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Three years ago, director Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare—the Tony- winning actor most widely known for his work on HBO's True Blood and the FX hit American Horror Story—collaborated to craft the critically acclaimed An Iliad, a taut retelling of Homer's epic poem. Now the pair have teamed up again to write The Good Book, a heartfelt but clear-headed exploration of the Bible premiering at the Court Theatre this spring. In an exclusive interview with Michigan Avenue, the duo opened up about their artistic inspirations. Denis, An Iliad was Lisa's idea; taking on the Bible was yours. Denis O'Hare: I'm an atheist and I'm gay, and I basically want to take back this document from the haters. If I am going to live in a culture where this book has so much inf luence, then I need to know it as well as those who use it as a weapon. Did you share that agenda, Lisa? Lisa Peterson: We wanted to [get people mad], but to be honest, almost against our impulses, I really think we brought a balanced examination and curiosity to this. I suppose the most radical thing we're saying is that the Bible was made by human beings over the centuries. Some people may take issue with that, and that's okay with us. An Iliad was a single-character show. Denis, how have you shaped The Good Book? DO: There are upwards of 60 characters played by five actors and two other very strong central characters: Connor, a 15-year-old boy who wants to become a priest, and Miriam, a 60-year-old biblical scholar who is struggling with her own issues of meaning in the face of death. The middle strand is the Bible, its evolu- tion—where it began as an oral tradition, how it was first written down, [translated] into Latin, then into English, and then reedited in America to become the New Revised Standard Version, which is the Bible everybody reads today. Cynics might assume you went at this blindly. LP: Not at all. We were hugely lucky to have access to Margaret Mitchell, dean at the University of Chicago Divinity School. She's just an amazing mind. All you have to do is ask her a good question and she's off and running. She was a great person to check in with and ask, "Are we on the right track?" Did you warm to the Bible at all through this process? DO: When I started a systematic reading of it, I was terrified I would fall in love with it. That didn't happen. It is not a beautiful, well-written book. It is not even an enjoyable book. The best written [part], I think, is Paul, in the New Testament. But much of the Bible is just uninspired, tedious, incompre- hensible, and not very helpful. However, I do appreciate knowing the Bible better. It's a fascinating document. LP: I thought of the Bible in a monolithic way, and what I've learned is that it is the opposite of monolithic. It's like a grab bag, and you can find what you want in it. I am amazed, in a way, how it's lasted and how powerful it is, given the kind of lack of organization in it. It dazzles me with its chaos. The Good Book will run March 19–April 19 at the Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave., 773-753-4472; courttheatre.org. ma Let there Be Light Tony winner Denis O'Hare Teams wiTh direcTor Lisa PetersOn To give The BiBle a going over in The world-premiere play The Good Book. by tHOmas cOnnOrs Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare at a workshop at the Court Theatre. 58 michiganavemag.com Culture Behind the Scenes