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Play captures Episcopal priest's struggle for faith
In "An Almost Holy Picture," the character of Samuel Gentle, a former Episcopal priest, now groundskeeper, shares his four life-changing experiences of God in American playwright Heather McDonald's one-man play on Broadway. Making his first stage appearance in a decade, Kevin Bacon takes on the role of Gentle in this shimmering play, at the American Airlines Theatre through March 31.
His opening words set the tone: "There are three experiences that have shaped my personal idea of God." By the time the play is over, a fourth will have emerged as well.
In his first experience, he was 9 and walking with his father on Cape Cod "when the air all around me suddenly went still." He looked up and heard a voice whispering, "Follow me." The voice spoke again more strongly, "Follow me."
Gentle did follow, as a priest working in a small adobe church 20 miles outside of Albuquerque at the foot...