There's Something About Judas

Andrea Loewen writes...

Lately I've had Judas on the brain. I am more than excited for THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT to open the season at Pacific Theatre, and there are many many reasons why. Here are a few:

First of all, just think about it: a courtroom drama to determine the eternal resting place of Judas Iscariot. Witnesses include Mother Theresa, Freud, Judas' mother, a foul-mouthed Saint Monica, and, of course, Satan. It sounds like it could be a bad episode of Judge Judy, but instead each character finds a deeper question or dilemma of Judas' situation as inspired by their "specialty."

The second reason is playwright Guirgis himself. He is an artist in residence at LABrynth Theater Company in New York with co-founding member Philip Seymour Hoffman (heard of him?). He's also got quite a knack for bringing these dilemmas from Galilee into present day, and it looks like he's been looking at questions of faith and redemption for a while. Past plays include JESUS HOPPED THE "A" TRAIN and OUR LADY OF 121ST STREET, both of which feature a plethora of eclectic characters from the Bible and beyond asking all those tough questions.

Finally, the original cast featured none other than Eric Bogosian himself as Satan! Not to mention Sam Rockwell, who later went on to play James Reston Jr. in the film adaptation of FROST/NIXON, and of course, Mr. Philip Seymour Hoffman directing.