Corpus Christi

Written by Terrence McNally

Directed by           Tito Ortiz

Imagine a romance so stirring, so sweeping that it swept you stirringly off your feet. Imagine a love between two men thrust into a political and religious atmosphere with an attraction they cannot deny. Passions are aflame in this story of Jesus, Judas, and his apostles in semi-modern Texas as they spread the word of god. That love, all love, is not only right, but necessary. 

McNally said that he sought to “include the LGBT community at the table of faith and to reclaim our right to explore the divinity in all of us.” – Rattlestick Playwright’s Theatre, 2008. 

One of the most profound aspects of the theatre is its ability to combine multiple realities of the human experience through storytelling in order to widen one’s consciousness. Terrence McNally combines the journey of Jesus Christ and his Apostles with the reality of being a gay man in mid-20th century Corpus Christi, Texas. By doing so, McNally creates a groundbreaking experience with this age-old story that humanizes the Christian gospels, emphasizes the idea that “all men are divine”, and asks us to look inside ourselves and REALLY ask, “Am I contributing good to the society in which I operate?” 

Please join The Garage Theatre in sharing this story with the community of Long Beach, CA.