News

Actor to bring gospels to life on stage

Performances in Green Bay Diocese What: Afraid! The Gospel of Mark, a one-man, three-act play presented by television and film actor Frank Runyeon. Where: • Holy Innocents Church, Manitowoc, performance at 7 p.m., March 11. Tickets are available for $5 for adults, $3 for youth ages 12-18. Children ages 7-11 are free. For information, call (920)682-0031. • Holy Cross Church, Bay Settlement, performance at 7:30 p.m., March 13. Tickets are available for $5 and may be purchased at the rectory, by calling (920)468-0595 or at the door. The performance is suitable for adults and children second grade and older. What: Sermon on the Mount and Hollywood vs. Faith, presented by television and film actor Frank Runyeon. Where: Southern Door Auditorium, Brussels. Co-sponsored by St. Francis & St. Mary Parish, Brussels, and St. Louis Parish, Dyckesville. Performance at 7 p.m. March 12. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $3 each for general admission seating. For information or to reserve tickets, call Lisa Larson at (920)854-5357, Kathy Cornette at (920)866-2611 during the day. In the evening, call Sue Johnson at (920)825-7519 or Gina Wautier at (920)825-1245. If not sold out in advance, tickets will be available at the door the evening of the performance.

Actor Frank Runyeon is accustomed to answering two popular questions when he opens the floor for inquiries following his presentation Hollywood vs. Faith.

"I am asked what it's like to kiss Meg Ryan and what type of car I drive, all the time," he said. "That's what makes it exciting, though. I really like the interaction, especially with young people. They surprise you at times. The other night I was asked if we are supposed to love our enemies, do we have to pray for Saddam Hussein? I thought that was very profound."

Runyeon, who starred opposite Ryan as Steve Andropolous on the daytime drama As the World Turns, will present Hollywood vs. Faith and Sermon on the Mount at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, at the Southern Door Auditorium in Brussels.

"For Hollywood vs. Faith, I reflect on the beatitudes that influence our lives as children of the media," he said. "We live in a world of two stories--the media and faith. We don't spend enough time on faith. By the time you finish high school, you've heard the Gospel read in church 900 times, but you've heard 500,000 commercials."

Runyeon will present Jesus' Sermon on the Mount as told by Matthew to the church of Antioch.

"I go around and explain the stories of all the people, the livestock trader, the silk merchant, the scribe," he said. "It gets the audience involved, but I also really want them to see themselves in the story."

Runyeon uses humor throughout his presentation because he believes that Jesus had a good sense of humor.

"It's fun for me and I want the audience to not only learn something about their faith, but to enjoy it," he said.

Runyeon, a Princeton graduate with a degree in theology, will perform his acclaimed one-man, three-act play, Afraid! The Gospel of Mark at 7 p.m., March 11 at Holy Innocents Church, Manitowoc, and at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 13 at Holy Cross Church, Bay Settlement. He became drawn to the Gospel of Mark while on retreat at a Benedictine monastery in Vermont.

"It's been great for me," said Runyeon. "It's helped me grow. Spiritually, it's very powerful."

"I am often asked which of the texts I enjoy more," he continued. "I look forward to doing them all. One really informs the other. Mark is very popular with this being the (liturgical) year of Mark, but I've had several requests for Matthew. There are all refreshing for me artistically."

Runyeon, whose television credits include Santa Barbara, L.A. Law, Falcon Crest and Melrose Place and such feature films as Sudden Death and Dark Streets, continues to receive offers from producers, but has turned them down.

"General Hospital wanted me to join the cast in the fall," said Runyeon, who is writing his autobiography entitled, Escape from Hollywood: An Actor's Journey to Faith. "It's so hard to meet the demands in that medium, and I honestly haven't found anything worth doing. What I'm doing now helps me on my journey in faith. I find it so much more nourishing. Comparing the substance of television to Biblical text is like comparing cotton candy to meat and potatoes."