The play, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, is a courtroom drama that examines the reasons why Judas betrayed Jesus and whether the man deserves to be in hell.
Set in Purgatory, audience members are introduced to various iconic figures including Pontius Pilate, Sigmund Freud, Mother Teresa, Jesus and Satan to testify in the trial.
The play, written by Steven Adly Guirgis, deals with controversial subject matter and aims at making audience members question their perceptions of characters.
Dover Bay Secondary School is presenting the play, which premieres Tuesday (June 4).
Jacki Gunn, who plays the prosecuting lawyer, is a senior at Dover Bay and said it’s a really interesting production to finish off her high school years. It’s based on the premise of how people form ideas based on opinion.
The production explores the existence of God, the fate of Judas who hanged himself after betraying Jesus and was condemned to hell and what were Judas’ motivations.
Anika Brown, who plays the defense lawyer, said the play shines a different light on Mother Teresa.
“It’s about the iconic figure of Mother Teresa and you always think that she is a perfect person, but everyone has a flaw,” said Brown. “It’s a lot about history and their (the character’s) role in history. You can’t just judge people by what you have heard about them. You have to research the truth.”
Gunn said cast members spent a lot of time researching the history of the characters and every day students learned something different by reading the lines.
“The depth of the lines is incredible and I have learned so much about history,” she said.
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot runs from June 4-6. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults/$6 seniors and students and are available in advance from the school office or at the door.
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