When Jesus Divorced Me
Written and performed by Laura Irene Young
Directed by Allison Weakland
Carnegie Stage Oct. 6 - Oct. 21, 2023
Chain Theatre Nov. 8 - 12, 2023
She was married to the man of her dreams. Shortly after their wedding, he is cast at a theme park where he either plays Jesus or crucifies him everyday at 3. She tries to be proud of her husband in his new endeavor. Not until a princess from a neighboring theme park comes into the picture, does she realize something is amiss. Now, she is left with the weird and weirdly funny aftermath. A story about how we deal we life's messes and breakups. This surprising folk-music concert from Laura Irene Young expertly moves from gut busting to gut punching: with a score that is equally cheeky and vulnerable you won’t want to miss this show.
The show, which won the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival award for best script in 2019, is based on Young's bizarre real-life experience of being married and then divorced from an actor who worked at a Christian tourist attraction.
“He played Jesus and he cheated on me with an actor who played Mary Magdalene,” says Young.
She says the show covers how she “emotionally dealt with the devastation of that kind of loss,” adding, “Even though the show starts at my divorce, it is about the long journey back to self-love, all done through a little bit of humor and ukulele songs.”
Pittsburgh City Paper
..."it’s a funny and honest look at one woman’s emotional resurrection in the wake of personal devastation."
onStage, Pittsburgh 2019
"... this interesting woman and her interesting life, told with engaging candor. Find out how “God’s plan” involved a lot of crying, that new hobbies aren’t always good, and how she knows he still has their wedding presents."
Central Indiana Stages - PWJW
All photos by Gray Dragon Photography