Scott Anthony joins THE CHRISTIANS at Houston's Alley Theatre

The Alley Theatre in Houston has hired Scott Anthony to music direct and perform in their upcoming production of Lucas Hnath's THE CHRISTIANS. Alley Artistic Director Gregory Boyd will direct the play, which runs from April 22-May 15 in the Alley's Hubbard Theatre.

Scott will be making his Houston theatrical debut, having previously led the choir on two Les Water-directed productions of Hnath's play at Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival and Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit the Alley Theatre's website.

THE CHRISTIANS odds and ends

Center Theatre Group's THE CHRISTIANS received a few more good notices over the holidays. At the Bitter Lemons blog, Travis Michael Holder named the play one of the Best Productions of 2015 in his TicketHolder Awards and much of the cast and creative team, including Music Director Scott Anthony, showed up as Runners Up in individual categories. 

In a brief review in Splash Magazine, Elaine L. Mura calls THE CHRISTIANS "a subdued and thought-provoking night of theater" and says that the "huge and vocal choir which keeps things moving."

In a much longer and spoiler-filled post at FolkWorks (Spoiler alert: Some of them aren't quite true.), Ross Altman, Ph.D. calls the choir "magnificent" and "inspirational," and says that "the enthusiastic opening night standing ovation at the end was well earned by the cast, the choir and the play."

The Les Waters-directed production of Lucas Hnath's play is in its final week at CTG's Mark Taper Forum. Click here for more info and tickets.

"The Grid" interviews Scott Anthony about THE CHRISTIANS choir

Dillon Slagle interviewed Scott Anthony about his, and the choir's, role in Lucas Hnath's THE CHRISTIANS. Slagle's article, in Center Theatre Group's "The Grid," delves into the function the choir serves in the Les Waters-directed production and how Scott and CTG's casting department went about finding the singers to suit the play.

THE CHRISTIANS runs through January 10 at the Mark Taper Forum. Click here for more info and tickets.

LA Observed names THE CHRISTIANS one of 2015's best

Don Shirley of LA Observed leads off his "20 highlights of LA theater in 2015" with an extended discussion of THE CHRISTIANS. This is just the latest year-end best-of list to include the Les Waters-directed production of Lucas Hnath's play, which casts as its tragic hero the pastor of a megachurch who has a change of heart.

Scott Anthony, who served as Music Director on the world premiere production in 2014's Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville, is again serving in that capacity for Center Theatre Group's production at the Mark Taper Forum. The play runs through January 10.

Click here for more info and tickets.

Reviewers sing the praises of THE CHRISTIANS

Los Angeles critics have been weighing in on CTG's production of Lucas Hnath's THE CHRISTIANS. The Les Waters-directed play opened at the Mark Taper Forum December 13 and is receiving applause as reviews roll in.

In the LA Times, Charles McNulty says that the show, which "begins with a rousing hymn performed by a large choir ready to raise the roof in praise of the Lord… is that rare play about religion that both believers and nonbelievers can embrace."

Frances Baum Nicholson of the LA Daily News writes that the "gospel choir [is] led with style by Scott Anthony" and that THE CHRISTIANS "does what theater does so well — make people think, ponder their own understandings, share with others and, regardless of viewpoint, become emotionally engaged in either the concept or the characters, or both." She urges theatergoers, "Don’t go to see an easy play, but go to see one that will stick with you."

On the web, The Wrap's Thom Geier says "These are not stock figures but flesh-and-blood believers grappling with hard choices about deeply felt truths." and Broadwayworld.com's Don Grigware writes that "THE CHRISTIANS, with its crisp dialogue, stellar cast and taut direction is a surefire winner," and that "the choir with Scott Anthony directing, perform the intermittent contemporary hymns quite nicely."

THE CHRISTIANS runs through January 10. Click here for more info and tickets.

THE CHRISTIANS on year-end "Best of Theatre" lists

THE CHRISTIANS is becoming a fixture on year-end reviews of the best theatrical productions of the year. Richard Zoglin of TIME Magazine ranks the play fifth in his "Top Ten Plays & Musicals". The New York Times' Charles Isherwood calls the play "a moving exploration of faith" in his list of "The Best Theatre of 2015". In ranking THE CHRISTIANS No. 7 in "The Best Ten Theatre Events of 2015," Jesse Green of Vulture.com says that "Religion emerges not as politics or psychopathology but as a necessary living argument."

Having served as music director on the Humana Festival of New American Plays world premiere production of the play, Scott Anthony rejoins the cast and creative team of the Actors Theatre of Louisville and Playwrights Horizons productions for the show's LA premiere at Center Theatre Group's Mark Taper Forum. Lucas Hnath's play, directed by Les Waters, opens December 13 and runs through January 10.

Click here for more info on THE CHRISTIANS and tickets.

First photos from THE CHRISTIANS

Broadwayworld.com has published "first look" photos of THE CHRISTIANS, including a few nice views of Scott Anthony and the choir. Scott is serving as music director, leading and accompanying the 27-member choir in Center Theatre Group's production of Lucas Hnath's play, which Actors Theatre of Louisville's Artistic Director Les Waters is directing. THE CHRISTIANS, which is in previews, opens Sunday, December 13 and runs through January 10.

Click here for more info on THE CHRISTIANS and tickets.

Scott Anthony and choir of CTG's THE CHRISTIANS on broadwayworld.com.

Broadwayworld.com Los Angeles notes that "Choir Set for THE CHRISTIANS at Mark Taper Forum This Winter", telling of the process Scott Anthony and Center Theatre Group took to cast the 50 singers who will spend time on the Taper stage in the 27-member choir Scott is directing and performing with in Lucas Hnath's Les Waters-directed play that is in previews now and runs through January 10.

Click for more info and tickets to THE CHRISTIANS.