The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, City Theatre, June 10 - July 4

Paul Rudnick's play is cleverer and better crafted than you might suspect, given all the no-neck scandal over his playful recasting of biblical stories in goofy, unabashedly gay terms. The company plays the first act hysterically over the top, with flamingly naughty versions of the creation story and of the tale of Moses and the pharaoh, and almost -- almost -- a lesbian immaculate conception.

Adam and Eve become Adam and Steve, for example. In the paradise created progressively by that disengaged female stage manager ("Cue third day!"), they find one another dressed only in green jockstraps with fig leaves, and they explore the unexplained deights of the body like a couple of unsupervised kindergartners. The stage manager calls a timely blackout when the boys check out one another's little things, but we do get an eyebrow-raising simulacrum of anal intercourse.

Adam (Austin Rausch) follows his tempted curiosity out of the garden, plunging them all into the harsh world. Two women, firmly attached to one another, turn up -- Jane and Mabel (cf., Cain and Able, though the only close resemblance is in the names).Through their comic trials, flouncing Adam and sweet-natured Mabel (Chrissy Shackleford) intuit something more, something spiritual, but they're never quite able to express it. Neither matter-of-fact Steve (Marco Bazan) nor grumpy Jane (Katie Blacksmith)is buying that idea. Adam catches his breath, stunned with the happiness of the present moment and yearning to celebrate and to express thanks to someone - something. God? "Not in my house," returns Steve, his mouth tight and dismissive.

Click to read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Ongoing: The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, City Theatre, June 10 - July 4

UPDATE: Review by Bastion Carboni at austinist.com, June 16
UPDATE: Review by Ryan E. Johnson at examiner.com, June 16

UPDATE: Review by Katherine Kloc for the Daily Texan, June 16

Received directly:

June 10 – July 4

Thursdays – Saturdays 8 p.m., Sundays, 5:30 p.m.

The City Theatre. 3823 Airport Blvd. – east corner of Airport Blvd. and 38 ½ Street.

Reservations 512-524-2870 or info@citytheatreaustin.org

Tickets $15 - $20. Guaranteed Front/2^nd Row Reserved $25. Students $12. Group discounts are available. Thursday all seats $10. Visit our website www.citytheatreaustin.org

The City Theatre presents The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Paul Rudnick’s Broadway smash hit about the hilarious retelling of The Old Testament by the original couple – Adam and Steve, as well as their friends Jane and Mabel.

In the beginning, God created the heavens, the Earth and the overture to “Gypsy.”

This is the Old Testament according to Paul – playwright Paul Rudnick that is - who has brought considerable wit and gleeful gay sensibility to a deliriously funny take on the Book of Genesis. The play is Rudnick’s response to the claim “God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” So, led by an all-knowing stage manager, the play follows the first couple, who not only have to worry about being expelled from the Garden but their abs as well. We also meet Jane and Mabel and together, the quartet survives the centuries – from the Creation to the first brunch. They endure the Flood, visit Pharaoh’s Egypt, and experience the wonders and pains of modern - day relationships. Reminiscent of medieval Passion plays where popular characters were inserted into Bible stories to entertain while teaching, the lessons here are tolerance and understanding, taught with loads of laughter and fun.

Rudnick, writer of I Hate Hamlet, Jeffrey, In and Out, and Addams Family Values, moves us to consider life and relationships from new perspectives. The New York Times wrote: "Line by line, Mr. Rudnick may be the funniest writer for the stage in the United States today...One-liners, epigrams, withering put-downs and flashing repartee: these are the candles that Mr. Rudnick lights instead of cursing the darkness, although he does a lot of cursing, too ... a testament to the virtues of laughing ... and in laughter, there is something like the memory of Eden." Variety wrote: "Funny it is…consistently, rapaciously, deliriously…easily the funniest play in town." And the NY Daily News: "…there is no one writing for the stage today who is capable of more acid quips or hilarious rejoinders than Rudnick…Even if there's a part of you that will be chagrined by this play's uncertain attitude toward religious beliefs, you will find yourself laughing uncontrollably throughout the evening."

With a young, talented cast led by some surprise Austin veterans and directed by Daniel LeFave (CTC’s Christmas Belles), the show is a delightful mélange of hilarious one-liners, philosophical introspection, and a celebration of the very fabulousness of gay culture (and otherwise) throughout the ages. The production is recommended for mature audiences with strong language, brief nudity and adult content. Talk backs follow each Sunday show, led by local arts and gay and lesbian organizations. Check the website for the talk back schedule.

LA Progressive on Campaign against City Theatre's Staging of Most Fabulous Story

Found on-line:

I Will Defend My Mother’s Purity!

by Carl Matthes posted on Wednesday, 19 May 2010
(Pholo: Michael Mahoney, Hat Head Studios)

The letter headlined “I Will Defend My Mother’s Purity!” in large, all-red caps arrived the day after Mother’s Day. Inside, was a fundraising letter from America Needs Fatima (ANF). Their appeal? Send some money to save the reputation of Mary, Mother of God, from a “terrible attack!” (For Catholics, Our Lady of Fatima is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary.)

It turns out that the good folks at ANF have drawn battle lines around The City Theatre (TCT) in Austin, Texas (seating capacity 80). Why the battle? TCT is mounting a production of Paul Rudnick’s 1999 play “ The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told!,” a long-running Broadway hit. “Fabulous,” by openly gay playwright Rudnick, contains updated Biblical stories where “…instead of Adam and Eve, our lead characters are Adam and Steve, and Jane and Mabel, a lesbian couple with whom they decide to start civilization.” And, even more upsetting for Robert E. Reich, Executive Director of ANF, is Rudnick’s own description of his play, “I wanted the Garden of Eden in Central Park, and Mary as a lesbian mother, which would certainly help me comprehend immaculate conception.”

Mr. Reich’s appeal also discloses that the play shows Adam and Steve in “full frontal nudity!” (Perhaps Mr. Reich is unaware that some refer to Austin as being the San Francisco of Texas!)

Read more at the LA Progressive on-line. . . .

Arts Reporting: Protests at City Theatre's Upcoming Production of The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told

UPDATE from Andy Berkovsky, May 12: "The latest is we are now receiving hundreds of the form protest email sent as postcards - crazy to see those on our doorstep yesterday. Our research pointed us to a website called American Need Fatima where these seem to be coming from. Yesterday, we received a call from a gentleman - Carl - who works for a Los Angeles online magazine called LA Progressive - laprogressive.com. He is doing an article on how this organization requests donations for "protest" and then make tons of money off of it. He is reporting how they made over 7 million over the past few years. And this group is very vocal in there opinion of helping to shut down shows mentioning the play Corpus Christi recently reconsidered from opening at Tarleton State and others. Why are we singled out? Not sure. Possibly, because we are a mainstream theatre group catering to the entire community rather than a specific group of people. Again, this campaign is not coming locally, all of the emails and postcards are from out of state."

UPDATE: Lisa Schepps of KOOP-FM interviews Andy Berkovsky, Producing Artistic Director of the City Theatre, concerning the protest letters, in the opening section of "Off Stage and On The Air," May 3

From Fox 7:

Local Theatre Threatened Over Play

Tuesday, 20 Apr

• Kristin McCasland
  Web Producer

Austin, TX - An Austin theatre company says it's received numerous phone and e-mail threats over its upcoming production of The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, according to Austinonstage.com.

The show's artistic director, Andy Berkovsky, told the Website that the threats appear to be coming from a "religious source outside the Austin community." He also said the letters appear to be form emails with different names signed to each.

Austinonstage.com says one message claims that Catholics will oppose the show with "one of the largest and loudest peaceful and legal protest ever seen." Another said the play is abhorrent -- even though it's fiction.

The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told is a farce written by playwright Paul Rudnick. It's a retelling of the Bible with Adam and Steve, Jane and Mabel. The story starts at the beginning in the Garden of Eden and goes up to present day New York City.

Berkovsky issued a statement on behalf of the theatre:

The City Theatre Company respects the rights of individuals to voice dissent on any live theatre performance that we are producing. Whether that dissent is religious, social, or personal, we also value the right of any group in the arts community to express themselves freely, which allows us to produce works that we feel are appropriate for the theatre community. Good art sparks debate and The City Theatre will continue with the goal of quality presentations - entertaining, thought-provoking or otherwise. We urge everyone to see the play, any play. Then, after it is over, allow themselves the opportunity for opinion and discussion.

City Theatre Company will debut the show June 10.

Read more at AustinOnStage.com: Out of Town Protestors Make Threats Against Austin's City Theatre