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Intelligent Design Play Causes A Stir At USF

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

Of his play "Bobby and the Chimps," playwright James Phillips says, "It's either going to do very well here or it absolutely will infuriate just about everyone."

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By MICHELLE BEARDEN

mbearden@tampatrib.com

Published: February 21, 2009

TAMPA - What are the two subjects you don't discuss at the dinner table in America?

Religion and politics, of course.

And that's just what playwright-director James Phillips delves into in his new play, "Bobby and the Chimps," opening next week at the University of South Florida. The story, set in 2008 in Bethlehem, Pa., revolves around a man running for the school board. There's a lot of infighting within his campaign team over the debate about whether to teach evolution or creationism in the classroom.

Why would Phillips attempt such potential folly? Because Phillips is from England, where the meshing of these two combustible subjects rarely causes a stir.

"It just wouldn't be an issue back home," he acknowledges. "This is really an American story."

The play is part of the BRIT program, in which leading theater professionals from London come to USF for a few months to work with the students on a production. The annual program, which has been operating for nearly two decades, is made possible by a generous endowment to USF for this purpose.

Phillips, an award-winning playwright, said the "Bobby and the Chimps" story line came to him after a discussion with a producer who originally wanted him to do something different.

""He wanted me to do a version of 'Inherit the Wind,' which became a very famous movie. I said no, because I couldn't see what I could possibly add to that," he says.

Then the producer cornered him again at a party. They started talking about the concept of a man caught in the middle of the intelligent design debate, and how it could make an interesting story.

"I had been drinking a little bit of champagne that night," Phillips admits. "Suddenly, that became the project."

He had to do a lot of research, given that creationism versus evolution is not something he had encountered in his native England. "In fact, we pretty much exploit our atheists and send them over here, much like you send missionaries over our way," he says.

The cast includes 11 student actors, all getting the benefit of working with a noted professional with an impressive resume. Ron Richards, communications and marketing officer of USF's School of Theatre and Dance, says the BRIT program has been very successful over the years, essentially "putting USF on the map in ways few other things do."

"This play is a little out of the ordinary for us," he says. "We've done works by Shakespeare and that kind of thing. This is a brand-new production, and we're getting to premiere it here."

It's already caused a bit of a stir on campus. A display at the entrance of the campus library promoting the upcoming play and its controversial theme has triggered a few complaints. Richards' phone number is now posted nearby, so he can assure the offended callers that both sides of the issue are represented in the production.

Phillips says they shouldn't take it so seriously. It's just a play, after all.

When it comes to hot-button topics like guns, abortion and religion, Phillips says, "it seems the people who shout the loudest get control of the debate."

Ironically, the main character in the play, described by Phillips as an arch liberal, ends up finding religion through the course of the story, much to the surprise - and disgust - of some members of his team.

He says there are many elements in "Bobby and the Chimps": Tension, drama, faith and love. But the jury is still out on how people will react to it.

"It's either going to do very well here or it absolutely will infuriate just about everyone."

IF YOU GO

"BOBBY AND THE CHIMPS"

WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday-Feb. 28, and March 4-7; 3 p.m. March 8

WHERE: Theatre 2, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa

SPECIAL EVENT: Post-show discussion with the playwright and actors on Friday and March 6

TICKETS: $8 to $15, can be purchased through the College of The Arts box office at (813) 974-2323 or at www.arts.usf.edu.

Michelle Bearden visits a rehearsal of "Bobby and the Chimps" at 9 a.m. Sunday on her "Keeping the Faith" segment on WFLA-TV. She can be reached at (813) 259-7613.

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