plays with our loyalties. The verbally fiery "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train" is a bravura play: The dialogue can be ear-scaldingly profane, and the heaven-or-hell speeches soar like theological arias. society, are remarkabl. These near-monologues are often gorgeous, but they can also be weirdly self-negating; in 'A' Train, they don't even always make sense. . Story. . 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 . 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. meters wide with a concrete floor, runs from one end of the auditorium to the Rehearsals and performances held indoors at Actors Express.