by Dan Mayer
The name Stephen Adly Guirgis may sound familiar to theatergoers in the capital region. He graduated from SUNY Albany, and Harbinger Theatre has recently produced two of his plays: the award-winning Between Riverside and Crazy this past July, and The Motherf**ker with the Hat in 2023. Albany Civic Theater now showcases one of his earlier plays, Jesus Hopped The “A” Train, a thought-provoking look at the criminal justice system and the people caught within it.
The set designed by David Zwierankin is immediately striking. Black bars and chain link fencing topped with barbed wire take up much of the stage. Walls to the sides of the stage show passages from the constitution, obscured by a shadow of fencing on the right, and by blood stains on the left. On the back wall is an unexpected quote from Elbert Hubbard: “Positive anything is better than negative nothing.” This would seem to reflect the mindset of Lucius (Nellson Moore), who embraces the positive despite his circumstances.
By contrast, Angel (Josef Mendez) is perpetually beaten down by his circumstances. He’s frustrated with the system, and struggles to find any kind of hope. He’s also feeling conflicted about his faith, whereas Lucius is constantly evangelizing. The scenes that allow Mendez and Moore to play off of each other are the best parts of the show. Things gradually become more heated as the two of them challenge each others’ points of view, and the back-and-forth is immensely compelling.
We’re also introduced to D’Amico (Jody Green), a guard who takes a liking to Lucius, Valdez (Thom Ingram), who delights in demeaning and threatening the inmates, and Mary Jane (Cecelia Gray), an overworked public defender who seems more interested in advancing her career than doing what’s best for Angel. All three come across as very authentic, and Gray in particular effectively walks a fine line between likable and not.
Most of the characters are portrayed as morally gray to some extent, but Lucius in particular evokes very conflicted feelings. Moore expertly plays him as an affable man with an infectiously positive spirit. He gets a lot of laughs in the first act, and from early on he has our sympathies. He repeatedly offers genuine kindness and friendship to others, yet he also never expresses a shred of remorse for his crimes. The audience doesn’t learn the extent of what he’s done until later, some of which is shared in graphic detail, and he’s ultimately cast in an entirely different light (literally, thanks to some effectively-timed red lighting by Laura Darling).
Given what is learned about Lucius, Angel’s internal conflict is a little hard to understand. He seems determined to convince Lucius, and really himself, that he’s a good person. Lucius insists the two of them are alike, and Angel seems to fear he could be right. The argument seems to presuppose that Angel must either be a good man or a monster, that there can be nothing in between. He is reluctant to accept what he’s done, and then struggles to reconcile the guilt, but his crimes and those of Lucius are like night and day. So why does Lucius seem to rattle Angel so much?
In the end, the criminal justice system proves to be unforgiving, and whatever crimes the inmates committed, it’s hard not to conclude that they deserved better.
Jesus Hopped The “A” Train raises a lot of tough questions about faith, morality, and systemic injustice. The characters are flawed, a bit hard to relate to at times, but always compelling to watch. The script can be challenging, but also enjoyable, and what the cast does with the material is something to see.
Albany Civic Theater presents Jesus Hopped The “A” Train by Stephen Adly Guirgis, directed by Evan Jones, runs from Sept 19 – Oct 5, at Albany Civic Theater, 235 Second Avenue in Albany, NY. Cast: Josef Mendez as Angel, Nellson Moore as Lucius, Cecelia Gray as Mary Jane, Thom Ingram as Valdez, and Jody Green as D’Amico.
Assistant Director: Abigail Rose Decker. Stage Manager: Amanda Lupe. Producer: Evan Jones. Set Design & Construction: David Zwierankin. Lighting Design: Laura Darling. Sound Design: Brian Starnes. Light/Sound Board Operator: Abigail Rose Decker. Photography: Willie David Short. Playbill Cover Art: Peter Kantor. Scenic Painting: David Zwierankin. Properties: Amanda Lupe. Dramaturgy: Jillian Becker.
Performance dates are Friday – Sunday, Sept 19-21, 26-28, and Oct 3-5. Friday and Saturday curtains are at 7:30 pm, and Sundays are matinees only at 3 pm. Tickets are $20, or $10 for students. Runs approximately 130 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Contains strong language. Tickets are available online. Visit https://www.albanycivictheater.org/ for more information.