Curio Theatre Company opens its 10th season this week with the world premiere of a performance that is, as they say, ripped straight from the headlines.
The Matter of Frank Schaefer tells the true story of the Methodist minister from Lebanon, Penna. who is defrocked for officiating his son’s gay wedding, refrocked on appeal and is currently threatened with another defrocking.
“What grabbed us right away with the story of Frank Schaefer is that it felt like a civil rights movement was starting right in front of us,” said Curio’s artistic director Paul Kuhn. “When we started this project gay marriage had not been legalized in Pennsylvania and Frank Schaefer had not yet been defrocked.”
Schaefer oversaw his son’s wedding in Massachusetts in 2007. Six years later a complaint was filed against him and during an ensuing trial Schaefer refused to vow not to officiate a gay wedding again. He refused and was defrocked, dividing the Methodist community in Lebanon. He was later reinstated but has again come under fire from some in the church.
Kuhn said the work confronts the meaning of religion in the 21st Century.
“The challenges have been to keep the work universal,” he said. “People of all faiths will be gripped by this story because they have either
gone through or are going through this revolution in their place of worship.”
The staff on the performance interviewed Schaefer several times and also talked to others linked to the story. A one-night performance was staged in Lebanon on Nov. 8.
The cast includes Kuhn as the Reverend Frank Schaefer and Steve Carpenter, Colleen Hughes, Aetna Gallagher, Ken Opdenaker, and Tina Giovannone. Curio managing director Gay Carducci directs the piece. Kuhn is designing the set. Tim Martin is the lighting designer, Gallagher is designing costumes and Dan Ison is the sound designer.
The Matter of Frank Schaefer will run Nov. 12-Dec. 6, Thu-Sat at 8 p.m.. Opening night is Friday, Nov. 14. Preview shows are this Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. The show will be performed at Curio’s home space at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community, 4740 Baltimore Avenue. For more information and tickets ($20-$35) go here.
November 11th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
Tina Giovannone – her proud boyfriend, Greg Taylor
November 13th, 2014 at 6:08 pm
Not all people of faith are gripped by this story. Some people of faith see no need of a moral or sexual revolution because they are sure that God has finally spoken and His Word cannot be changed.
November 14th, 2014 at 9:59 am
Because defrocking a minister for agreeing to preside over his own son’s wedding is exactly what a caring and loving God demands. Because God shows his imperfection through the “mistakes” he makes when he makes gay people. Makes perfect sense.
I suppose you also don’t eat shellfish or pork, john davis, of engage in interest bearing loans because the Old Testament is just as clear on that stuff.
November 14th, 2014 at 2:24 pm
I am glad that you are familiar with the Old Testament so you know that it looks forward to the Messiah, Jesus Christ who in the New Covenant upholds the moral standard of the Old Covenant but does away with many of the dietary and ceremonial regulations of the Old Covenant. It is precisely because God is a caring and loving God that he ordains the joyous gift of a monogamous, heterosexual, covenant marriage commitment or the joyous gift of celibacy.
November 14th, 2014 at 4:21 pm
So, John, you’re not going to the performance then?