compliments of Reduced Shakespeare Company
The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged)
Play Description
An affectionate, irreverent roller-coaster ride from fig leaves to Final Judgment, tackling the great theological questions: Did Adam and Eve have navels? Did Moses really look like Charlton Heston? And why isn’t the word “phonetic” spelled the way it sounds? Whether you’re Catholic or Atheist, Muslim or Jew, Protestant or Purple People Eater, you will be tickled by this romp through old-time religion.
Production Info
Cast: 3 total (3 male, as written; gender-diverse and/or expanded casts welcome)Full Length Comedy (about 100 minutes)
Minimal Set Requirements
Contemporary Costumes
- Reviews
- About the Author(s)
- About the Book
- Special Notes
- Rehearsal Audio
- Productions
Press Quotes
“… There is no doubt about it, these three lads are in a league of their own when it comes to vivid originality in the show … They have sublime moments of surreal theatricality … Sly minds are at work throughout. Posing the theological question: Does God have a sense of humor? They prove that undoubtedly he has. Why else would he have left the Children of Israel to wander the Middle East for forty years and then give them the only bit of land with no oil on it?” —Jack Tinker, Daily Mail (London)
“… That apocalyptic roller-coaster of sex, violence, murder and miracles — the Bible — has been abridged by three American sinners. And verily this blasphemous, hilarious zip through the Old and New Testaments will henceforth be proclaimed as THE BIBLE: THE COMPLETE WORD OF GOD (ABRIDGED) … Not even the most somber, uptight Scientologist could take offense at this snappy, slick and utterly entertaining show …” —Sunday Express (London)
“‘In the beginning,’ a godlike voice informs us, ‘there was chaos.’ But why stop there? The disorder continues throughout the middle and end of THE BIBLE: THE COMPLETE WORD OF GOD (ABRIDGED) until the neat rows of audience have dissolved hysterically into the aisles. In spoofing the book they call ‘the greatest story ever accepted as fact,’ The Reduced Shakespeare Company combines shtick, wordplay, physical humor, sight gags, audience participation and jokes so old … gleefully give in to the giggles and the guffaws and, indeed, the buffoonery is hard to resist …” —Ron Weiskind, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“In the beginning there was THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED). And it was good. And SHAKESPEARE begat THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (ABRIDGED). And that was good, too. And now AMERICA has begat (begotten?, begetted? … whatever) THE BIBLE: THE COMPLETE WORD OF GOD (ABRIDGED), and damned if it isn’t the funniest of the lot …” —Bob Mondello, City Paper (Washington)
Book Information
Publisher | BPPI |
---|---|
Publication Date | 5/13/2013 |
Pages | 78 |
ISBN | 9780881455687 |
Special Notes
If original stage producers credits appear in bold below, all licensees are required to include them in the following form on the title page in all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play and in all advertising in which the full cast appears in size of type not less than ten percent (10%) of the size of the title of the Play:
Originally produced by Reduced Shakespeare Company
In addition, the following must appear within all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play:
by special arrangement with Broadway Play Publishing Inc, NYC
www.broadwayplaypublishing.com
Rehearsal Audio
The tracks below demonstrate how the following four songs in the show should sound.
“In the Beginning Blues” by Adam Long, Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor
“Begattin'” by Adam Long, Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor
“Elijah and Elisha” by Adam Long, Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor
“That’s Armegeddon!” by Adam Long, Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor