#feelthespirit

Vero Maynez leads the cast as Gabriella, a queer, Latina pastor newly in charge of the congregation the audience is privy to joining for the performance. Ms. Maynez gives a well-rounded take on a progressive pastor while never falling into stereotype. She and Lauren Andrei Garcia, playing Gabriella’s pregnant wife, Rebecca, are only limited by Zoom’s ability to support heightened theatrical emotions. Rebecca and Gabriella have a divisive journey through their COVID quarantine, discerning their purpose within God’s mission, and family values that have some astute dialogue, but when emotions would traditionally be at a peak, they are quiet, subdued, and more implied rather than shown. That being said, the chemistry of longing for one’s partner is clearly painted through both actresses’ excellent performance and Ms. Carter’s clear direction of that relationship. 

Fred Pitts and Jean Forsman round out the cast of congregants as senior elder Carleton and Angie, respectively. Mr. Pitts delivers a genial, grounded performance as the senior elder who advises Pastor Gabriella without ever coming across as the stereotypical “mansplaining elder of the church.” In fact, the major triumph in Ms. Vinas’ script is that she stays away from broad stroke church commentary and instead makes her characters specific to this particular story. Mr. Pitts not only brings a genuineness to Carleton, but also leads the single breakout room time (I was in Carleton’s family prayer breakout room) by making it comfortable and like a legitimate bible study group sharing our blessings and joys. Ms. Forsman has a more involved journey to go through as a veteran and board member of the congregation who really does mean well but who really does not want things to change as much as Gabriella is encouraging. Ms. Forsman’s ending letter monologue comments on what so many church folk have gone through since the pandemic started, and it humanizes what it feels like when your community, the lynchpin of your social and mental health, is suddenly upended and different from before; Ms. Forsman brings these layers to her letter monologue and delivers it with contagious empathy. 

What church-based play would be complete without God, though, right? Well, do not fret because we have a three-headed God figure delivered with poetically soothing cadence and community by Akaina Ghosh, J Riley, Jr., and Linda Giron. These three performers come in with theological guidance when Gabriella leans on God for guidance through the several trials facing her during the play. What God serves in the play is, on the surface, the very purpose most religious people rely on God for: comfort and advice. However, Ms. Vinas has written her God to go further than just the one-note God we learn about in Sunday school. Ms. Vinas has written Gabriella to have a crisis of confidence rather than the typical crisis of faith most pastor roles live in. Gabriella is a steadfast believer in her God, as are Rebecca, Carleton, and Angie. However, it’s Gabriella’s attempt to solidify her beliefs, leadership skills, and wifely/future-mom commitments that is reason to go to God in prayer, giving this play, textually speaking, much-deserved respect and applause and allowing for the three God figures to deliver comfort and commentary in a meaningful performance.

From the technical view, all points of Zoom theatre/Zoom church are masterfully used and executed for a very enjoyable, smooth-sailing production. Leanna Keyes, serving as Production Designer, Streaming Producer, and Stage Manager has clearly done the work necessary to ensure the audience has the opportunity and guidance to enjoy the production as best they can. Also, Keyes, Vinas, and Carter have created a show which allows for the cast to engage with the audience on a consensual basis, and certainly one that allows for the audience to feel as immersed in the production as possible. This is no easy feat, even in pre-pandemic shows, so for Keyes and the Shotgun Players team to embed this feature into Zoom theatre is reason for praise by its own accord.