This Beautiful City (play)
Encyclopedia
This Beautiful City is a play with music by the investigative theatre company The Civilians
. The play engages with "the expansion of the Evangelical
movement in Colorado Springs" as well as the gulf between the Evangelical and secular communities in the region. It was written by Steve Cosson and Jim Lewis from interviews conducted by Associate Artists Emily Ackerman, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Brad Heberlee, Brandon Miller, Stephen Plunkett, and Alison Weller, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, and directed by Steve Cosson. The play first opened in March 2008 at the Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival of New American Plays, followed by successful runs at Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C. and the Center Theatre Group
in Los Angeles, CA. The piece premiered in New York City in the winter of 2009 at the Vineyard Theatre. This Beautiful City was nominated for Drama Desk, Drama League, and Lucille Lortel Awards
, Ted and his relationship to politics, his presidency of the NAE during the Bush Presidency … Three of us came out in June and went to New Life and I think the first time we really sort of got it, like "Oh! this really seems to be the center of America right now. I mean, you're in the middle of this church with 7,000 people and the minister is talking about his relationship to George Bush
and Ariel Sharon
and other world leaders. I think the world we come from knows that the evangelical movement is this big influential thing in politics, but they don't really have an understanding of the scope of it or what it means, or what that kind of Christianity really means, or what it is beyond its political effect on the national elections. And other than that they find it kind of scary and freaky."
scandal, the news of which broke during the research period for the show.
scandal was depicted in the play, was a member of the audience along with his wife, Gayle, and filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi
and her husband.
The Civilians
The Civilians is an investigative theatre company in New York City founded in 2001 by Artistic Director Steve Cosson. The Civilians artists pursue their inquiries using interviews, community residencies, research, and other methods...
. The play engages with "the expansion of the Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
movement in Colorado Springs" as well as the gulf between the Evangelical and secular communities in the region. It was written by Steve Cosson and Jim Lewis from interviews conducted by Associate Artists Emily Ackerman, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Brad Heberlee, Brandon Miller, Stephen Plunkett, and Alison Weller, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, and directed by Steve Cosson. The play first opened in March 2008 at the Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival of New American Plays, followed by successful runs at Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C. and the Center Theatre Group
Center Theatre Group
Center Theatre Group is a non-profit arts organization located in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the largest theatre companies in the nation, programming subscription seasons year-round at the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre and the Kirk Douglas Theatre...
in Los Angeles, CA. The piece premiered in New York City in the winter of 2009 at the Vineyard Theatre. This Beautiful City was nominated for Drama Desk, Drama League, and Lucille Lortel Awards
Conception
When asked why he had become interested in this topic, Artistic Director Steve Cosson said "one of the things I wanted to do was to go work on a subject that was very different from us in our company and one of the first ideas was to do something about conservative Christianity. After the 2004 election, the subject seemed more and more important and our company had grown and had more resources, so it seemed like the time had come… And there's no better place to do this project than Colorado Springs because of New LifeNew Life
"New Life" is the second UK single by Depeche Mode, originally released on 13 June 1981. It was not commercially released in the United States.There were two versions of the song available...
, Ted and his relationship to politics, his presidency of the NAE during the Bush Presidency … Three of us came out in June and went to New Life and I think the first time we really sort of got it, like "Oh! this really seems to be the center of America right now. I mean, you're in the middle of this church with 7,000 people and the minister is talking about his relationship to George Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
and other world leaders. I think the world we come from knows that the evangelical movement is this big influential thing in politics, but they don't really have an understanding of the scope of it or what it means, or what that kind of Christianity really means, or what it is beyond its political effect on the national elections. And other than that they find it kind of scary and freaky."
Format
Rather than focusing on a specific narrative, This Beautiful City instead endeavors to illuminate the thoughts of the "dozens of characters — conservative Christians, secular progressives, city employees and a Celtic Wiccan — all vying to describe the place of religion in their community." A narrative structure is built around the discovery and progression of the Ted HaggardTed Haggard
Ted Arthur Haggard is an American evangelical pastor. Known as Pastor Ted to the congregation he served, he was the founder and former pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado; a founder of the Association of Life-Giving Churches; and was leader of the National Association of...
scandal, the news of which broke during the research period for the show.
New York performance history
This Beautiful City had its New York premiere at the Vineyard Theatre, with previews beginning on February 3, 2009, opening on February 22, 2009 and running to March 15, 2009. At one notable performance, Ted Haggard, whose homosexual relationship and methamphetamineMethamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
scandal was depicted in the play, was a member of the audience along with his wife, Gayle, and filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi
Alexandra Pelosi
Alexandra C. Pelosi is a journalist, documentary filmmaker, and writer based in New York City. She is the daughter of Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi...
and her husband.
Awards
- 2009 Lucille Lortel Award Nomination for Outstanding Musical
- 2009 Drama League AwardDrama League AwardThe Drama League Awards, created in 1935, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing...
Nomination for Distinguished Production of a Musical - 2009 Henry Hewes Design Award Nominations for Scenic Design (Neil Patel) and Lightin Design (David Weiner)
- 2011 Richmond Theater Critics Circle Award Nominations for Best Musical, Best Director, Best Musical Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress (2), Best Ensemble (Richmond Triangle Players)