Review: AN ACT OF GOD at Roustabouts Theatre Co

I have often said that going to the theatre is my version of church. With "An Act of God", now playing courtesy of Roustabouts Theatre Co., that comparison is more or less true. Turns out the Almighty has a few notes for humanity, and apparently, the Scripps Ranch Theatre through March 29th is the best place to deliver them.

In playwright David Javerbaum’s irreverent comedy, God takes corporeal form to address the audience directly and clear up a few lingering messaging issues about, well, everything. That divine has taken over the body of Sam Ginn (who may or may not know she has been possessed by the almighty) and is flanked by archangels Michael (Devyn Wade) and Gabriel (AJ Knox) to present a revised edition of the Ten Commandments. The originals are apparently outdated, and the new ones have been under divine development.  The show takes us through each updated commandment along with a few illustrative parables, historical clarifications, and the occasional frustrations along the way.

I’ve seen "An Act of God" before, but this may be my favorite version yet, largely thanks to Ginn’s electric performance. Sharp, quick-witted, and gloriously unpredictable, she commands the stage with the casual authority of someone who quite literally wrote the rules. Her God is chatty, funny, and only occasionally wrathful—though when the temper flares, it arrives with the force of a well-timed thunderclap and sometimes in the form of a dance break. Ginn’s rapid-fire delivery and improvisational ease make audience moments feel genuinely spontaneous; when someone sneezed during the performance I attended, she instantly responded (mid-sentence) with a “Me bless you!” without missing a beat. If the phrase “made in God’s image” is to be believed, then as a woman with ADHD who also tends to talk quickly and hop conversational tangents, I felt pleasantly represented.

As the heavenly support staff, Devyn Wade’s Michael and AJ Knox’s Gabriel provide excellent comic counterbalance. Wade’s Michael often functions as the audience’s surrogate, asking questions for the audience members, but also has a few of his own, like about suffering, cruelty, and whether smiting is still on the divine agenda. Michael’s empathy for humanity frequently puts him in the line of divine irritation, but Wade plays the role with warmth and nuance that grounds the comedy.

Knox’s Gabriel dutifully helps announce the new commandments and, at times, helps act out stories, both voluntarily and against his will, since angels did not receive the same free will humans did. Both actors lean into the absurdity of their celestial assignments while keeping the emotional stakes just real enough.

Under the direction of Phil Johnson, the production balances irreverence with genuine heart. Johnson wisely trusts his performers’ comedic instincts while shaping the show’s more reflective moments so they land with tenderness. There’s even choreography by Luke Harvey Jacobs, which results in delightful dance breaks that feel at best like a divine decree, and sometimes like a punishment (turns out God is still working on Her wrath issues).

The design elements lean into the show’s playful tone. David Kievit’s scenic and lighting design creates what might best be described as a celestial malt shop, while a screen behind the actors reveals the updated commandments in a delightfully Family Feud-style board.

Dawn Fuller-Korinek’s costumes dress the Almighty in a luminous white suit accented with rainbow accessories (a reminder of God’s promise not to smite humanity again), while the archangels sport toga-inspired looks with leather battle skirts, because before they were messengers, angels were soldiers. Ted Leib’s sound design ensures every heavenly proclamation lands clearly, including the occasional booming echo when God is particularly displeased. And though no one technically outranks God, stage manager Jessamyn Foster likely comes close, orchestrating the organized chaos with divine precision.

"An Act of God" is gleefully cheeky, occasionally philosophical, and consistently funny. It pokes at theology and humanity, all while reminding us that sometimes the best way to grapple with life’s biggest questions is through laughter together.

How To Get Tickets

 “An Act of God” by The Roustabouts Theatre Co is playing at Scripps Ranch Theatre through March 29th.  For ticket and showtime information, please go to www.theroustabouts.org

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