for elevator construction, we were eager to find the right piece for our return.
As we were considering titles, our Director of Development & Outreach, Jacob Kilburg, suggested The Exorcist, largely because he found it“ horrifying.” I told him it had actually been sitting on my shortlist for quite a while, although depending upon the year either I was too scared to program it or others in the organization were too scared to let me!
There was even concern( expressed with varying degrees of sincerity) that producing The Exorcist might invite dark forces into the building. Given everything I had read about the film’ s production, I could not completely dismiss the thought( which only made the project more enticing!).
I reached out to playwright John Pielmeier, who revised his stage adaptation to focus on the human story underneath. Strip away the pop culture references, possession tropes, and special effects, and you are left with a mother desperate to save her child and a priest who has lost his faith when someone needs him most.
Father Merrin may be the story’ s most iconic figure, immortalized by the image of Max von Sydow beneath the streetlight outside the MacNeil house, preparing for what could be his final battle with forces he knows all too well. Having local theatre legend Ron Clark step into the role is a special treat for Eastern Iowa audiences.
But Damien Karras undergoes the story’ s true spiritual trial. A Jesuit and psychiatrist grieving his mother and questioning his faith, he approaches Regan searching first for rational answers. He doesn’ t find his way back through certainty or argument, but through sacrifice.
Once the author and team approved our production, we welcomed back to TCR director Matt Weedman and our team began adapting the play for our intimate space. Our cast, team, and crew combine longtime TCR veterans with new performers and creatives.
Will this production release dark forces into the theatre? Will it“ exorcize” a lifelong preoccupation? Time will tell.( Ask me in November!) After spending my childhood convinced The Exorcist was hunting me, we have finally opened the Grandon’ s doors and invited it inside. You’ re welcome?
Happy spooky season!