Marcinkus (play)
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (May 2019) |
| Marcinkus | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Tom Flannery |
| Date premiered | 2006 |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Drama |
Marcinkus is a 2006 one-man play by American author Tom Flannery, based on the life of Roman Catholic Archbishop Paul Marcinkus.[1]
Background
Marcinkus is a one-man dramatization of events in the life of Catholic Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, whose tenure as head of the Vatican Bank was "surrounded by scandals from missing funds to murder implications,"[1] and included suspicions of money laundering, Ponzi schemes, and even assassination.[citation needed]
Plot
The stageplay takes place in a small office in what may be purgatory, but looks very much like the archbishop's office in Sun City, Arizona, his last residence as a retired man of the cloth. Marcinkus relates directly to the audience stories from his youth, growing up in Al Capone's Chicago and how he eventually became a priest. As the piece unfolds he tell his version of the Vatican Bank Scandal, his appointment as head of the bank, the death of Pope John Paul I, and his job as "bulldog" to Pope John Paul II. Although dramatic, the piece is lightened by the humor that Flannery has instilled in his version of Marcinkus, who was popularly quoted as saying "You can't run the church on Hail Marys" .[This quote needs a citation]
Production history
The play had its debut in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in the summer of 2006,[1] at the Arts YOUniverse center for the applied and living arts.[citation needed] The production was under the direction of Paul Winarski and starred Greg Korin as the Archbishop.[1]
After several revisions by the director and author to streamline the piece,[citation needed] the play was remounted in Scranton in 2007,[1] in February at the Old Brick Theatre,[citation needed] where it was covered by The Chicago Tribune[citation needed] as a "local boy made good (or bad)" piece.[1] The new production ran 15 minutes shorter, and is considered the final version of the play.[citation needed]
As of this date,[when?] a Las Vegas production of the play was in planning, which was expected to feature original star, Greg Korin.[citation needed]
Critical response
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion with: the Chicago Tribune's and other coverage of the play, including that and other publications' critical responses to it in its various productions. You can help by adding to it. (December 2021) |
The original production in Wilkes-Barre in the summer of 2006 "opened to rave reviews".[1]
A niece of Archbishop Marcinkus, afraid that the play would be a "hatchet job", contacted playwright Flannery, who sent her a copy of the text.[citation needed] She expressed agreement that the play was a balanced look at her uncle's life, and offered suggestions that the Flannery included in a rewrite.[citation needed]
Further reading
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Clisham, Kelly (November 3, 2009). "A Tale of Holy Intrigue". TheWeekender.com. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania: The Times Leader Media Group/Avant Publications. Archived from the original on October 4, 2010. Retrieved December 9, 2021.