JIM FARMER | 4.11.2007
IT’S NEVER BEEN EASY being a God-fearing gay man in the Deep South. But it sure as hell at times can be funny.
Playwright Del Shores of “Sordid Lives” fame tells about the humor and pain of being gay amidst a fanatically religious culture in “Southern Baptist Sissies,” which the Process Theatre presents at Whole World Theatre beginning April 12.
As the title suggests, the issues of religion and growing up gay drive the production. “Sissies” follows the lives of four gay friends from the time they are young boys in Texas into adulthood.
Mark Lee Fuller (David columnist Topher Payne) is the central character, from whose point of view we see much of the action. He grows up and leaves his small town home and later becomes a writer (typecasting? nah.)
Benny (Greg Morris) embraces being gay and even becomes a drag queen. Andrew (Marcelo Banderas) becomes racked with guilt about his life and his decision to let his mother know.
Finally, there is the conflicted and confused T.J. (Matt Sutter), with whom Mark has been in love. T.J. eventually decides he does not want to be gay and turns away from Mark.
Through Mark, we also meet gay barflies Preston (George Deavours) and Odette (Jo Howarth), who talk over nightly drinks at a piano bar.
“Southern Baptist Sissies” is directed by DeWayne Morgan, the associate director of Process Theater, one of the most profilic local companies to tackle gay- and trans-friendly material.
He calls “Southern Baptist Sissies” similar to “Sordid Lives” in that both deal with small town life, and both blend comedy and drama.
But Morgan and Payne say they feel “Sissies” has a much darker side.
“I’m a huge fan of ‘Sordid Lives,’ but I was surprised at the material here,” Payne says. “Del explores this world with so much more depth.”
PAYNE’S CHARACTER GROWS UP to be a columnist for a gay magazine. He laughs at the irony, considering he also came froma small southern town and also offers his musings to David readers each week.
He says he connected with the play on several other levels.
“I identified with it — the not fitting in, not belonging to a group like the Boy Scouts, and moving to the church,” he says. “It’s bizarre — these boys all know there is something different about them. In turning to the church, they are told that is what will sustain them, but that the church will not sustain them if this is who they are.”
Payne was raised Methodist and was active in the church growing up.
“Yet, there was a moment when I had to walk away from it,” he admits. “Their definition of what God’s perfect love is was a little too conditional for me. I reached a point where I said I’m fine with God, but I’m not fine with the church.”
“SISSIES” HAS RECEIVED SOME mild protests, particularly for a scene that intercuts a preacher’s sermon with some naked action between two of the characters.
Yes, there is nudity in the show, but Shores is adamant in his stage directions that it not be overt, says Morgan, who does not feel the play is anti-religious.
“I think what it says is that people take words from the Bible and interpret them however they want to,” Morgan says. “For me, I think this play is all about learning to love oneself. All these people have a hard time loving themselves and accepting who they are.”
‘Southern Baptist Sissies’ runs from April 12 to May 12 at Whole World Theatre, 1226 Spring Street, 404-817-0880, theprocesstheatre.org
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