Like Cher's farewell tour, "Corpus Christi" production lives on...and on

Got an email a few hours ago from Steve Callahan, the hunky and talented star of recent gay indie faves "East Side Story" and "Nines Lives" who I profiled back in the fall on this blog. Steve had some terrific news to share about "Corpus Christi," the Terrence McNally play that he's been a part of since 2006. It is a modern telling of Jesus and the 12 apostles, where Jesus is a gay man in 1950's Texas. Steve (he's the actor on the right in the photo above with star and producer James Brandon) plays Judas.

When the play opened ten years ago, it was protested and opened with bomb threats. The current production has played for two years without incident.

"We have been embraced by critics and audiences alike," says Steve who thought he was just joining the show for a four-week run in North Hollywood. "I am traveling around the world with the show. The play has become a huge part of my life and the cast has become family to me. The success that we have encountered with this show is mind boggling."

Here is the latest news about the show:

- The company just returned from its third run in San Francisco and played at Grace Cathedral. This marked the first time Steve played the role of Judas.

- During its successful month-long run in Scotland at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival, it was seen by scouts for the Dublin Theatre Festival and invited to be their premiere show! It will be performed in Dublin this May, the first time that "Corpus Christi" has ever been performed in Ireland.

- Before leaving for Ireland, the cast will perform on Easter Sunday in Los Angeles. The Sunday, March 23 performance will be held at WeHo Church at 6 p.m. A limited number of half price tickets available at www.goldstarevents.com.

- In October, the company will go to New York City to do a 10th anniversary production. Since the occasion also marks the 10th anniversary of the murder of Matthew Shepherd, the event will be in connected with the Matthew Shepherd Foundation.

More info about "Corpus Christi" can be found on the following website: www.108productions.org.