Seattle Pacific University’s upcoming production of “The Christians” is set to take audiences to church. Literally. 

In the show, a church congregation has gathered to celebrate the full funding of their community church. But, as the play’s director and professor of theater Richard Lorig described, everything does not go according to the congregation’s expectation. 

“The pastor has recently had a revelation that he feels compelled to share with the congregation and it involves a choice for their future that creates a theological upheaval. He thinks that everyone’s going to be incredibly excited about the change but that’s not how everything goes,” Lorig said.

So begins the play, but the surprises for audiences do not stop at the premise. 

Being a Christian school, SPU has many students for whom the church setting and characters will likely feel familiar. Despite this, the play looks like it is shaping up to invite viewers into the world in a more participatory way than usual. 

“A lot of the time you go to see a show and the fourth wall is very much in place, and characters never acknowledge you. But because this show begins with a sermon, the pastor looks out at the audience and talks to them directly,” Lorig said. “The audience is the congregation and part of the environment.”  

Another unique aspect is the addition of a choir for this show. Senior theater performance major Atlas Peek is a member of the choir and explained their role in the play.

“Typically our straight plays don’t have any music in them but this is the rare exception. We are formatting this play in the form of a church service, so we will have hymns throughout, sung by a choir that’s on stage and that’s kind of my job,” Peek said. 

Peek explained that, like the audience, the choir will be reacting to the events of the play as they happen. 

“Because it’s in the form of a church service, we are members of the church who are in the choir, so we have opinions on what is happening as well,” Peek said.

Though being taken in by the world of the play is one aspect of what the production is aiming for, there are other elements that audiences can expect to encounter. 

Junior theater performance major and actor Daniel Mercado mentioned several things that viewers can look forward to. 

“Expect to go to church. Expect a Sunday. Expect hearing a sermon from a seasoned pastor. Expect a full-on choir with beautiful worship music. Expect your beliefs to be challenged,” Mercado said.

Peek also spoke about their hopes for the audience experience.

“Audience members can expect to see some things that hopefully are familiar, as well as see tension behind the scenes of churches that you don’t usually get to see,” Peek said. 

For his part, Lorig is most excited to see how students respond to the environment they have created. 

“Hopefully it will all feel authentic so it will be easy to buy into it. And then once you have bought into the world, it is really about discovering the characters and their humanity, and the struggles that they go through,” Lorig said. 

Assistant stage manager and senior theater performance major Laurelae Bluntzer dreams of what she wants viewers to discover as the play goes on. 

“I hope you really grasp a deeper understanding that every single person, whether you are religious or not, can have a completely different mindset on one topic. It’s a whole iceberg and we are just getting deeper and deeper into it. And maybe the iceberg doesn’t even have an end to it,” Bluntzer said. 

Ultimately, Mercado expressed their thoughts about the questions they want audiences to walk away with.

“The show asks a lot of questions and doesn’t give you answers. I want people to leave the theater asking what they believe and why, and how does sticking to their beliefs affect one another?” Mercado said. “How do we sit in uncertainty? How do we treat those with different beliefs than ours and does that treatment reflect more so on others or on us?”

“The Christians” will run Oct. 26 through Oct. 28, and Nov. 2 through Nov. 4, with all shows at 7:30 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Nov. 4. Visit Ludus – Seattle Pacific University Theatre to purchase tickets.