×

Lazarus’ friendship with Jesus brought to life

NASHUA – Most of us, upon hearing a friend has died, would attend the funeral, send a sympathy card and perhaps offer to make a meal for the grieving family.

Jesus approached the death of his friend Lazarus somewhat differently. Instead of showing up at Lazarus’ sisters’ doorstep with a tray of pasta to lift their spirits, he showed up at the entrance to Lazarus’ tomb and raised him from the dead.

Such is the basis for “Lazarus,” a new play written by award-winning playwright Tom Anastasi, of Hollis. The world premiere, which Anastasi is directing through StageCoach Productions, will be held Friday-Sunday, March 23-25, at Collings Auditorium at Daniel Webster College in Nashua.

Although the play has yet to formally take the stage, it has already been nominated for a New Hampshire Theatre Award for Best Original Play.

Anastasi won the award before for “Christmas Stories,” a musical he wrote with Peter Bridges, and was nominated on two other occasions: for his political thriller, “Deadline,” and for “Role Play,” a romantic comedy.

The idea for “Lazarus” came to Anastasi several years ago, when he heard the story of Lazarus in church. He recalled thinking it would make a good play.

Now, with the play fully realized, “I had no idea what a good play it would be,” he said. “We have an amazing cast that’s really brought this story to life.”

The backbone of Anastasi’s script can be found in Chapter 11 of the Gospel of John, which recounts how Jesus received the news that his friend Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, had fallen ill.

Jesus waited two days before undertaking the journey to visit Lazarus, informing his disciples that Lazarus has already died, but that this death isn’t the end for him. Upon his arrival, Jesus offers Martha and Mary the ultimate in comfort by bringing their brother back to life.

In addition to using the Gospel of John and some details culled from the Gospel of Matthew, Anastasi researched biblical commentaries to supplement his source material.

He discovered that many scholars believe Jesus lived with Lazarus and his sisters when Jesus wasn’t traveling with his disciples and teaching, and he decided to focus on the friendship between Jesus and Lazarus.

“There are certainly very serious parts, but there are a lot of light and entertaining parts, as well,” Anastasi said, describing how the play features Jesus talking and laughing with his friends rather than preaching to the masses.

Although the play is biblically based, Anastasi has exercised creative license in some parts of the script.

One example is a scene in the second act in which Jesus visits Lazarus after both of them have been resurrected.

It is the last thing Jesus does before his ascension into heaven.

Such an encounter isn’t mentioned in the Bible, but Anastasi believes it’s in keeping with the personalities of Jesus and Lazarus and the relationship between them.

“They get to have this wonderful conversation about what it’s like to be resurrected,” he said. “They’re part of a very small club.”

Anastasi is careful, however, to treat his source material with appropriate reverence, comparing “Lazarus” to “Godspell” in its approach.

“We’re very respectful of the Scriptures,” he said, “but we have a lot of fun with it, too.”

StageCoach Productions typically produces musicals, but the theater group also “tries to do shows that may not be done very often for various reasons,” said Judy Hayward, one of the co-founders and music directors of StageCoach Productions.

“Since this is a premiere, we decided to go ahead and produce it.”

Hayward is producing “Lazarus” with Anastasi and recorded some of the incidental music used in the play.

“StageCoach is one of the premier theater groups in New Hampshire, and it’s just been a wonderful, wonderful collaboration with them,” Anastasi said.

Hayward and Anastasi believe the play will appeal to those who are familiar with the story of Lazarus and those who are not.

“I feel the story can be interesting, both from a theological and a non-theological viewpoint,” Hayward said. “Tom has been very careful to present it tastefully and with humor and an easy, accessible flow of the dialogue, and he has tried to stay true to the basic story.”

“First of all, I’m hoping to have a very entertaining night,” Anastasi said of his hopes for the play’s opening.

“And second of all, I hope (the audience) is able to experience one of the most powerful stories in the Bible,” noting that non-churchgoers who have seen the rehearsals described the story as “absolutely amazing.”

Teresa Santoski can be reached at 594-6466 or tsantoski@nashuatelegraph.com.