From: WillNich@aol.com
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 16:12:06 EDT
Subject: "Corpus Christi" Ignites Louisville Fundamentalists

[Some background information from The Letter: This production of "Corpus 
Christi" is the first one to be produced outside of New York City.  Since its 
opening last week, it has had the distinction of being picketed on separate 
nights by a black children's Bible study group and members of the Ku Klux 
Klan.  Artswatch is a cutting edge group that's brought three of the NEA Four 
to Louisville in the past decade and has produced other avant-garde shows.  
As such, it has been the focus of religious right protests off and on for the 
past ten years.  It's a tiny gallery that sits next to a busy railroad track 
in an old Victorian neighborhood.  It can't seat more than 85 people without 
violating the fire codes.

I've talked with the acting director of Artswatch, Joee Conroy.  He says, 
"I've never been more convinced of the value of a work of art."  He also 
believes that most of the audiences have felt very rewarded.  "It's a very 
life affirming play," he adds.  A New York critic even flew into Louisville 
to review this production to compare and contrast it with its original run 
last year.]

Louisville Courier-Journal, July 31, 1999

GAY, CHRISTLIKE ROLE IN DRAMA DRAWS PROTESTS
Play set to open today is assailed as blasphemous

by Laura Lee, The Courier-Journal

  Members of some religious and community organizations are protesting a play 
that depicts a Christlike character as a gay man.
[Deleted article.  filemanager@qrd.org]