Summary: Theophilus, a grieving widower, receives the Gospel message from his physician, Dr. Luke (who has just rescued him from his attempted suicide). When alone, Theophilus talks to his deceased wife, Teodora. Ten months earlier, lying in her death bed (seen in flashback), Teodora exhorted Theophilus to believe in Jesus. Until that morning when her fatal disease claimed her, Teodora’s deep faith in the Lord was unbeknown to him. Now, enabled by the Holy Spirit to truly hear Teodora’s testimony, Theophilus vows to her that he will learn all that he can about Jesus. While reading Dr. Luke’s sacred narrative, he pauses often to share his thoughts with Teodora. During what will be the most important night of his life, the “living Word” opens the mind and heart of Theophilus to God the Holy Spirit’s ministry of conviction at work in his soul. He discerns that he is being asked to make his decision about Jesus’ calling on his life (“Who do you say that I am?”) As sunlight illuminates his bed chamber, the audience witnesses Theophilus’ transformation from a bitter and hopeless man into a joyful new believer trusting in God’s promise of eternal life: lived in that place prepared for him (and his Teodora, he is now certain) by Jesus Himself; fulfilling His Father’s perfect will for His adopted-by-grace human sons and daughters, dwelling with God in a community of true peace and great joy.
Style: Dramatic. Duration: 2 hours 30min (approx.)
Actors: 15M, 14F, 1C.
CAST REQUIREMENTS: Most Excellent Theophilus (MET) requires a thirty member cast (fifteen men, fourteen women and one pre-adolescent boy). Half of those cast must be vocal soloists (S, A, T and B). With the exception of the leading man, every cast member will perform multiple character roles. Smaller-size theater groups-congregations with fewer singers available to them can utilize the split-track soundtrack’s “Music with Background Vocals” option (allowing their non-singing actors-actresses to lip-sync the background vocals). The actor-singer performing the lead role of Theophilus must be a strong tenor (or high range baritone). The Gospel events Theophilus reads of, comments on, are depicted operatically through contemporary-style songs sung by the entire rest of the cast.
PRODUCTION NOTES: The soundtrack makes hiring and rehearsing an orchestra unnecessary. The running time for the show is two and a half hours, including a fifteen minute intermission. The optional overture can also be used as prelude music while the audience seats themselves. There is also an optional closing sung by the entire, now-out-of-character cast as their “witness in song” after the curtain call (with the house lights up for interacting with their audience). The audio technician’s song files, the vocalists’ sheet music, the book, scene outline and director’s production notes are available via MET’s website (www.metmusical.com). Minimalist sets and costumes are required to accommodate very quick scene changes. The book’s time and place context is the New Testament era, but a contemporary vs. traditional approach to biblical sets and costumes might better suit the show’s contemporary-style songs and their production.
TERMS OF USE: The authorized use of this copyrighted intellectual property will be granted by the author-owners after receipt of their signed (electronically) licensing agreement and paid (via PayPal) licensing fee. Christian congregations-theater groups who perform MET onstage serve Christ as evangelists through their performance art so, there will be no additional cost to them for receiving MET production materials. However, if tickets are sold in advance or at the door by any venue presenting MET onstage, the author-owners do ask that 10% of those ticket sales be paid (via PayPal) to them. This monetary transaction depends upon integrity between brothers and sisters in Christ. Half of that money will be donated to Dramatix, the online source of Christian theatrical material and primary means for marketing MET internationally. The other half will help support the evangelical mission of GM Performance Art Ministries (the author-owners’ production company). GMPAM’s mission is: to tell the sacred Gospel message of the human soul’s eternal salvation by faith in Jesus Christ through gifted Christian performing artists, evangelizing in diverse theatrical venues of a never-more-secularized world never more in need of the Lord’s mercy and grace.
To download a sample of the script for evaluation, click on the link below. To obtain a copy of the full script, contact the author,
To hear samples of the music, visit the MET website, http://metmusical.com/