Holy Mother of God

by Clay Wheeler

Presented by WaterTower Theatre

March 5 - 15

at WaterTower Theatre
15650 Addison Road
Addison, TX 75001

As one might expect, Clay Wheeler's Holy Mother of God—now having its world premiere at the Out of the Loop Fringe Festival by Rite of Passage Theatre Company—features a character who indeed plays the Virgin Mother. And although religion is a small theme, the play has more of a fascination with mothers. Interesting, considering that until one of the main characters becomes one at the end, there are no mothers onstage. Not of mortal offspring, anyway.

Cal (Sky Bennett) is an unsuccessful screenwriter with a girlfriend, Amber (Cassie Bann), who is a talented nonfiction writer and journalist. Always meddling in their lives is Thommy (Matthew Clark), the fiance of Cal's late sister, Whitney. Thommy (Matthew Clark) is a Starbucks barista who decides to write a novel about a priest who is excommunicated for believing in vampires. No one thinks it has a shot of being finished, much less published. But it is, and propels Thommy into the stratosphere of celebrity authors. Could this be because of his close relationship with the Virgin Mother (Ginger Goldman), with whom he has frequent conversations?

Again, no earthly mothers. But all three human characters at least mention their own and their friends' mothers, and Cal has a strange fascination with other people's mamas. On the surface, this is a play about friendship, jealousy and ambition, but the playwright also ponders the importance of motherly love and support in shaping a child's life.

Wheeler might also be a fan of teen television shows in the past decade or so (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Gossip Girl), in which characters would seem too young for the quick and witty dialogue pouring from their mouths, except that the actors make it work. Bann, in particular, is brilliant at this in Holy Mother of God. It is hard to believe that she, Bennett and Clark are old enough for these characters—at least five more years would be more believable. Still, all three of them sell it, thanks to the assured direction of Amber Jackson (who also designed the production).

Goldman is terrific, adding some needed snark and attitude to the Virgin Mother. For her character, Wheeler has penned some funny, but never offensive, lines and scenes (the Virgin chomping on a corndog is priceless). There's also a funny skewering of "airport novel" authors. According to the Holy Mother, Dan Brown literally traded his soul for success.

Holy Mother has some divine material, but is, in the end, lightweight. (And it could easily lose about 15 minutes from cutting some of Cal and Amber's banter.) Yet, like many mothers, it is sweet and comforting.

Holy Mother of God repeats 2pm March 15 in WaterTower's Studio Theatre. Runs one hour, 50 minutes with one intermission.