PopUp Theatre Threatened With Protests Over Its Production of Corpus Christi

Terrence McNally's representation of Jesus Christ in his play Corpus Christi has caused controversy since its first production. With its portrayal of Jesus as a gay teenager named Joshua living in Texas, the play's debut at the Manhattan Theatre Club was originally canceled by the organization because of threats it received from protesters to burn down the theater, kill the staff and “exterminate” McNally.

After an outcry from the theater community, the performance was reinstated with tighter security protocols. Attendees had to walk by more than 2,000 protesters and counter-protesters before passing through a metal detector to enter the play's opening night on October 13, 1998. Religious organizations have denounced the play, and subsequent performances have drawn similar scrutiny. 

"This is a piece of filth," said William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, in a 1998 interview with the Baltimore Sun. Donohue's organization attended the opening night of Corpus Christi to protest the play on behalf of several dozen conservative religious groups that were offended by McNally's portrayal of Jesus. "We were there to register our moral outrage," he said. "We consider what McNally is doing to be a form of hate speech."

And, 25 years later, the controversy continues in Aurora. Aaron Vega, the curator and facilities coordinator for The People's Building, has received two voicemails from community members expressing outrage at the venue for its current production of Corpus Christi.

One caller demanded in a voicemail that the organization "remove that man who raises consciousness...It's absolutely despicable that some people would turn around and make [Jesus Christ] homosexual." Another person left a message threatening the building with "massive protests" because they were so upset about the content of the play.

"Some people want to fight about this show because all they know it as is the 'gay Jesus play,'" says Christopher Huelshorst, artistic director for PopUp Theatre and its production of Corpus Christi. "But what I take from Corpus Christi is that Jesus was an ordinary man born of an ordinary woman. That could be any of us. That is something I have always loved about the play, and that is why I want to do it now."
Corpus Christi was on Huelshorst's radar as a potential show to mount for Colorado audiences since PopUp Theatre was operating out of Fort Collins back in 2015. "This is a show I've been salivating over for a while now," says Huelshorst. "I've always loved Terrence because he is this powerful gay male voice that really spoke to my generation. We lost Terrence during COVID and never really got a chance to mourn his death; I hope that performing this show during its 25th anniversary serves as a memorial for him in some way."

McNally's play is PopUp Theatre's second show in the People's Building, where it runs through April 15. Its first show in the space was Cock, by Mike Bartlett, a play about a gay man who feels torn after falling in love with a woman, which was produced in November, and PopUp will continue its 2023 season with the musical [title of show], by Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen, in the late summer.

"The tagline for PopUp Theatre is 'You Just Never Know,' because the only thing you know for sure is that we are not making traditional theater," says Huelshorst. "Someone in the production mentioned to me that it feels like Denver does the same five musicals plus some Shakespeare over and over again. Even in Fort Collins, our goal was to do something different each time and move the art form forward."

Although McNally's script calls for thirteen men, when Huelshorst hosted an open casting call in the Denver community, he auditioned people of all genders. For local actor Emma Maxfield, who plays Judas, the play presented her with the opportunity to portray a role that she would not have traditionally been cast in. She also believes Corpus Christi has remained integrally relevant.
"I am so excited to be participating in a show that is wildly different than anything I have seen on a Denver stage in a long time," says Maxfield. "If people are freaked out by the fact that we have a Black and very gay Jesus character, this show asks why that makes patrons uncomfortable and forces them to confront those feelings."

Corpus Christi's religious themes and explicit queerness, in particular, resonated with Maxfield, who grew up in a religious environment.

"I was raised in the church, and specifically, I had this bizarre previous life performing worship music," says Maxfield. "When I left to pursue acting, I lost a lot of connections, and even more when I came out as queer. Working on a play that centers me and the community that I love is so impactful. The queer community has been there in a way that is hard to express with words, and Corpus Christi tells a story about issues that matter to me, my friends and the country at large."

But, "no matter how much we modernize it, there are things that I have to deliver in a certain light," says Johnathan Underwood, who plays Joshua. He approached the script's extended scripture passages like an actor would rehearse Shakespeare.

"I wanted to make sure the biblical parts were as accurate as possible, because I knew there would be people in the audience that knew the scripture backwards and forwards," he explains. "This has been the most amount of research that I have done for a role, because I needed to make sure I understood all the parables mentioned by Terrence McNally in the play."

Underwood stressed in our conversation that, although PopUp Theatre is using a mixed-gender cast, its themes of gay liberation are at the core of the play. "I have known Emma for years and think she is a fantastic actor, but when I was told she was playing Judas, I did feel like that character should maybe be played by a man," says Underwood. "The whole controversy around Corpus Christi is because people were upset that he was a gay Jesus. That is how the show was pitched to me in high school, and it is a huge part of the documentary [Corpus Christi: Playing With Redemption]. But Emma is playing Judas as a man, and I don't even see her; I just see this man who loves me so deeply. I just want to make sure that even with us mixing genders, the play's message of acceptance under the big queer banner is still known."

McNally's message of love toward the LGBTQ+ community feels more urgent now than ever before to the creative team.

"The world is so crazy right now, and religion is such an odd thing that is not for everyone," says Underwood. "But I hope that you will take from the show Jesus's lesson to be good to each other and love everyone."

As Christians prepare to enter the Easter season, they hear all about Jesus's life, death and resurrection. And though Corpus Christi touches on Joshua's life and death, McNally's play does not include his rebirth. 

"In Christianity, you have the crucifixion, which is this horrible act," says Huelshorst. "But it is followed by this beautiful holiday of Easter, where Jesus comes back after three days. Our show ends with the crucifixion because we hope that the audience is the resurrection. Once you are reborn, do you use the show’s message for good or evil? It is your choice."

Corpus Christi runs through April 15, the People's Building, 9995 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora. Find tickets, times and more information here.