Review: AN ACT OF GOD at Denver Center

If you're in the mood for church but you're looking for something that actually makes sense, An Act of God might be right up your alley.

The play is written by David Javerbaum, based on his book "The Last Testament: A Memoir By God." The 2015 Broadway run featured Jim Parsons and Sean Hayes in the title role, which returned this year with Hayes through just a few months ago. This show's pretty fresh. Denver's audiences currently get young Broadway vet Wesley Taylor directed by Geoffrey Kent.

It's unclear whether Denver audiences are familiar with Taylor. The fella's got a decent Broadway repertoire, including the original casts of Rock of Ages and The Addams Family as well as Emcee in the latest Cabaret revival. It was tough to miss his recurring role on TV's "Smash." Geekier theatre crowds might know him from his YouTube series "Billy Green," or "It Could Be Worse" on Hulu.

Basically, if you don't know who Taylor is...get with it. The dude's witty. He infuses the show with the kind of feisty jocularity you'd expect from God in 2016. And you get to see his abs.

Imagine God in a talk show setting. His "form" is the hijacked body of a celebrity; so technically, you're really seeing the physical Wesley Taylor up there with God's mind, answering all those questions about his religion in a modern way. Make sense? It will.

For example, Adam and Eve were originally Adam and Steve...then Eve came along. The Ten Commandments are updated in a way that makes more modern sense with a liberal twist.

If you're a devout Christian, this one might get a little offensive, lightheartedly. But if you can appreciate the intellect of a quick-witted Holocaust joke, you'll fit right in.

Taylor's been with the show since its opening, and he'll stay through Jan. 22, when understudy and local favorite Steven J. Burge takes the throne beginning Jan. 24. (Think you can take his place? Understudy auditions are taking place Wednesday, Dec. 21, from 10am-2pm.)

The rest of the cast features Steven Cole Hughes and Erik Sandovold as the angels Michael and Gabriel, respectively. While Hughes combs the crowd asking questions for audience members, Gabriel is perched on the side not getting in anyone's way. The pair provides and great balance needed to offset God's one-man talk show.

The set by Lisa M. Orzolek looks straight up heavenly, paired well with sleek costumes by Meghan Anderson Doyle.

See it for Taylor, and then come back next year for Burge. This one-act is worth a second watch.

An Act of God plays the Garner Galleria Theatre (as part of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts' Cabaret division) through March 12. Tickets are available at DenverCenter.org, by calling (303)893-4100 or visiting the box office in the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex.

Photo Credit: AdamsVisCom

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