The God Game
By Suzanne Bradbeer
March 3, 4, 9**, 10, 11, 12*, 16**, 17, 18, 19*, 2017
For those running for a political seat in Washington, there isn’t much the public doesn’t know about you. National candidates are constantly in the public eye, especially in a presidential election year, and the public seems to know everything about them from their daily routines to their DNA. And for those vying for the oval office — they’d better be ready to bare their soul — especially when it comes to religion.
The characters in The God Game are Tom, a popular and well liked U.S. senator from Virginia, his wife, Lisa and their old college friend Matt, who is working for the Republican presidential candidate. On a summer weekend when Tom and Lisa are privately celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary in their Richmond, Virginia home, they are interrupted by a surprise visit from Matt, who comes hat in hand, to ask Tom to be his party’s vice-presidential nominee. The one stipulation by the party for Tom, who is not particularly religious, is that he must sound more Christian while he campaigns.
Suzanne Bradbeer’s crisp, witty, dialogue induces laughter, sadness and heartfelt emotion while grappling with how candidates are expected to publicly reveal their private beliefs. The God Game is a play about faith and politics, marriage and friendship, choices and consequences. Winner! The Ashland New Plays Festival and NEXT ACT! New Play Summit.