Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train - Acting Edition [Paperback]

Stephen Adly Guirgis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2001

"Its aggressive high-octane style is like a shot of caffeine straight in the veins" - Lyn Gardner, Guardian Angel Cruz, a poor Puerto Rican, isn't sure why he's in jail after shooting Reverend Kim, the born-again Christian who brainwashed his best friend. 'All I did was shoot him in the ass', he explains to his long-suffering lawyer Mary Hanrahan. But when the Reverend dies in hospital, Angel lands in solitary confinement next to Lucius, a card-carrying Christian serial-killer. Angel holds out that he was justified and his lawyer's sure that a hearts-and-minds appeal will get him off at trial. But then, in a knife-edge final discussion before Lucius is sent to the electric chair, Angel extraordinarily finds that he too is turning towards the faith that he has so far shunned, thus jeopardising his own case against the born-agains. This is a truth-telling, cage-rattling play about faith, justice and diminishing options in an American prison.A 2001 Edinburgh Festival and Off-Broadway hit, the play's London premieres at the Donmar Warehouse in March 2002.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The profane language, depiction of the grim realities of prison life, and the blood-bloom intensity of the imagery, makes "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train" a difficult ride. Its rewards lie in the searing performances and the robust fire of Mr. Guirgis' language." --Washington Times --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

About the Author

Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis is a longtime member of NYC's LAByrinth Theater Company. His plays have been produced on five continents and throughout the United States. They include: the extended, sold out run of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Our Lady of 121st Street (10 best plays of 2003; Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Best Play Nominations), Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train (Edinburgh Fringe First Award, Olivier Nomination as London's Best New Play, Barrymore Award, Detroit Free Press Best Play Award), and In Arabia We'd All Be Kings(10 Best of '99, TimeOut New York, critics pick, TimeOut London). All four plays were originally produced by LAByrinth, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and are published through Dramatists Play Service and by Faber and Faber. Stephen was awarded a 2004 TCG fellowship, attended the 2004 Sundance Screenwriter's Lab, was named one of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film by FilmMaker magazine, and appeared in Entertainment Weekly s 2005 Summer Must List. Television writing credits include NYPD Blue , The Sopranos , David Milch s CBS drama Big Apple , and Shane Salerno's NBC drama UC: Undercover . As an actor, he has appeared in Brett C. Leonard s Guinea Pig Solo produced at the Public Theatre in New York, and played leading roles in two recent films: Todd Solondz's Palindromes, and Brett C. Leonard's award winning Jailbait opposite Michael Pitt. Currently, he is writing his first feature film for Scott Rudin Productions, to be directed by George C. Wolfe. He lives in New York City --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Dramatists Play Service, Inc. (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822217996
• ISBN-13: 978-0822217992
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #195,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #16 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Drama > History

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Customer Reviews

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful surprise, September 1, 2007

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Nicholas Leshi "kikstad" (Bronx, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train - Acting Edition (Paperback)

I had heard of the writer's other play, "Our Lady of 121st Street," but I decided to pick up this one too, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. "Jesus Hopped the A Train" is a powerful play about the meaning of faith and some of the hypocrisy in people who use organized religion (or misuse it) for their own earthly goals. But the story is so much more than that. The character of Angel is wonderful, and as an actor myself I hope to get the chance to play him on stage while I'm young enough to do it. Stephen Adly Guirgis has a great talent for believable dialogue and unique characterization. Some have criticized his alleged weak plotting, but I think the overall pluses in his tales compensate for any negatives. Read his plays and judge for yourself.