The Fringe 2005 Ping Pong Ball Awards

The "Somebody Up There Likes Them" Award

Hallel Praise Production

The very last company to be chosen for a slot on the schedule during the lottery before they had to switch over and start drawing for the wait list.

The production?

Angels of Warfare
Spiritual production based on Christian beliefs and values.

Now here's the odd thing. I find myself torn over this production, because unfortunately the media has seeped into my brain. I happen to consider myself a Christian person. Both my parents are ordained ministers. I've been very active in the life of several churches over the years, not just showing up on Sundays and putting something in the offering plate but actually serving on committees and doing the grunt work involved in keeping the place running. And yet, here I am, a relatively intelligent person, and I see words like "spiritual" and "Christian beliefs and values" and my immediate knee jerk reaction is to think - "Oh, well they must be closed minded and judgmental."

Pot, meet kettle. Kettle, pot.

Where does ignorance like that come from? I mean, I know better. I want other people to know better. That's why discussions of religion and faith are woven into plays of mine with titles as obvious as Heaven and Home and as unlikely as Studpuppy. And yet here I am having the same dismissive reaction I'm trying to defuse in other people.

After all, these people are applying to be in the Fringe.

Which means they must have seen the Fringe. They must have attended some shows. They must feel like this is the right place for them to be.

So I'm withholding judgment. Actually, better than that, I'm going to go out of my way to try and see this one if it remains on the schedule. It may be the kind of theatre I'm longing to see more of - like Fringe 2003's Book of Names - less stereotypes, more real people with complex lives. If you're having the same reactions I am, you might want to give it a shot yourself.

[To see the rest of the Ping Pong Ball Awards, click here.]

(For more of my writing - plays, past blog entries and more - visit www.matthewaeverett.com)