Michele A. Miller's Mother of God is a work in progress- a fanciful cartoon version of the Nativity story with Three-Stooges sound effects: beeps and rimshots, that can offend anyone without a sense of humor, Jews or Christians. Well staged, with lots of zip and action by Melody Brooks, the settings, designed by Meganne George with slides and video shot by Rafael Jordan, which are projected on a cyclorama, are terrific, and create a changing atmosphere that enhances everything.
Mother of God is partly vaudeville, part actual theater, especially in the second half when things get more serious. I think this is a really good version to begin with, and I'd like to see how it develops and how it works when it is tightened up and with the final cast selections. (I don't want to nitpick, but I do think that in actuality Joseph, a carpenter, was a strong, attractive young man rather than a doddering old one.)
I particularly liked Keona Welch as a lovely Mary, and Karin de la Penha and Marisa Petsakos as family members. Brooks entertains us with an innovative and unusual view of a well-known event.
