What do Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley all have in common - besides fame? They're all Scientologists - and they're all "guest-starring" in the Know Theatre's latest holiday show.
SATIRICAL STYLE
The life and vision of L. Ron Hubbard take center stage when A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant debuts at the Know Theatre this weekend. The 2004 Obie Award winning musical explores the origins of the popular new-age faith. It features nine children ages 11 to 16 in the form of a traditional old-school Christmas pageant that just so happens to feature puppets and indie-rock-style tunes.
Pageant director Jeff Groh says several factors - such as Scientology's celebrity followers and the Know's reputation for fringe works - make the satire that is Pageant ripe for its stage.
"Kyle Jarrow, the playwright ... during an interview talking about why he decided to write it, said there's sort of a shift in religions going from sort of a very hell-and-damnation, punishment kind of mentality to a shift of religions bringing you peace or happiness, all these sort of positive slants," Groh says. "It's very much like modern psychology with a dash of religion in it - Scientology is that in a major way."
Spirituality issues notwithstanding, Groh says the show's young cast members are more than up to the task of bringing the show to life. The only adult in the show, Ayla Ocasio, who stars as the "Angelic Girl" narrator, agrees.
"It's humbling. I started in theater when I was younger, and it's nice to remember how fresh and green and passionate I was about theater, and I see it in these kids," she says. "They pick on things and remember better than I do in rehearsal! They're telling me the dance steps!"
NOT THE SAME SONG AND DANCE
Pageant depicts aspects of Scientology ranging from engrams to the evil Prince Xenu - and not always in favorable terms. But despite that, Ocasio says the show illustrates something anyone of any faith can appreciate.
"Even within in the play, and as stereotypical as the jokes we're making, we do help those characters within the play. They do find something within Scientology, even if the tactics may be expensive or questionable," she says. "That's what the holidays are about, whether or not you need to just spend the holidays with your family or go to church - whatever church that might be."
"I keep asking myself: If I was a Scientologist and I came to see this show, would I leave fuming? I don't think so," he says. "People want to go see a fun show over the holidays, and this is fun. It's kids singing and dancing, there's comedy throughout it ... I don't think there is a religion system around that doesn't deserve a few pokes."
