Most people know the Biblical story of Mary, to whom an angel appeared with the startling news that she would be the mother of Jesus. But not many could have imagined her as a contemporary teenager in Hannah Montana pajamas, shocked into near speechlessness to learn of her life-altering role.
Yet that’s exactly how actress and playwright Brittany Moss Leazer chooses to tell Mary’s story. The Acworth resident has turned Mary’s tale into a contemporary story, complete with cell phones and modern-day lingo. And Leazer didn’t stop with Mary. Her play, “Voices that Cry Out: Women of the Bible Monologues,” updates the stories of a dozen Biblical women. The one-woman work debuts Sunday at Mount Bethel Methodist Church in East Cobb, with Leazer making fast costume changes to create each woman’s individual personality.
Leazer, 25, points to several reasons why she created the show.
“The first is that my faith is the biggest part of who I am,” she said. “The second was that theater and acting are my passions. I wanted a way to bridge those two things while giving women and girls something to connect with. These are not just stories they may have heard about. They show that people have gone through this before; your problems aren’t new.”
Mary has the only story set in the present day. Elizabeth, who became pregnant at a very old age, takes on the character of an elderly Jewish matron of the 1970s. Esther turns into a 1990s beauty queen. Ruth and her mother-in-law are 1930s Southern women who make the difficult decision to move north to Pennsylvania.
“She becomes a great Southern character with great anecdotes,” said Leazer. “But the focus is on transition, being faithful and putting others’ needs first.”
Hannah transforms into a 1950s Stepford-style wife, dutifully washing the dinner dishes while her husband relaxes.
“Hannah’s story is that she could not get pregnant, and she’s wondering if it’s her fault,” said Leazer. “She’s asking the Lord to grant her a baby and she does it in an original song.”
The only woman who stays in her own time is Mary Magdalene, who first inspired Leazer several years ago when she was a student at North Greenville University in her native South Carolina.
“I heard about a touring show that told different Mary Magdalene stories and thought it was a great idea,” said Leazer. “I read through a lot of commentaries and theologian’s writings about different Biblical women, and I could see that some would be really great characters to play. But there were some with such strong characterizations, they jumped out and said, ‘Hey, write about me!’ ”
The hour-long production shows how Biblical stories can still speak to modern times, said Leazer.
“Sometimes, it’s hard for people to connect with Biblical characters,” she said. “But the stories are timeless. By taking these women out of their elements, people can better understand who they were and how they felt about things. And it’s a great way to put truth out there in a fun and entertaining way.”
"Voices that Cry Out: Women of the Bible Monologues"
A one-woman show written and performed by Brittany Moss Leazer
6:30 p.m., Oct. 25
Free admission
Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, 4385 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta
770-971-2880; www.brittlaneentertainment.com
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