Playwright: Del Shores. At: Ludicrous Theatre-Chicago at the Greenhouse, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets: 773-404-7336; www.greenhousetheatre.org; $20-$25 . Runs through: July 1
When a church's doctrine is shaped, not just by the tenets of its individual sect, but those of the surrounding secular culture, its liturgy may differ from those of its neighboring denominations on theological minutiae, but its social prejudices are likely to be substantially similar. So despite our four Southern Baptist boys' distress over unorthodox urges arising from their community, rather than their religion, it comes as no surprise that playwright Del Shores should lay the blame for their limited options on Jesus (whom the teenage lads find sorta sexy, nevertheless).
Our chief agnostic is angry young author Mark Fuller, who recounts for us the story of his spiritual epiphany, as well as those of his three comrades: Benny, who embraces his hormonal manifestations to forge a career as a cross-dresser (and whose act includes a charming lip-sync turn to Connie Vonett's "Pussy Cat Song"). Andrew will ultimately find comfort and acceptance in his Savioralbeit at a terrible pricewhile TJ will reject Mark's affections to armor himself in homophobic zealotry. Offering a more detached view of these crises are been-around-the-block barflies Odette and Preston, who comment on the procession of sexual fugitives seeking salvation in dim lights and liquor.
A theater company calling itself "Ludicrous" leads us to anticipate broad satire, but there's nothing camp or slapstick about this production. Suzanne Bracken's trio of concerned moms may revel in Lone Star mannerisms, but never do we question their love for their troubled sons. In the roles of Odette and Preston, Catherine Thomson and Michael Pacas likewise resist the temptation to Statler-and-Waldorf caricature to deliver comic relief steeped in a profound compassion whose source is revealed in a stunning reversal of expectations. Even J. Lance Williams makes his preacher less of an amen-snorting fanatic than a humble pastor carrying out his duties, however cripplingly restrictive they may be.
Shores' personal connection to his material makes for occasional lapses into the kind of agitprop fervor he professes to deplore, but the cast assembled by director Wayne Shaw wears its personae with winsome grace and unflinching conviction, frequently reaching out to us past the stage's fourth wall with a confidentiality inviting response from a bigger audience than the one attending the final previewa condition that should be easily remedied as the play continues its unfortunately brief run.