Corpus Christi

This moving documentary from filmmakers Nic Arnzen and James Brandon follows the remarkable story of a small-town, limited-run theatrical revival that became a timely, international phenomenon. Here, playwright Terrence McNally's Corpus Christi—a passion play about a gay Jesus that met stiff resistance and loud protests when it was first staged off-Broadway in New York in 1998—becomes a provocative if unlikely choice for a chamber production at a Texas church in 2006. Although the play instantly draws the ire of Christian fundamentalists who object to McNally's portrait of Jesus as a gay redeemer of social outcasts, the original six-day run extends into years of touring, striking a chord with local supporters as well as curious audiences in large American and European cities. Along the way, the cast and director find that Corpus Christi becomes a touchstone for universal LGBT-rights issues (e.g., equal marriage) that have found greater traction in recent years. Meanwhile, the actors connect ever more deeply with the material and with McNally's vision of a Jesus who can take away the painful stigma of a marginalized, martyred people. McNally is a strong presence here, but the story really belongs to the less-than-famous regional talents from Texas whose dedication found a wider cultural resonance at exactly the right historical moment. Highly recommended. (T. Keogh)