From soaps to saints
Frank Runyeon, known best for roles in soap operas, comes to the area to perform Gospel of St. John
Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published February 9, 2007
Frank Runyeon, a former soap star, will perform "The Gospel of John" at St. Aidan Church on Feb. 28. An actor and theologian, Runyeon has performed for hundreds of churches. | Detroit — Christ had a human face, emotions, character, wit, tones of voice — and those who want help picturing it could stop by St. Aidan Church in Livonia at the end of the month to give their imaginations a boost.
Frank Runyeon, a Hollywood actor who made a name for himself in daytime soap operas, will be performing a one-man play on St. John's Gospel. The performance, titled "Signs: The Gospel of John," is an attempt to awaken in its audience the concept that people encountered Christ as a true man.
"We're a very media-oriented society and we like to process information in an exciting way," says David Conrad, director of faith formation at St. Aidan Parish. "A play can, to a certain extent, satisfy that desire."
Conrad, who organized the play after seeing Runyeon perform, said his parish is using it as a teaching tool.
"We thought we would use it as an anchor for our Lenten series this year, which is themed 'Disciples: faithful and flawed,'" he said. "Through the example of Peter, the beloved apostle, we can learn to follow the Lord despite our faults."
In the performance of St. John's Gospel, Runyeon goes through Christ, Peter and the whole range of characters.
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"Signs: The Gospel of John"
What is it? A one-man performance of St. John’s Gospel by television star Frank Runyeon.
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28. Reception to follow.
Where: St. Aidan Church, 17500 Farmington Road, Livonia.
Cost: $5 per person; $20 for family. Group rates available.
For information: Call (734) 425-5950. | Runyeon, who in the past 20 years has starred in more than 1,000 television shows, is used to this type of theatre. After having starred as Steve Andropoulos on "As the World Turns;" as Simon Romero on "General Hospital;" and as a guest star in series such as "L.A. Law" and "Melrose Place," he decided to ditch Hollywood scripts for the Scriptures.
"I started to realize that it was time for me to do something that was of value," Runyeon says. "And it just seemed like something that would be nice to do."
It wasn't a sudden transition, however.
Raised an Episcopalian, Runyeon had often thought in his youth about becoming a priest. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in religion. When he started work on his Gospel plays, he pursued further theological studies, earning a master's degree from Yale Divinity School and General Theological Seminary.
He cooperated with students at the Jesuit Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass., to write his first Gospel performance, the Gospel of St. Mark, in the early 1990s. He since has performed for hundreds of church communities, many of them Catholic, in all 50 states.
"Signs: The Gospel of John" stands out from his other performances, he says, because of its depth.
"There are two or three levels of what (St. John) said," Runyeon says. "There are so many symbols and metaphors. The words resonate in two or three different directions… You have to figure out a way to be faithful to that, but also be an effective playwright and dramatist. It's very exciting that it works."
While the actor's goal — and that of St. Aidan Parish in hosting him — is to foster a greater awareness of Christ's presence, Runyeon says that the whole point about Christ's story is that every human being is a part of it.
It's a message he hopes his audience takes seriously.
"Unlike a movie where you walk away and it's all about the 'gods' on the silver screen, (with the Gospel) there's a part for us to play," he says. "John has a personal and warming message, and I hope that people get that."
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