THE MOTHER OF GOD VISITS HELL
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7M,7F (flexible gender). Full Length (90 min).
Based on a poem described in
The Brothers Karamazov
by Fyodor Dostoyevsky; and written in rhyming Iambic pentameter. The Virgin Mary travels to hell to comfort the souls in torment. While there, she condemns her own soul to save those of all mankind - much to God's dismay. What erupts is a war between Heaven and Hell, with all of our souls in the balance.*Winner of the Helen-Jean Play Competition, Literary Choice Award, 2015*
*Official Selection of the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez, AK, 2014*
*Semi-Finalist in the Princess Grace Playwriting Fellowship in 2014*
"Tightly structured, with an amazing premise... THE MOTHER OF GOD VISITS HELL by Daniel Guyton, directed by Sylvia Bush, was just ducky. The story captivates you. It has a premise that is delectable to the nth degree. The actors pulled it off in spades. Mary (Calli Dunaway) defies God (Eric Ruiter) her Father, her Son, and moseys down to hell to minister to the damned. She makes a deal with Satan (Paul Knox) to stay down there so the damned can leave (Would Janine Garofalo do the same thing for the prisoners at Guantanamo?). Mary does just what Christ did, the ultimate self-sacrifice. Satan does what he does best. He deceives. In so doing, [Mary] inspires God to show a little compassion. He does but only after realizing that mother knows best. The acting draws you in. Calli Dunaway’s Mary was an inspired performance. Not only does she have to be meek, humble, and virginal, she has to also show some moxy to pull off this Mother Teresa act. Dunaway captures all that. Eric Ruiter, who plays God, has that same “Okay, yeah, I’m the Almighty but while I’m up here I might as well have some fun” attitude that Christopher Walken has in the Fatboy Slim “Weapon of Choice” video. He’s omnipotent but he’s also not a little vain. Ditto for Knox’s Devil." ( What the Butler Saw theatre website , 2009)
"THE MOTHER OF GOD VISITS HELL has my strongest recommendation. It holds out the hope that American playwrights will move above realism. What's more, Mr. Guyton's talents as a poet and a dramatist are stellar, and the script is a model for other dramatists." (Steve Capra, The Living Theatre in NYC, 2009)
"THE MOTHER OF GOD VISITS HELL... was absolutely terrific! Daniel’s wonderful writing provides a Shakespearean poetry and characters that are totally engaging! The event, at the Academy Theatre in Atlanta, was sponsored by Working Title Playwrights. Daniel’s got a real winner with this play and I hope to see it on the stage!" (Bill Gibson, Working Title Playwrights, 2012)
"With an opening sequence that begins in Heaven and encompasses a mother-son argument of philosophical magnitude between two spiritually and Biblically iconic beings, the elevated language... is quite justified - and effective. It's a tale of a journey from home in the vein of Hesse's "Siddhartha," but with a more philanthropic aim for the titular Mary... Mr. Guyton's gift for lush language is a gem for any reader, and it demands as many live readings as possible." (Sean Polite, Town & Gown Players, 2012)
"The most professional performance, and one that intrigued me, was Daniel and Kate Guyton's piece with Christopher Hall. It combined poetry, theatre, and Israeli Gaga dance... Simply costumed and expertly presented by both the actors and the dancer, the use of the Gaga movement lent a surreal aura to what would otherwise have felt like straight theater." (Amy Howton, The Backstage Beat , 2012)
"Daniel's plays... are witty, a little off-center and always entertaining. He is a wonderful playwright and an audience favorite." (Lorenzo Scott, The Living Theatre, 2012)
"All the things I value in a good play: it's full of onstage action, it's brainy, and it wrestles with moral issues. I can't wait to see it performed." (Peter Marino, playwright, 2009)
-Performed at Stageworks Theatre in Tampa, FL, 2008
-Produced at the Town & Gown Play house in Athens, GA, 2009
-Produced at the Alive Theatre's Cherry Poppin' Play Festival in LA, 2009
-Published in Alive Theatre's Cherry Poppin' Plays 2009 , 2009
-Performed at the Living Theatre in Manhattan, NY, 2009
-Published by Lulu.com in 2009
-Excerpt performed at Collaborations Atlanta in Atlanta, GA, 2012
-Performed at No Shame Theatre in Athens, GA, 2012
-Performed at Working Title Playwrights in Atlanta, GA, 2012
-Produced on WUGA RAdio (97.1fm) as a Radio Drama in Athens, GA, 2013
-Radio Drama aired on the Atlanta Fringe Festival's website in Atlanta, GA, 2013
-Performed at the Dramatists Guild Friday Night Footlights in Atlanta, GA, 2013
