ART/WNY Presents JESUS HATES ME, Beginning Today

The New Years finds a charmingly eccentric Americana dark comedy hitting the American Repertory Theater of WNY's 2013 stage. Wayne Lemon's JESUS HATES ME takes place in a religiously themed putt-putt golf course (Called The Blood of the Lamb) and finds five Texans on an existential quest to find salvation or take the path to eternal damnation...being stuck where they live.

JESUS HATES ME can best be described as Jean Paul Satre's NO EXIT hopped up on booze, drugs, sex and a plate of Texas BBQ. This crazed dark-comedy makes its WNY debut and falls under the directorial eye of Michael Lodick who's successful overseeing of THE GIN GAME was a must-see centerpiece of ART/WNY's 2011-12 season.

Newcomer Priscilla Young-Anker does a marvelous job as the bi-polar, Piper Laurie religious train-wreck, Karen Webster (owner of The Blood of The Lamb). Her soul-searching, Gilbert Grape wannabe son ETHAN is smoothly played by Matthew Kindely. Also rounding out the cast is Maura Nolan as LIZZY, who runs the town's dive bar being awashed in shotglass gulps of regret and missed opportunities, Anthony Alcocer who infectiously plays BOONE (the resident whore-bag and all-around screwup), Bryan Figueroa who plays the only pot-smokin', Black sheriff in Texas, TRANE, and Jacob Kahn, morosely playing the botched suicide target, GEORGIE.

JESUS HATES ME had a preview/soft opening night on January 17th and opens tonight, January 18th running through to February 7th. Showtimes are 7:30 pm. Ticket prices are $20 general admission, a special $15 online special at Brown Paper Tickets, $12 for students and military veterans. To make reservations please call the box-office at 716-634-1102. For more information on the production please visit ART/WNY's website at http://www.artofwny.org.