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Wretch Like Me: The Road to Edinburgh Tour

Playwright/journalist David Templeton's acclaimed one man show is heading to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer (assuming Team Wretch can raise the money), and each performance on the Road to Edinburgh Tour brings that dream closer to coming true. Written and performed by Templeton (a longtime North Bay writer and theater critic), this fast-and-funny, stripped down version of the show is directed by Sheri Lee Miller (Cinnabar's 'La Cage Aux Folles' and "Of Mice and Men'). It's hard to resist this engaging true story of a young outcast kid in the 1970s as he hides from playground bullies and absorbs loving-but-off-the-wall parental advice, finally finding respite (of sorts) amidst the Jesus Movement of Southern California. With vivid story-telling, colorful impersonations, hilarious tangents (ever hear anyone sing 'Amazing Grace' . . . backwards?), Templeton recounts his "full immersion" into a trippy new world of Bible-thumping, tongues-speaking, heart-and-soul-giving believersall revolving around a tiny church named Happy Chapel and very serious (if somewhat tongue-tied) minister named Reverend Dude. It's a world that begins to turn not-so-Happy, as David's devotion to Jesus puts him at odds with his church and minister, who begin to think that David is taking his goal of being like Jesus a little too literally. In the end, as young David makes one epic final effort to retain his childlike faith (know anyone who attempted a 30-day fast?), David finds a way to be saved from being "saved." Think of it as a Boy meets Jesus, Boy Loses Jesus, Boy Finds Self story, one that will make you laugh, cry, and not soon forget. This 75-minute, one act performance will include a "wretch"-themed raffle, and other ways to contribute to the effort of taking this one-pd-a-kind show to an International audience.