An ASU theatre professor has brought back the memories of Sept. 11, 2001 in his revival of the Tony Award-winning play J.B.
It was "fairly easy," Marshall Mason said when asked how he incorporated the Sept. 11 attacks into the 1959 Broadway production by Archibald MacLeish.
There will be "visual images that will strike people with imagery of that day," he said.
Mason uses references to the two towers and the heroism of firefighters of that day to evoke new emotions and add a new medium to the play.
He does think that by providing the "visual context" of Sept. 11 he "will attract more audience interest than if [he] ignored the parallels."
The play was originally based on the Bible story of Job. In the Bible, God destroys the city that Job lives in. In Mason's revival, there is no mention of New York City, just the imagery of Sept. 11.
"If God is God he is not good; if God is good he is not God..." is a recurring quote throughout the play. Mason said it sets up an eternal question: If God is so good, then why does he allow such bad things to happen?
Theater major Jason Acton plays the title role in the play.
"Sept. 11 is something everyone can relate to," he said. "Love, faith and suffering all played a part in Sept. 11, and [they] play a part in this play."
Acton hopes that this play will "smack people in the face" and tell them that Sept. 11 did happen and they must remember it, but also accept it and move on.
Acton's character, J.B., is MacLeish's version of a modern day Job. J.B. is a businessman rich in blessings whose faith in God is tested by catastrophic events in a time period of modern injustices.
Mason had considered reviving J.B. since he played the role in college. However, the attack on New York City offered him the opportunity to bring it back with a contemporary plot. He will now be able to draw on the parallels of recent destruction and bring them to the main stage at ASU.
J.B. is a main-stage production made up of an all-student cast, with the exception of Sarah who is played by an ASU faculty member. Students involved in the play will earn credit toward graduation.
Acton said that this play will be a "damn success" and will help the main-stage theatre gain respect that it has lost over the years.
J.B. will be staged Feb. 14-23 at the Paul V. Galvin Playhouse.
Lauren Carper is a reporter for the Web Devil. Reach her at lauren.carper@asu.edu.
