A crash course in faith

New Play Group, a fledgling theater troupe based in Provo, produced a quartet of short plays exploring how faith is created and how it is tested, according to a recent press release.

"This is one of my favorite productions of the year," said James Goldberg, artistic director. "We feel it’s important for LDS playwrights to have a chance to write their own religious experiences using their own religious terminology."

It is rare to find an LDS-based play that is not simply a reproduction of ancient religious texts. Here, audiences can follow a modern story, finding their own contemporary opinions of faith, hope and charity along the way.

It is too late for students to catch Thorns and Thistles, which played through the end of last week. However, New Play Project is something to keep an eye on in the future.

According to their Web site, New Play Project, which describes its members as "pioneers in values-driven theater," will be producing America starting Nov. 30. It’s another anthology about what America does right, wrong and what’s "just plain silly."

New Play Project is not only looking for actors for their plays, but scripts, as well. They provide local writers with a channel for their work, as long as the scripts align with the theme of the show.

They are also interested in local directors, dramaturges, stage management and designers.

For more information, visit their Web site at www.newplayproject.org