The School of Drama's stunningly thought-provoking performance of Nathan The Wise delves into the difficult issues of religious tolerance against the backdrop of the holy city of Jerusalem during the Crusades. Wonderfully acted, the play dishes out humor, philosophy, mystery, and, most of all, a timeless message that is critical for 21st century audiences: that our own humanity should come before our religions, that there can be peace, even love, between people of different faiths, and that those religions are not so different from each other as one might think.

As CFA faculty member Brian Johnston explained in the very informative program notes, Nathan The Wise was originally written by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, a German writer and philosopher of the 16th century. Modeling the events of the play after people in his own life as well as critical historical events, Lessing crafted a densely philosophical play in iambic blank verse. Too long and complex for modern audiences, the original play was translated and re-crafted by playwright Edward Kemp into a much more accessible dramatic prose version. It is Kemp's version of the show that the School of Drama selected as part of its 2005-2006 season to fit the year's theme of celebrating difference.

The minimalist but artistic backdrop of the play consists of large, overlapping screens hanging at different heights and depths behind the main performance space. Each screen appears to be inked in black and sepia with religious images, such as words in Arabic, Hebrew, quotes from the bible, an image of the Virgin Mary, etc. As different religious figures come to the forefront of the performance, and as the characters move from one side of the stage to the other, different screens are illuminated, signifying a different religious focus. There is also a beautiful integration of religious and cultural music between scenes and faintly in the background during the dialogue. In front of the screens, arranged in a semi-circle, sit three thrones, each representing a different religion. Characters associated with a particular religion retreat to their throne when not directly participating in the action of the scene. Yet even then, they remain active participants, listening and responding to the action which takes place on a large central dais.

Nathan (played by CFA senior Raffi Barsoumian), a Jewish merchant who has a reputation for being wise and good in addition to being wealthy, returns home from the east to discover that his daughter, Rachel (CFA senior Michele Mulitz), was nearly killed in a fire. She was saved by a mysterious and rebellious Knight Templar (CFA senior David Winters), whose life was pardoned by the jovial but bankrupt Sultan Saladin (CFA senior Andrew Kober). Nathan takes it upon himself to befriend the Knight Templar and in the process gets drawn into the confidence of the Sultan, the mysteries of the Knight's past, and the machinations of the local Christian Patriarch.

While all of the performances were amazing, Barsoumian as Nathan captured the audience's heart with what seemed to be a very natural role for him. Nathan is a man of astounding wit and compassion, torn between love for his daughter, his own faith, and his compelling need to befriend and encourage like-minded individuals, superceding religious boundaries. To balance out Barsoumian's gentle humor and thoughtfulness is Kober's performance as Saladin, the Muslim sultan. As a good-hearted and well-intentioned leader, who perhaps lacks Nathan's profound wit, Kober brings the most humor to the play with Saladin's bumbling attempts to please those he cares for as well as to be the strong and intelligent leader of a city fraught with religious turmoil. Winters also gives a stunning performance of the conflicted Knight Templar who struggles to reconcile his personal beliefs with that of his faith and duty. Winters does a wonderful job of showing the Knight's emotions, everything from tortured love to rage to kindness, both with his voice and with his body language. Seeing these three together on stage is a real treat as their distinctly different personalities and religions clash and come together with wonderful theatric chemistry.

The performances by the more minor characters, though, cannot go unacknowledged. Mulitz as the young and naïve Rachel, CFA senior Eryn Joslyn as Daya, Rachel's pestering but loyal and devout caretaker, as well as CFA senior Kersti Bryan as Sittah, the sultan's bright and caring sister, all give superb performances whose comedic elements and personal insights help to truly fill out the world and context of the play.

Part philosophy lesson, part dialogue on religious tolerance, and part social commentary, Nathan The Wise is a wonderfully funny and refreshing perspective on the relationships between people and religions.

Nathan The Wise debuted over the February 23 weekend, and will show again from February 28-March 4 in the Philip Chosky Theater in the Purnell Center for the Arts. Nathan The Wise will also be broadcast to students at the Carnegie Mellon campus in Qatar on March 11 at 11 a.m. Pittsburgh time. It will be closely followed by a talk-back session moderated by CFA faculty members Brian Johnston and Michael Chemers. This is the first time the School of Drama will be performing for Qatari students. The performance broadcast to Qatar is free and open to the public, though it requires reservations. Tickets for Nathan The Wise can be reserved by calling 412-268-2407 or online at the School of Drama's website.

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