A Case for the Existence of God
Assistant Director: Andrea Ortiz
Produced by Stage West
Audience Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 90 minutes - no intermission
Accessible Seating: Available
Hearing Devices: Available
Sensory Friendly Showing: Not Available
ASL Showing: Not Available
Sound Level: Comfortable volume
Audio/Visuals to Prepare for: Mild strobing effect
Reviewed by Tim Bass
While the direction is assured and the set, sound, and lighting serve their purpose honorably, Stage West’s production of A Case for the Existence of God is, at its core, about two excellent actors and an extraordinary script.
Samuel D. Hunter’s writing is just remarkable. Poignant, funny, raw, and deeply humane, the script chooses hope in a world where hope often feels elusive. It tells the story of an unlikely friendship, one forged and strengthened through a shared challenge, and follows the highs and lows two men experience as they try to navigate the unrelenting pressures of the modern world. In doing so, the play explores our inescapable connection to our roots, the quiet beauty of genuine friendship, and the constant hum of anxiety and disappointment that often accompanies modern life.
Hunter’s language is spare yet profound. Its simplicity carries significant emotional weight and gives the actors a powerful tool with which to work. And work with it they do.
I’ve said this before, and it remains true: while there are many things I love about the theatre, my very favorite thing is watching outstanding actors playing their craft. If you share that preference, A Case for the Existence of God is a show you absolutely should not miss.
Drew Wall delivers a near-flawless performance as Ryan. With remarkable authenticity and vulnerability, Wall inhabits a man at odds with both the system and the consequences of his own choices who is determined, against daunting challenges, to do right by his daughter. His performance is at once heartbreaking and uplifting. Wall allows Ryan to dare to hope even as the odds continue to relentlessly stack against him, and the result is a portrayal that feels achingly real. He is a genuine performer at the top of his game.
Opposite him, Quintin Jones, Jr. gives a deeply stirring performance as Keith. Jones plays Keith as a man still processing the pain of growing up gay in small-town Idaho yet steadfastly refusing to let that pain define him. His choices as an actor are consistently strong and deeply grounded. His Keith makes no excuses, meets life on its own terms, and presses forward even as impending heartbreak simmers just below the surface. He becomes the emotional anchor of the play: the steadying force that keeps Ryan’s boat upright as the waves of life threaten to capsize it.
The supporting elements of the production are handled with care and intelligence. Director Carson McCain makes smart, restrained choices that keep the focus squarely on the actors and the story being told. The use of lighting and sound deftly guides the audience through a turbulent emotional landscape while calling only subtle attention to itself and never pulling focus from the performances.
Holli Price, taking on multiple roles as lighting designer, lead carpenter, and lead electrician, does yeoman’s work in service of the story. The lighting design is subtle and effective, helping shape both space and mood. Sound designer Cresent Haynes likewise deserves praise for work that supports the narrative without intrusion.
I was also particularly taken with the set. Though simple and unchanged throughout the play, it proves to be exactly what the piece requires. The attention to detail in the office setting is excellent, grounding the story in a recognizably mundane reality that makes the emotional stakes feel even more immediate. The use of video, becoming more prevalent in productions, was particularly strong. Set designer and Associate Technical Director Allen Dean crafted a space that quietly but confidently supports the action.
I love it when a play can make me laugh. I love it when a play can make me cry. I love it when a play leaves me thinking long after I’ve left the theatre. It is rare for a production to bring together a powerful script, thoughtful direction, strong technical work, and exceptional acting in a way that accomplishes all three.
A Case for the Existence of God at Stage West does exactly that.
To the Explorers of the Soul,
Tim Bass
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