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A Duo Of Playmakers Productions Explore Faith And Following

WUNC News | By Laura Pellicer,
Frank Stasio
Published February 6, 2018 at 12:45 PM EST

 This season Playmakers Repertory Company presents two plays written centuries apart that delve into what it means to believe and what happens when faith is shattered.

Frank Stasio speaks with “The Christians” director Preston Lane; David Ball, who adapted “Tartuffe” for Playmakers; and actors Joey Collins and Nemuna Ceesay

In the production “The Christians,” a pastor at a megachurch creates a rift between congregants, preachers and his own family when he decides to change his mind about the existence of hell. The main characters all expose their own versions of truth, and the play is an empathetic look at how people believe. The second play in rotation, Molière’s “Tartuffe,” explores how a pretend-pious conman uses faith to mask the truth.

Host Frank Stasio speaks with “The Christians” director Preston Lane;  David Ball, who adapted “Tartuffe” for Playmakers; and actors Joey Collins and Nemuna Ceesay who perform in both plays. “Tartuffe” and “The Christians” both start their official run at Playmakers’ Paul Green Theatre in Chapel Hill on Saturday, Feb. 10.

PlayMakers Repertory Company's production of 'The Christians' opens Feb. 10
PlayMakers Repertory Company /
PlayMakers Repertory Company's production of 'The Christians' opens Feb. 10
PlayMakers Repertory Company's production of 'Tartuffe' opens Feb. 10
PlayMakers Repertory Company /
PlayMakers Repertory Company's production of 'Tartuffe' opens Feb. 10
PlayMakers Repertory Company's production of 'Tartuffe' opens Feb. 10
PlayMakers Repertory Company /
PlayMakers Repertory Company's production of 'Tartuffe' opens Feb. 10

Copyright 2018 North Carolina Public Radio
Laura Pellicer
Laura Pellicer is a producer with The State of Things (hyperlink), a show that explores North Carolina through conversation. Laura was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, a city she considers arrestingly beautiful, if not a little dysfunctional. She worked as a researcher for CBC Montreal and also contributed to their programming as an investigative journalist, social media reporter, and special projects planner. Her work has been nominated for two Canadian RTDNA Awards. Laura loves looking into how cities work, pursuing stories about indigenous rights, and finding fresh voices to share with listeners. Laura is enamored with her new home in North Carolina—notably the lush forests, and the waves where she plans on moonlighting as a mediocre surfer.
See stories by Laura Pellicer
Frank Stasio
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
See stories by Frank Stasio