What the Critics Say

"BOTTOM LINE: A funny and politically pointed jab at the sexism, homophobia, and material indulgences of ten major religions.

As the audience enters New York City’s Judson Church—well-known as one of the City’s most progressive religious institutions—and climbs the stairs to The Loft, they are greeted by a robed monk (Connor Scully) who points them to a table. Small piles of sand cover the small slab. A few inches away cups of granules in a variety of colors sit in wait. As the barefoot monk invites the guests to add a personal flourish to the evolving mandala, some walk directly to their seats while others stop to contribute.

By the time actor Yolanda Wilkinson enters the room, many hands have added to the motif and as Gregorian chants fill the space the mood is reflective and serene. But it doesn’t last long. 

“I have fantasized about killing people,” Wilkinson confesses as she stands before the assembled crowd in Bible Study for Heathens’ opening scene. She follows this with a hit list of sorts, naming ISIS, the Westboro Baptist Church, money-grubbing televangelists, and misogynist hatemongers as potential targets. Then, once the audience’s attention is captured, she continues, admitting that despite these dark impulses she also revels in the “beauty of what was and is.”

These dueling feelings are unsettling to Wilkinson. After all, she asks, can God be present in those who are hateful? Can a bigot embrace the divine? 

They’re serious questions, but Wilkinson is a masterful storyteller and she weaves hilarious and incisive digs into the account of her personal exploration of 10 religions: Baptist, Catholic, non-denominational Christian, Hindu, Messianic Jewish, Presbyterian, Scientology, Transcendentalism, and Wicca, among them. As she describes her forays into each faith, puppets and images projected onto a screen are used to embellish the narration. In addition, audience members are periodically asked to sing, read, and partake in rituals. For her part, Wilkinson frequently walks among the spectators, making eye contact, shaking hands, and making this less a production to observe than an interactive experience.

What’s more, as you’d likely expect, despite its abundant humor, Bible Study for Heathens has more than a few intense moments. Indeed, when Wilkinson describes the pain of losing both parents within two months of one another, followed by her grandmother’s death several years later, it is not surprising to hear her admit that she “told God she hated Him.” Nonetheless, she came to understand that grief is as ephemeral as a sand mandala, and despite numerous encounters with charlatans and hustlers, at their core she discovered that all religions are the same. In fact, when the philosophies of the world’s major religions are parsed for their most essential tenets, the faithful do not need either a place to worship or a leader to guide their way. Instead, she explains, they need to follow one simple rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.            

(Bible Study for Heathens plays at The Loft at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South,  through May 26, 2016. The running time is 75 minutes with no intermission. Remaining performances will take place on May 19  20, 21, 22, 24 and 26 at 8; additional performances have been scheduled for 3 on the 21st and 22nd.Tickets are $18 and are available from the church box office or by going to nyneofuturists.org. For more information visit nyneofuturists.org.)" -Theater Is Easy

"Religion is one of those topics that is personally comforting but when discussed out loud in a group, it becomes a hot button topic. No matter the context, someone is going to feel something. And that's ever-present in the New York Neo-Futurists production of Yolanda K. Wilkinson's Bible Study for Heathens. The solo show is a guided meditation of one women's journey through religions and finding something or someone to believe in.

A solo show about faith in the 21st Century, Wilkinson takes the audience on a ride of her life as she instilled her knowledge without preaching. The monologue play follows Wilkinson at a young age to today as she tries out an assortment of Faith's during crucial checkpoints in her life. From Christianity to Born Again to Judaism, Wilkinson discovers at the base there is commonality but no matter what she learns her believes belong to her and solely her. Wilkinson is a spiritually grounded performer. She uses her experiences to bring out the best in her stage persona. She layers in sly cynicism that adds a needed aura of humor into the theme.
But as captivating a performer Wilkinson is, Bible Study for Heathens encountered some roadblocks. Finding the true intent of the piece was a bit blurry for Wilkinson and director Joey Rizzolo. But that may strictly be blamed on the structure of the piece in regards to venue. You could not ask for a more fitting venue for the show. The loft at Judson Memorial Church allowed Wilkinson's voice to echo as the arches of the church were lit. But because there are no true "house lights", the audience was in full glow. And without Establishing a safe space for the audience, there was an overall sense of discomfort in the room. Religion, even in this context, can make someone Uncomfortable and by forcing the audience to partake without an "invitation" can hurt the flow and momentum. It's a general woe of solo shows that just happened to be amplified in Bible Study for Heathens. From a directorial perspective, Rizzolo made the transitions clean and tried his best to utilize the various props into the beat shifts.
Even with the restrictions of space, Rizzolo and his team made some strong artistic choices. The projection design by Cara Francis was a clever mix of fun and evocative. They helped propel the story forward. Sans the house lights lighting from Sarah Livant, did a phenomenal exploring the different looks the space provided. From the black lampshade spots to highlighting the architecture of the space, Livant’s design was purposeful. 
Bible Study for Heathens was an interesting story to say the least. Yolanda K. Wilkinson has offered an incredibly interesting theatrical presentation." -Theater In The Now
"Some people believe that theatre is a deeply religious experience. Others believe that the rituals of church are inherently theatrical. Occasionally, church and art blend together in new and captivating ways. Bible Study for Heathens, a charming new solo show performing at Judson Memorial Church Loft, does just that. Written and performed by Yolanda K. Wilkinson, she dramatizes her own personal experiences to investigate, and ultimately celebrate, the search for religion.
Much like a traditional Christian church service, audience members file in, are handed missals, and are invited to greet their neighbor. Wilkinson speaks to the audience directly from a pulpit, but her sermon is far from traditional. She declares that religion is “a societal function the way farts are a bodily function. Both should be done in private.” From the moment she speaks, she proves herself to be a captivating performer with a fascinating personal history. Her piece is framed around all ten (yes ten) of the different religions she has embraced: including Presbyterianism, Buddhism, Born Again, and even Scientology. Her observations range from sardonic and hilarious to deeply vulnerable. Regardless of religion, all of Bible Study for Heathens is tempered with imaginative theatricality.
Bible Study for Heathens is presented by the wildly creative New York Neo-Futurists; and their influence is very present in Wilkinson’s piece. In one moment, fabric cutouts of Adam and Eve underscore Wilkinson’s devastating revelation that, “Misogyny is the original sin.” In another, we screen a hilarious video of a sock puppet retelling of the tale of David and Goliath. And without ruining the surprise, the conceit used for Scientology is beyond clever. Dressed in Jesus robes, director Joey Rizzolo shepherds (literally and figuratively) the delightfully unpredictable staging. Rizzolo makes good use of the Judson Memorial Church’s balcony space, treating it like an eccentric black box. And although the venue adds site specific flare to Wilkinson’s text, the large empty space of the main level occasionally sucks energy away from the performance. This does a disservice to her: Wilkinson is strong enough that she could easily command an entire church congregation without losing the intimacy of her material.
Wilkinson’s parting words are beautifully moving, making a point that transcends religion. Regardless of your own personal spirituality, Bible Study for Heathens will change how you see the need for religion" -New York Theater Review