Theater Review - In the spirit

Fruit of the Lord makes a joyful noise at Whole World

By noon on Sundays, while most of us are still sleeping off hangovers from Saturday night’s rowdiness, the cast of Fruit of the Lord are getting into their choir robes as they prepare to walk down the aisles and testify.

Written and directed by Whole World Theatre Artistic Director David Webster, Fruit of the Lord is part musical, part drag show and a whole lot of holy rollin’.

Familiar gospel songs like “I’ll Fly Away” and “Send it on Down” are blended with the Supremes’ “Baby Love” and Alison Kraus’ “Down to the River to Pray.” Also thrown into the musical mix is an original tune by Julia Wright titled “The Lord’s Day,” which celebrates the joys of “doing it on the Lord’s day.”

The songs are knit together by a hilarious soap opera that centers around Charles True (Sherry Richardson) and his pregnant, unwed sweetheart Divinity Mabry (Jeremy Evans). When Mr. Cash (Gabbie McGee) claims he may be the unborn baby’s father, the conflict results in a musical face-off that showcases McGee’s incredible vocal ability, while the rest of the congregation chimes in with helpful maxims, support and plenty of singing.

The Day of Rest will never be the same after you worship at the church of drag, where men adjust their trailer park-size wigs, women sport painted-on beards and good ol’ gospel music rings from the rafters. Hallelujah!

Fruit of the Lord plays through April 28 at Whole World Theatre, 1214 Spring St. Sun. at 1 p.m. $25 includes brunch catered by Flying Biscuit. 404-817-0880.??