University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Suspension of [this] belief

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Suspension of [this] belief

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Content SUSPENSION OF [THIS] BELIEF

by

Meghan Stettler

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM)

May 2010

Copyright 2010 Meghan Stettler

ii
Dedication
This work is dedicated to my late grandmother, Dixie Larson, who
gave up her educational ambitions at 15 years old, upon her father’s
unexpected death, to raise her eight siblings on a dairy farm in rural Utah.
Due to her drive and determination, all of her children obtained bachelors,
masters and/or doctorates. I am proud to be among them.

iii
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the Annenberg School of Journalism and
Communication for awarding me a grant to film the documentary this
master’s thesis is based upon. Additionally, I appreciate the trusted
mentorship developed throughout this project by my committee members:
Judy Muller for inspiring me to cover this topic in the first place, Dr. Casey
Allen (University of Denver Colorado) for his assistance in filming the
documentary in New York, Sasha Anawalt for her tireless edits, and Holly
Willis who continues to help with its artistic interactive vision.
Mostly, I express my sincerest appreciation to my parents and brother
for their endless support and belief.

iv
Table of Contents

Dedication ii

Acknowledgements iii

Abstract v

Introduction 1

Chapter 1: Jennifer Naimo, Catholic Actor 4

Chapter 2: Dave Clemmons, Evangelical Casting Director 11

Chapter 3: Tim Sutton, Gay Mormon Playwright 19

Conclusion 25

References 28

v

Abstract
All participants were recorded, with permission, using a video camera to gain
documentary footage for a future broadcast project that will expand the
scope of this master’s project.

This project explores how three Christians-in-theatre with notable
industry experience integrate their devout religious beliefs within America’s
commercial theatrical arena. Over the course of their varied careers in
acting, casting or playwriting – highlighted by Broadway, national tours and
Off-Broadway productions – their religious convictions and practices,
representing three different religions (Catholic, Evangelical and Mormon),
have been received differently within the workplace.
In actor Jennifer Naimo’s case, her dedication to specific language and
moral choices earned praise and condemnation by both the religious and
theater communities over her 30-year career; she, a devout Catholic, has
weathered the conflict and to this day maintains a steady presence on stage
and on screen in Southern California. Derided for his Evangelical religious
practices, David Clemmons, however, experienced a different trajectory. He
initially caved into industry pressures, only to return years later as a
committed, transparent Christian who proudly announces his faith in his
professional role as casting director. Tim Sutton, on the other, is an openly
homosexual playwright and a Mormon, who has been isolated and shunned

vi
by both his church and the theater community. At present, Sutton remains
prohibited by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from formalized
religious practices, because he is gay. Yet, he is also criticized within his
theater circles for not taking more of a gay activist stance in the plays he
writes.
All three interviewees experienced rejection for their faith by the
theatrical world in which they were determined to work, and all three found
ways to surmount such social and professional obstacles. This is the story of
their journeys of faith. Each has learned to accept their own limitations, to
know themselves and, as each notes in the profiles that follow, it is only by
being outspoken and flexible that negative implications associated with
Christians-in-theatre are reversed.
1

Introduction
Based on transcribed interviews, this project explores how three
Christians-in-theatre with notable industry experience integrate their strong
religious beliefs with the more commercial, secular theatre arena in America.
All participants were recorded, with permission, using a video camera to gain
documentary footage for a future broadcast project that will expand the
scope of this master’s project.
Spanning three sects of Christianity (Catholic, Evangelical, Mormon)
and different professional trades (acting, casting, playwriting), they have
each actively expressed aspects of their devotion by removing offensive
language in a production, providing an online support network for other
Christians or working to produce plays that portray good relationships
between conservative Christian communities who do not accept
homosexuals. In the course of their varied careers, highlighted by Broadway,
national tours and Off-Broadway productions, their individual religious
declarations have been received differently by some cast and crew. Still, their
vehement dedication to religious belief nonetheless influences their every day
decisions within the profession. These Christians-in-theatre view themselves
as advocates, helping other like-minded artists find their professional footing
inside the industry.
First, Jennifer Naimo, a Catholic actress and Broadway veteran, shapes
theatrical content to uphold her religious standards. She fights to remove
what she believes is religiously offensive language (e.g., goddamn) from her
2

roles, and wins over objectors with humor. In her nearly 30-year career,
which includes leading roles in three Broadway productions, nine national
equity tours, and television shows, she has never been fired nor had to turn
down a job.
Second, thousands of subscribers read a weekly blog post called,
“Christian Messages” created by Dave Clemmons, an Evangelical Broadway
and National Tour casting director (“The Boy from Oz,” “Civil War,” and
“Fiddler on the Roof,” to name a few). Clemmons’ rise to success as casting
director led to a relinquishing of religious Sunday formalities due to pressures
imposed upon him by the theatrical community - eventually he succumbed to
alcoholism to relieve depression. His weekly posts chronicle his personal
mistakes and recuperation, and address the issues many Christians face in
the industry. In all, he wishes to inspire performers to “keep the faith in this
tough world.”
Finally, Tim Sutton, a gay Mormon playwright and off-Broadway
producer, writes material that displays the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints (Mormon) in a positive light, focusing on how his characters
obtain peace within a conservative religion that does not allow practicing
homosexuals to participate in ecclesiastical leadership positions. His faith
affirming personal experiences within the LDS religion contrast starkly with
the decade-long trend of tragedy plays written by the LDS homosexual
community (beginning in the mid-1990s), which prompted him to begin work
on a trilogy of plays that he hopes to produce Off-Broadway, using his own
3

production company Oliva-Sutton Productions. While he hopes his works will
set a new precedent for how Mormons are viewed and portrayed both on and
off the stage, it is difficult to imagine how one play with the limited publicity
and longevity typical of Off-Broadway shows can alter perspectives so long
instilled by other works distinguished throughout New York and the regional
theatre circuit. Yet, his new and unorthodox viewpoint signifies a change in
trend and was, therefore selected as a worthy subject of exploration in this
thesis.
These present-day players often seem marooned as they attempt to
resolve the tension between loyalty to their faith and loyalty to their duty as
professionals. Juggling aspects of their personal and professional lives, they
struggle toward a workable middle ground that is acceptable to their self-
proclaimed principles. In the process, their efforts to negotiate between their
religious and theater communities have somewhat alienated them from both,
giving rise in all three cases to only partial acceptance and, in some cases,
isolation. Yet, as the great playwright Henrik Ibsen noted, “The strongest
man in the world is he who stands most alone.” In the end, each has sought
to uphold their chosen standard with compassion, conviction and decency
toward those who believe and act differently. They discovered how to be
comfortable with tolerance.
4

Chapter 1: Jennifer Naimo, Catholic Actor

On a showery January afternoon in Pasadena, I dragged my drenched
coat onto the tan-colored mat outside Jennifer Naimo’s two-story apartment
on Wilson Avenue. The 5-foot-3 red head wielded the door with a smile that
crinkled near her ear length locks. She welcomed me into what looked like
the fizzled remains of a Catholic school-turned-dining room.
Settling at the oak table opposite a wall-sized chalkboard half-clouded
with erased patches from her son’s homework, Naimo worked fervently on
her audition for CBS’s criminal investigation series, “Cold Case,” while I set
up the camera. “Hey, aren’t you going to get all the saints in the shot?” she
said referring to the collection of miniature statues stacked in neat rows
guarding a glass-encased 16-inch Virgin Mary. It reminded me of the month I
spent in a convent with six Honduran nuns on 14
th
street and Seventh
Avenue in Manhattan as the only live-in Mormon. Ever. “I think St. Peter has
one helluva jaw line – will he sign the release form?” I said, under the
confetti of Naimo’s humor.
I had a feeling this amusing and unapologetic stint was a trait she’d
spent years developing, along with her Streisand-like voice, to win over a
profession that misunderstood the religious commitments she carried into her
on-stage characters. For instance, Naimo’s weighty resume touts leading
roles in three Broadway productions (“Jersey Boys,” “Les Miserables,”
“Grease”) and nine national equity tours (“Jersey Boys,” “Les Miserables,”
5

“Grease,” “Full Monty,” “Big River,” “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,”
“Cabaret,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Suds”), and she has never turned down
a job or been fired for her refusal to break the third Commandment (taking
the Lord’s name in vain) – quite the feat given its recurrent use in popular
theatre and other media outlets. Naimo has wiggled herself out of
confrontations with directors and playwrights.
While being the understudy for the role of Gilda Radner (Emmy award
winning “Saturday Night Live” comedienne known for perky vulgarity) in the
1997 Off-Broadway show, “Bunny Bunny,” Naimo sidestepped the language.
When the director queried her altered version of the script, she unleashed an
entire roll of calculator paper across the rehearsal room and speedily listed
off every alternative adjective she’d spent weeks accumulating, as if it were
nothing more than a vocal warm-up. “He laughed and laughed, then finally
said we’d have to check with the playwright,” Naimo (2010) said. “It never
came up again. I never had to say it. It took me two weeks to get the
courage to approach him, and humor is always the way I get out of it.”
Let’s not misrepresent her language repertoire – onstage, she can cuss
a convincing “fuck.” And that has caused a flurry within the Catholic
community, as well as her extended family – both of whom take a literalist
approach to theatrical roles, believing that portraying is promoting. Her
sister-in-law consistently tells her to not only give up her “hobby,” but also
persistently reminds her that someone representing Christ should never say
such words on stage.
6

Surprisingly enough, not all of Naimo’s professional credits align with
Catholic dogma. Yes, she’s starred in “conservative-approved” shows like
“Les Miserables,” “Big River,” and “Grease” on Broadway, but she also
performed leading roles in “Cabaret,” “The Full Monty,” and Mary Magdalene
in “Jesus Christ Superstar” (a controversial show and role within the religious
community). Like most actors, when deciding which parts to audition for, she
focuses on getting the job, and seldom considers a play’s themes, content, or
language. She goes for the work and negotiates once she’s won the role – a
gamble to say the least. Every actor realizes job security is fragile, and they
could be replaced by any of 500 other starving thespians who would do
anything for the job. Yet despite this risky approach, Naimo has never lost
credibility within the industry, and instead has felt droplets of criticism by the
Catholic community.
During an invited speaking engagement with the Catholic television
network, for example, Naimo recounts how executives told her they would be
unable to tell the audience she was currently starring in “The Full Monty” – a
show that is well known for its male nudity, but lesser known for its gender
role reversal content. When the men in “The Full Monty” decide to strip for
money as a solution to having lost their day jobs, in turn, the women, led on
stage (in the production in which Naimo performed) by Naimo’s character,
Georgie Bukatinsky pay for and enjoy the entertainment with an aggressive
sexist enthusiasm generally associated with men of the time period. Looking
back on her role, Naimo (2010) said, “I found that interesting – I wasn’t the
7

one taking off my clothes. I don’t feel like anything I’ve done has
compromised who I am as a person. I’ve stood up for what I believe and I
have to be who I am in that dressing room night after night – that’s the daily
‘going to war.’” Naimo remained unruffled, noting that the incident never
made her faith or religious devotion waiver.
Where Naimo says she wins camaraderie among her cast and does the
most Christian good, however, is when she stands up for a particular show in
which she believes, but that other Christians think she should not perform.
“You have to be a light in the darkness and God plants you where he needs
you. You don’t know who you are going to touch, and whenever I stand up
for what I believe, other believers come out of the woodwork.” Naimo also
makes it a habit to invite her fellow cast members to join her for Sunday
morning services – making for a very long day when Mass must fit between a
matinee and an evening performance (Naimo 2010).
Case in point: during her role as Frenchy in the Broadway production
of Grease, Naimo attended St Malachyis Church, The Actor’s Chapel on 49
th

street and Eighth Avenue, often bringing along cast members like Deborah
Gibson (teen pop icon popular in the 1980s) and Debbie Boone (singer
known for her 1977 hit “You Light Up My Life”). Additionally, while portraying
Eponine in the Broadway production of “Les Miserables,” she inspired then-
actor, Bobby Wilson (now head Wrangler and supervisor of the near 20
children in “Billy Elliot”). According to Naimo (2010), Wilson told her that
because of her devotion, he decided to pray every night while onstage during
8

the popular scene that ends with the famous song “Bring Him Home.” Wilson
also began attending Catholic services as well. This kind of fervor propels
Naimo. Opting out of sleeping in on a Sunday morning isn’t an option: she
says needs church to make it through the rest of the week, noting that this
behavior was instilled in her from a young age.
Growing up in Grand Rapids Michigan with a family of visual artists –
her mother paints portraits, her siblings illustrate children’s books and design
cards for Hallmark – Naimo developed her voice while attending Christian
schools until she was 18. She was forthright in her religious views, and
practiced the charismatic form (a more personal approach) of prayer. During
her first year at Hope College, a reformed Dutch Catholic school that Naimo
(2010) sarcastically labels as “not all that hopeful,” she encountered issues
similar to those faced only months later when she moved to the “Big Apple.”
“I was kissing my boyfriend and all the sudden he said, ‘Oh by the
way, I hope you don’t mind that I’m gay.’ I was like, ‘Of course I do! The
Bible says that’s a sin’ – I was very outspoken like that. Then I moved to
New York and I was suddenly surrounded by homosexuals. I became very
selective in what I said, and more understanding, too. I was the minority and
it was a big culture shock” (Naimo 2010).
Naimo moved to Manhattan in 1981, after landing a seat in the
undergraduate, and later the graduate, conservatory programs at New York
University. She worked hard, finding success while also keeping her moral
convictions. Recalling all the men, including professors, tried to coax her into
9

bed in exchange for professional favors, Naimo (2010) said, “They thought I
was crazy because you do risk a job when you say ‘I’m sorry - I’m not going
to sleep with you.’ But, the only thing they took from me was my mid-
western accent!” Naimo remained a virgin until marriage at 41.
Now, the married 47-year-old is raising a son, whom she and her
husband adopted during the height of the smash-hit musical “Jersey Boys”
where she originated the role Mary Delgado, opposite John Lloyd Young as
Frankie Valli. She keeps herself busy by co-starring on television shows like
“Scrubs,” and is content being settled in California. She seems to have it all,
a distinct “triple threat,” basking in everyone’s ideal
marriage/family/career/middle-age paradise. Yet she realizes her coveted
circumstance is a byproduct from a lesson her mother taught her the day she
left for New York.
As her father loaded Naimo’s belongings into the family’s station
wagon, her mother held a spool of string from the front porch and instructed
Naimo to take the end of the line and walk until the cylinder became empty.
Reaching the end of the neighborhood, as the string became taut, Naimo was
then told to reel it back again, intertwining it around her fingers. Returning to
the porch, Naimo recalled her mother looked at the small distance between
the one-threaded spool and the bundle wrapped around her fingers, and
marked the few inches of string with a red Sharpie saying, “This is your life.
The rest is eternity. How you spend your life and the choices you make now
are going to affect where you end up.” With eternity in her hands, Naimo
10

carried that image beyond the doors of her freshman apartment near Macy’s
on 34
th
street and kept it ever-present throughout her life’s migrations. Even
now, she weighs every decision according to this neatly edged frame of
thought and realizes the delicate arrangement that is her life (Naimo 2010).
“I know now that there needs to be a balance. There was a bigger
picture that I didn’t even see before my husband and son. I mean, I had
Broadway and TV shows but in the long run – the job isn’t going to make or
break me. I believe in eternity, and I really have to measure everything
according to that” (Naimo 2010).
As I packed up the camera, the miniature statues once again caught
my attention. “Remind me, Saint Peter – what do Catholics petition him for?”
“Longevity,” Naimo replied. Smiling to myself, I thought, “There is definitely
something to that patron thing...” – or maybe, it’s just Naimo.
11

Chapter 2: Dave Clemmons, Evangelical Casting Director

As the sun purged the smog, skimming skyscrapers, and illuminating
the pedestrians below, the New York City temperature reached a chilly 13
degrees one early Sunday morning in January. Being in a city stacked with
concrete buildings makes the wind feel colder and stronger than normal, a
convincing illusion supported by absurd facial numbness. Cheeks ballooning
with a broad Tennessee smile, David Clemmons, a prominent Broadway and
National Tour casting director (“Boy From Oz,” “Civil War,” “Fiddler on the
Roof”), emerged from the Times Square Church on 51
st
and Broadway, and
together we crossed to a nearby eatery.
“You just missed it!” Clemmons (2010) exclaimed, snapping his
weather-flushed fingers, “There was a huge line and everyone was clamoring
for a seat. It’s just incredible – every Sunday”. To get a seat for the ever-
popular non-denominational Christian service, Clemmons arrives at 6:30 in
the morning and huddles in a long line outside the church until they the
doors an hour later. I had missed the commotion, apparently reminiscent of
a day-after-Thanksgiving Day sale, distracted by (what looked like) a
homeless man in McDonalds, telling me that the Times Square Church was
just another money-hoarding organization that never helped anyone. The
velvet ropes that led the crowded line to salvation and the opulent interior
foyers seemed a little too convincing of this man’s point. Yet, as I spoke with
Clemmons over coffee at the nearby cafe, he told me the reason for his
12

resurgence in formalized worship, and why, as a recovering alcoholic, he now
hosts a Facebook group that impacts thousands of Christian artists.
“I want people to know that they’re not alone,” he stated, “Nobody
talks to these students when they get to New York City. That’s who I’m
trying to help. People are scared to come out of the woodwork. When they
find someone like me who doesn’t care, then they step forward and say, ‘Oh
that’s me too’” (Clemmons 2010).
Two years ago, Clemmons organized the Facebook Group, Christian
Things (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19862484281), and its
profile is littered with statements from various aspiring performers from a
wide range of universities – even though Clemmons never personally
advertises or promotes the group. One fan, Leigh Ann Heidelberg, epitomizes
the Group with her September 17, 2008 post (emphasis added):
This [Clemmon’s Group] is so amazing. I lived in the city for a year
and had the absolute hardest time finding other Christians [sic]
who were serious about walking out their faith. I actually took the
summer out of the city, in my wonderful home state of Arkansas,
to gather my bearings after a really rough year. New York will eat
us alive if we don't stick together, so anyone interested in hanging
out and getting connected is welcome to add me!!

Each Sunday, after claiming his seat for the 10:00 am church service,
Clemmons spends the remaining few hours writing a message for his Group –
giving them encouragement while discussing the issues they face in the
profession. He wrote “Getting Back to It” the morning of our conversation –
his first message of 2010:
13

Sometimes what we face getting back to doing is not so easy. Even
though it may lead us to our ultimate goal or get us to the thing we
love, it still may be difficult to get going on it. ... I feel sure, at
many times, the prophets and apostles grew weary of their work
and took some down time in a place where they could be amongst
believers. But eventually they knew they had to once again get
back to the task of spreading God's word even though it was
probably in places that they were not particularly excited about
going. They knew that persecution, great trials, maybe even bodily
harm or death awaited them but they knew the importance of their
work and they left where they were comfortable and safe and got
back to the task of bringing people to God.

Ironically, despite his long-standing religious convictions and current
dedication to his online followers, what he terms his “personal ministry,”
Clemmons (2010) said most people are surprised to hear he’s Christian. “I
believe what I do, but I don’t get in people’s faces. So, it always makes me
laugh when people say to me, ‘Oh I had no idea you were Christian!’ But I
take that two ways – I think people see what I’m doing and don’t understand
that it’s actually possible to lead of life of faith in conjunction with this career.
But I also hope that I’m not out there doing something that would make
them think that I’m not a Christian.”
The apparent conflict seems to stem from his inherent “cool” factor.
Clemmons is popular, personable, and remembers names and faces. He
graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Jazz and Commercial
Music, and is well versed in pop culture and emerging indie bands. His curly
neck-length hair, facial stubble, and silver earring, work well with his
14

wardrobe choice: cargo pants, a “hoodie,” and camouflaged painter’s cap. He
isn’t your typical musical theater nerd or success-ridden snob – although
based on his resume, he has every right to be both. He’s performed three
roles on Broadway (including the lead role, Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables”),
and runs a successful casting agency (Dave Clemmons Casting) that cast the
Tony Award winning musical “Boy from Oz” (starring Hugh Jackman), Frank
Wildhorn’s “Civil War,” Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” and more than two-
dozen other Broadway shows and national tours.
Clemmons gained his musical foundation through choral participation
in the Methodist church while still a teenager. His natural gift for singing
landed him impressive opportunities within his religion, most of which
occurred during college where he was music director for fully orchestrated
productions with New York actors and professional musicians. Involvement in
these types of programs provided Clemmons a safe-haven community where
he thrived. However, upon moving to New York in his early 20s, Clemmons
was unable to find a church with worship formalities and messages that
matched his evangelical musical venerations. He was also often ridiculed for
his beliefs, and ultimately abandoned formal religion. “I feel like sometimes
people label me as a Jesus freak. People think you are crazy – ‘you just got
back from church? Oh, ughhh.’ So you’ve got these things coming at you,
and if you question someone else’s non-belief, they think you’re stupid”
(Clemmons 2010).
15

Succumbing to the pressures of the industry, Clemmons began
drinking heavily to relieve his depression. As he reached the height of his
success, acting on Broadway while simultaneously casting Broadway shows,
Clemmons’ personal life plummeted – including the collapse of his 17-year
marriage. Too ashamed to ask for his family’s help, he drove himself to
rehab. “It was by the grace of God that I overcame my addiction,” he said. “I
was crying out and God yanked me by the collar and jerked me out. The
moment you declare you need help – everything changes and you are in the
presence of God” (Clemmons 2010). He left rehab after the summer of 2007.
He has been sober ever since.
By fall 2007, Clemmons began dating again and was spellbound by a
beautiful woman. “She just kept talking about this really great church, the
Times Square Church, and of course, God knows he can get me with a
beautiful woman, so I told her I’d go on Sunday. Well, she never showed up
– in fact, I’ve never seen her there in all this time – it’s like she delivered a
message and disappeared. But walking into that church changed my life.
Everything that I was ever searching for, I found. People say to me, ‘Oh you
were reborn.’ Well, I was never dead – just lost” (Clemmons 2010).
His newfound dedication permeates his life, he says. While casting
shows, he offers encouragement and compassion, and tries to give every
performer freshened attention when they enter the room – an incredible feat
considering a casting director can see up to 400 singers and dancers in a
three day time span. He believes everyone should be treated with kindness
16

no matter their performance level, and goes out of his way to thank
performers for sharing their talents. This sugary coat of Clemmons’
professional package became startlingly apparent while observing a master
class (Clemmons 2010) in an intimate theater located in the Roy Arias
Studios on 43
rd
street and Eighth Avenue.
A young girl with wispy up-swept hair handed her marked 16-bar
music to the accompanist and walked to the center of the black stage,
adjusting the bottom of her blue sweater on the way. She announced her
song as Keep Holding On, by Avril Lavigne. As the pianist began playing, the
young performer launched into the first phrase of the pop chorus – steadily
climbing the music staff with her vocals until the bridge where high notes
tend to stifle a singer by their redundant repetition in the female passaggio
(an Italian word meaning, ‘passage,’ where a singer must navigate their
vocal mechanism from the chest to the head voice between the notes B-flat
and F-sharp). This performer, ensnared by underdeveloped technique,
became a victim of the melody’s difficulty and I found myself thinking of the
(ironically appropriate) lyrics she was singing: “...just make it through / just
stay strong...” True to the title, she “held on” to the end.
“Good, good,” Clemmons (2010) replied, lauding her rendition as if the
performance had been noteworthy of the original. “You did a good thing, and
I want to encourage you to do more of it. Notice,” he said to the other
participants, “when she smiled it was much more effective than being sad or
intense – right? Just relax those little clumpy clumps of words, make it more
17

lyrical, and make sure you’re really talking to somebody – go again”
(Clemmons 2010). Surprisingly, the singing and performance was much
better. I watched keenly throughout the two-hour session as Clemmons
enhanced the performance of eight out of the ten participants who could
have otherwise been harshly criticized or worse, completely ignored for their
inept performances. Acts like this have earned Clemmons a reputation as a
casting director who actually cares, but also as one that isn’t “soft” when it
comes to making the final decision. “I always say, ‘I can’t give you the job,
but I can treat you with kindness.’ I really do appreciate their best effort. It
may not be great in comparison, but for them it was a good performance”
(Clemmons 2010). Although his teaching approach might be comparable to a
“peer-review,” and thereby interpreted as compassionate service by the
performing world, it’s in helping faith-struggling performers connect with a
community of Christians, where Clemmons finds his solace.
“I feel like I have been led into a little specific ministry dealing with
faith and industry issues and it’s like – ‘talk to people about it, say ‘these are
the mistakes I’ve made and here’s a way you can be stronger.’ For the
longest time I thought you had to be in one of those “positions” to have a
ministry, but I’ve learned over the last few years that I’ve been living one my
whole life” (Clemmons 2010).
As the 9:00 am morning light threaded the needled tips of New York’s
skyline, Clemmons propped open his laptop and began typing his weekly
Christian message. I watched from the café as yellow taxis crowded the
18

Church’s entrance, and realized this café could be considered the “Chapel of
Clemmons.”
19

Chapter 3: Tim Sutton, Gay Mormon Playwright

On a Sunday in late January, Tim Sutton’s Facebook status read: “All
things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and
wonderful...”. The text, taken from the 1848 poem All Things Bright and
Beautiful, by Cecil F. Alexander, was rooted in Anglican melody in 1915. John
Rutter then adapted it for choral worship 1983, and it was subsequently
recorded by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in 2004. Curiously omitted in
Sutton’s status update, is the last line of the first stanza, “the Lord God made
them all.”
Sutton is a gay Mormon playwright (CORE 24 “Best Play” award) and
standup comedian (Comix Comedy Club) who doesn’t know if indeed God
does make “them all” (i.e., different sexual orientations). The religion to
which he subscribes, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, does
not have a position on the cause of same-gender attraction, also referred to
as the nature versus nurture debate on their website (Oaks 2008). Yet, the
Mormon religion stands politically firm with declarations against the practice
of homosexuality, and this directly conflicts with Sutton’s choice to live an
alternative lifestyle. But, unlike his gay contemporaries, Sutton’s work
reflects the amiable union he managed to find between his sexual identity
and his on-going association with his conservative religion.
“I love the Church!” Sutton gushed. “I feel like the Mormon theology is
just as much a deep part of me as my sexuality. Many men and women who
leave the church to lead a gay lifestyle – it’s not an easy choice – and you
20

live the rest of your life, either way you choose, with a big hole” (Sutton
2010).
Sutton’s latest play, “Offerings,” a series of one-acts, chronicles the
fictional lives of three gay Mormons, and how they’ve dealt with this very
issue. Because Sutton’s upbringing and adolescent experiences differ from
his contemporaries, his work portrays a stark contrast from the last decade’s
gay Mormon works brought to the national theater circuit: from dealing with
issues of suicide (“Facing East” and “The Play About Henry”), to controversial
electroshock therapy experiments (“14”), and “Confessions of a Mormon Boy”
about a father-turned-gay male escort. These plays, though heralded unique
for their time, have now been deposited in the “been-there-saw-that” trend
jar.
“I think the tragic gay Mormon story has to be over soon,” said Jerry
Rapier, who directed “Facing East” (quoted in Fagg 2008). “Where is the
story about the well-adjusted gay man who isn't traumatized about
separating himself from an unaccepting faith? Or where’s the story of a gay
man who finds himself inside the faith?”
Sutton’s latest work, though unpublished to date, seems to answer
Rapier’s request, as his characters work through familial fights, spiritual
crises, and personal demons. Yet through it all, his characters remain
connected to their family, spirituality and sexuality, just as Sutton has. “This
didn’t happen to me, but I surmise this is why many gay people get lost in
21

drugs and sex. They’ve lost their grounding. They throw the baby out with
the bathwater and it’s unfortunate” (Sutton 2010)
The middle child of a dedicated Mormon couple in Provo, Utah, Sutton
often spoke openly – and from a young age – with his parents about his
attraction to the same sex. The years of on-going dialogue, which took place
during the height of the AIDS crisis, in arguably the most stereotypical of
Mormon locales (Provo is next door to Brigham Young University), seems not
only healthy today, but extremely bold back then, and perhaps plays a large
role in Sutton’s spiritual stability. He continued going to church, served an
LDS mission, and attended Brigham Young University.
As Sutton pointed out, being gay doesn’t necessarily disqualify anyone
from being a member in the LDS religion. However, being an active
homosexual limits your involvement – you can attend services, for example,
but you cannot hold a formal position or enter the temple. To be a gay
Mormon and participate in the more formal facets of the LDS faith (temple,
clergy, etc.), you must deny the homosexual lifestyle and lead a celibate life.
It was after being hired by Pat McCorkle (a top commercial casting
office) and moving to NYC that Sutton (2010) “made the choice” to become a
practicing homosexual. Sutton (2010) recalled, “It was the only time I had
ever hung up on my father. I was walking around trying to make sense of it
all at 3:00 am in the morning, in Brooklyn, and it was like this voice literally
said, ‘how can you expect them to accept your lifestyle if you don’t accept
theirs?’ And the anger just melted away, and ever since then I’ve never
22

needed to run away.” Sutton (2010) continued, “A gay person can leave the
church behind but a Mormon family who wants to have that gay child in their
life has to somehow balance their belief with the love that they have for their
child. That’s a tough balance, and I don’t think that they [families] are given
as much credit as they deserve.”
Sutton, also a producer, is currently involved in the play “Loaded,” an
Off-Broadway show that discusses issues surrounding generational gaps
within the gay community. As Sutton (2010) explains, the play follows two
“fuck buddies” who are “looking for common ground above the sheets.” Jude,
a 25-year-old, fights to obtain all the rights of average society (e.g.,
marriage equality), while the older Patrick says, “We didn’t fight to fit in, we
fought to be left alone.” Throughout the wordy 90-minute staging, the two
protagonists face-off on “loaded” topics such as gay history, misogyny, AIDS,
activism, classism, gay marriage, children, and the pros/cons of assimilation.
Although the play seems politically charged, Sutton was quick to point out
that it is not an activist play, Sutton also believes vehemently that activism
has no place in theatre.
“Art that pushes an agenda is never nearly as strong as theater built
upon questions. It becomes about a message rather than an experience.
That’s why gay or religious art in general isn’t that good. Art is about
listening and moving with the Spirit or the muse or the voice of God –
whatever you want to call it. It’s about following that. Until we listen, we will
never be able to be grounded in a true religion or a true art form. If we just
23

spew our thoughts out, they’ll communicate for a little bit but they won’t
transcend” (Sutton 2010).
The 46-year-old Sutton, who has seemingly found his place between a
religious continent and a gay civilization (what he terms “no man’s land”) by
following his inner voice, confesses this middle ground is difficult to tread,
but remains the only retreat where he finds peace and integration between
the communities. Yet his gift for analysis and dedication to questioning the
issues tied within the two worlds has recently caused him uncertainty:
finding a life-long partner in the gay community as a man in his mid-40s
seems disheartening to him, especially considering his religion’s anti-
marriage-equality views (a stance he defended during the infamous
Proposition 8 scandal). With these concerns, the path for peace appears
contradictory to his quest for ultimate happiness as defined by his hopes for
a family. Recently, he says he feels more detached from his religious
confidence, and wants to understand the origin of the degeneration by
detailing his thoughts in a blog that launches in April 2010 (Sutton 2010, see
http://TSuttonWriting.blogspot.com).
“I’m still drawn to the Church and I want to explore why. Am I still a
Christian? I think I am. But what does that mean and how can I bring that
into my life with a feeling of wonder, ownership and exploration again?”
(Sutton 2010). Believing questions foster human progression, Sutton’s act of
inquiry leads to his means of articulating his creative and spiritual evolution;
24

it is his most valued asset that indubitably leads to personal and professional
breakthroughs.
“The most important conflicts we face happen when two things that
are ostensibly right come into conflict. It doesn’t happen when one person is
right and one person is wrong” (Sutton 2010). After all, as he pointed out,
artists and playwrights try to explore questions. And isn’t that the crux true
religion too?
25

Conclusion

Building upon my own experiences in theatre arts as an actress and
Christian in the LDS faith, and using documentary techniques, I interviewed
three Christians-in-theatre whose notable professional contributions include
the Broadway circuit – the highest form of professional pay-off for those
involved in theatre. Broadway also represents an interface between
pressures to perform material conflicting with moral and religious beliefs, and
conformity to social influences that might prevail when a devout religious
person experiences social separation. Though only three participants were
selected for this study, each one’s acolyte-like dedication to the theatre and
individual religious beliefs, seem to exhibit a degree of reconciliation.
In Jennifer Naimo’s instance, her dedication to specific language and
moral choices earned both praise and trepidation by the religious community
and theatrical casts in her 30-year career. During his rise to success, Dave
Clemmons was ridiculed for his religious practices and caved to industry
pressures for social and professional acceptance, only to reemerge years
later as a devout outspoken Christian. Tim Sutton remains disqualified from
formalized religious practices due to his active homosexual lifestyle, and his
lack of gay activism and positive portrayal of his religion seems to segregate
him from both groups. Yet he apparently understands his place in the world.
Overall, the main consistency of interviewees’ first-hand accounts revolved
around initial feelings of isolation, later overcome by self-acceptance.
26

But a feeling of isolation remains common among Christians-in-
theatre. For example, The Christians in Theatre Arts (CITA), a 20-year-old
nondenominational organization that, according to Gordon (2008), was
founded to “support Christians who felt uncomfortable bridging the two sides
of their lives and who may have faced suspicion from fellow churchgoers and
secular theater professionals,” specifically reports the Christian-in-theatre
community often deals with isolation within the industry (CITA 2010). Even
in University settings, where instructors foster education and personal
expression, the seclusion exists. Professor Luis Alfaro (2010) who teaches
solo performance at the Theater School at the University of Southern
California explains, “Christianity is one of the three taboos. I used to get kids
doing monologues about coming out of the closet, then there was the wave
of girls who spoke about accepting their bodies, but now I have at least one
Christian who, in essence, “comes out” in a religious way and says ‘I believe
in God.’ It’s a very vulnerable thing for them to do.”
The three Christians interviewed for this project, however, overcame
these feelings of aloneness through one method or another, and hope to
share their experiences with others involved in similar situations. Perhaps, as
they all noted, being outspoken but professionally moldable is the only way
to reverse any negative connotations surrounding Christians-in-theatre. As
Naimo and Clemmons tenaciously thwart social and professional obstacles
with unyielding perseverance, they at the same time strive to shape a
complementary setting for Christians-in-theatre. On the other hand, while
27

Sutton seems at peace, he continues to search for happiness (which he
hopes to find while mining his feelings of the two conflicting communities
though his 2010 blog). While beyond the scope of this project, it is hoped
that future efforts can expand upon these case studies, adding people from
other religions and theatre backgrounds, to create a better understanding of
how religious beliefs might influence practicing theatre artists.
28

References
Alfaro, Luis. 2010. Personal Communication. Loas Angeles, 22 February
2010.
CITA. 2010. CITA History 2010 [cited 22 February 2010].
Clemmons, Dave. 2010. Master Class. New York, 08 January 2010.
———. 2010. Personal Interview. New York City, 10 January 2010.
Fagg, Ellen. 2008. Plays about gay Mormons attracting audiences nationally.
The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 March.
Gordon, Larry. 2008. Christianity Playing a Role in Theater. Los Angeles
Times.
Naimo, Jennifer. 2010. Personal Interview. Pasadena, 22 January 2010.
Oaks, Dallin H. LDS Newsroom, Public Issues, Same Gender Attraction. The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2008. Available from
http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-
attraction.
Sutton, Tim. 2010. Facebook 2010 [cited 24 January 2010]. Available from
http://www.facebook.com/TSuttonNY.UT?ref=search&sid=673751229.
737487421..1.
———. 2010. Personal Interview. New York City, 07 January 2010.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract All participants were recorded, with permission, using a video camera to gain documentary footage for a future broadcast project that will expand the scope of this master’s project.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Stettler, Meghan (author)

Core Title Suspension of [this] belief

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Specialized Journalism (The Arts)

Publication Date 05/07/2010

Defense Date 04/01/2010

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Catholics and theatre,church vs state,evangelicals and theatre,gender,God,Homosexuality,Mormons and theatre,OAI-PMH Harvest,religion and theatre

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Anawalt, Sasha (committee chair), Allen, Casey (committee member), Willis, Holly (committee member)

Creator Email meg.stettler@gmail.com,mstettle@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-m3045

Unique identifier UC1276643

Identifier etd-Stettler-3523 (filename),usctheses-m40 (legacy collection record id),usctheses-c127-330749 (legacy record id),usctheses-m3045 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-Stettler-3523.pdf

Dmrecord 330749

Document Type Thesis

Rights Stettler, Meghan

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Repository Name Libraries, University of Southern California

Repository Location Los Angeles, California

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu