'Jessica' shows 'every life matters'

JJ, played by Malcolm "Lee" DeBroeck, tells Larry, played by Emmett Spradlin, to do his job more effectively Monday during a rehearsal for the play "Jessica" at the Stained Glass Theater.
JJ, played by Malcolm "Lee" DeBroeck, tells Larry, played by Emmett Spradlin, to do his job more effectively Monday during a rehearsal for the play "Jessica" at the Stained Glass Theater.

It's a story of struggle, of life, of love. To its creator, veteran Christian playwright Curtis Wayne Treat, "Jessica" also is a story that "shows every life matters."

Dealing with a fictional account of abortion, "Jessica" reveals the life and loss of its title character, whose sister, Becky, learns about for the first time as her mother, Mara, lies dying in a hospital bed. Becky discovers who Jessica was, what her life stood for and the people affected by her, Treat said.

Making its public premiere April 12-14 and 19-21 at Stained Glass Theatre of Mid-Missouri, "Jessica" is the fifth play Treat has written that touches on abortion and pro-life issues. However, a personal account of abortion in a speech from award-winning filmmaker and human rights activist Jason Jones at a Life Network of Central Missouri in Columbia a few years ago opened Treat's eyes to other aspects of the situation, such as being forced to have an abortion and individuals involved not realizing it was legal.

"Those were perspectives I hadn't thought about before," he said. "I wrote this fictionalized version and wrote these two things into this woman's experience. What I originally wrote came from that."

Before debuting his play to live audiences at Stained Glass Theatre, Treat decided to rewrite it to include an important aspect that fit in with the theatre's 2018 "Season of Forgiveness" theme for all its productions.

"When you get to this issue, sometimes people have a hard time forgiving themselves when they have made this choice or other people that may have forced them to be put in that position," he said. "That was what was missing. My original version didn't have forgiveness, so the second version is where this came in. It is a vital part of life and with the issue of abortion it is very important. Regardless of where we have been in our lives, we have a God that forgives us and we need to forgive others."

Eighteen actors were cast in "Jessica," with some returning to the stage and newcomers, including Sarah Jameson, who portrays the title character, and Jennifer Silvas-Ellsworth, who is playing Becky and performing in her first production at Stained Glass Theatre. Another important character is Mara, mother to Becky and Jessica, with Michaela Kirk playing Mara and Debbie Becker playing the older mother. Greg Barnes plays Frank, Becky's father, and Emmitt Spradlin plays Larry, Jessica's father.

After auditions in late January, Treat and his wife, Candy, who is co-director, did read-throughs. However, when the actors spoke the words during the second read-through, it made quite an impact on everyone involved.

"It sounds good on paper, but once someone says it aloud, it is different," Treat said. "My wife said she got goosebumps at one point in the second read-through."

As rehearsals began, the story also hit the actors, watching their characters go through a rollercoaster of emotions.

"There are little bits of comic relief, but less than normal because of the subject matter. To watch the development of the characters and have that emotional journey they take through the play is powerful," he said. "You are more vulnerable and are giving that raw emotion. It may not be something you personally have gone through, but you can feel it with these characters. The actors did."

Treat credits his wife, who has directed plays for many years, as the big picture director while he is the characterization director. Getting into character comes second nature to Treat as he has graced local stages in several productions, including The Spirit of Christmas Present in "The Christmas Carol" at Stained Glass Theatre. However, his attention to how each character plays an important role to the story also comes from his ability to write, having produced about 25 plays during a 30-year period. Treat has seen his original work performed at local church stages and the Stained Glass Theatre, including "The Orphans of West Maple and Third Street" last year.

Treat said the subject matter of "Jessica" may be too intense or emotional for children or younger teens. However, he believes the play is important for mid- to older teens to see and think about.

Next on the Stained Glass Theatre's playbill is Ron Boutwell's "The Praying Man," running May 31-June 9. Audition dates for the company's next play, "Little Women," are at 7 p.m. May 7-8, with show dates scheduled July 19-Aug. 4.

For more information, call 573-634-5313 or visit sgtmidmo.org.

AT A GLANCE

What: "Jessica"

Where: Stained Glass Theatre, 830 E. High St., Jefferson City

When: 7:30 p.m. April 12-13 and 19-20; 2 p.m. April 14 and 21

How much: $9 opening night; $7 all other showings