Playwright: William Nedved. At: Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tickets: 773-283-7071; www.thegifttheatre.org; $25-$35. Runs through: Aug. 9
Jesus was 33 at the time of The Passion and Dan is 33 when he decides to become a priest, almost certainly not coincidental in this pithy, stimulating and well-staged world premiere. Something of a slacker and business failure, Dan ( Nicholas Harazin ) has been sustained by his three-year-plus relationship with Leah ( Cyd Blakewell ). Dan has been a "Roaming Catholic" for years, but has returned to the Church urged on by non-Catholic Leah, who thinks it might center him. Influenced by a young priest, Father Alex ( Gabriel Franken ), Dan now believes he has a calling. He announces this to Leah, his sister Monica ( Lynda Newton ) and brother-in-law Mick ( Stephen Spencer ) on a spring night when they expect him to propose to Leah. To Dan's profound distress, his decision is met with disbelief turning to hostile opposition.
Body + Blood could be a pot-boiler a la Doubt, but author William Nedved is more sincere than that, and really pares his play down to intellectual and emotional essentials: What does it mean to be called by God? How do you know when the call is real vs. one's ego? Do those you love have the power to sway you? Do they have the right to try? Is the opposition a test of Dan's faith and commitment? The play examines all these issues but doesn't attempt to provide definitive answers. As it ends, Dan's future actions are uncertain but he hasn't renounced his decision.
Body + Blood runs only 95 minutes, including an intermission bridging a time gap of several months. It would help if Nedved could eliminate the intermission and use the extra running time to more fully develop subissues he introduces to complicate things for Dan. First, devout Catholic Monica has a crisis of faith because she believes her 8-year-old sonapproaching his first communionis gay. She understands the Church won't welcome him if he acts on his desires, when he's old enough to have desires and if he's actually gay. It's a bit of a stretch. Touched on more lightly in Act II is Father Alex's revelation that he's supported Dan only because he's in love with him. Nedved follows the example of the Book of Job by removing all of Dan's possible sources of support and comfort.
The subissues are structurally somewhat clumsy but well-handled in Nedved's dialogue, which grows less humorous and more intense as the play progresses. The performances also are convincing all-around, skillfully shaped by veteran director Marti Lyons. The physical production is spare but more than sufficient, and costume designer Sally Dolembo gives Leah a smashing summer dress for the opening scene.
Body + Blood is lean, thoughtful and worthwhile as a play and production.