Independent company Burnt Thicket Theatre (BTT) is presenting the world premiere of the play, My Little Plastic Jesus, which will see Bratton perform in homes across the city from Oct. 17 – 27.

The coming-of-age tale – which is being billed by BTT as “part confession, part history lesson, part multimedia extravaganza” – invites audience members to watch as Bratton explores his upbringing in evangelical pop culture, both “examining its folly and redeeming its faith.”

In an interview, Bratton said he wrote My Little Plastic Jesus as he grappled with aspects of the culture in which he grew up. He realized how strange evangelical pop culture seemed to friends who weren’t familiar with it, and he felt the need to explain it to them. As time went on, however, he also realized that he needed to explain it to himself.

“(I thought), ‘Well, hopefully this is helpful to someone else. Hopefully this is something someone else would want to hear.’ And the script was born,” said Bratton.

Bratton is BTT’s artistic associate and he has played multiple roles at Persephone Theatre, including Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and Robert in Boeing, Boeing – for which he received a SATAward nomination for outstanding leading performance.

Bratton said most of his friends, peers and contemporaries – whether they have remained in the church or they have left it – understand the journey he presents in My Little Plastic Jesus. However, he is still nervous about his family members’ reactions – as one often is when the subject matter is autobiographical, he said.

“It’s been a little bit trickier when talking to my parents and my parents’ generation, because it can sometimes feel like an indictment when I’m critical,” said Bratton.

“But I’m definitely doing it as a criticism out of love, not out of malice, and I hope that people see that. And I have had some good conversations with folks who are a little bit older, like my parents.”

My Little Plastic Jesus has been a decade in the making. BTT commissioned the creation of the script from the raw material of Bratton’s lived experience and historical research. The development of the script was then aided by dramaturge Johnna Wright, who serves as the literary manager at Persephone Theatre. BTT also received a grant from the Saskatchewan Arts Board to support the development and production of the show.

“In as much as evangelicalism is a real or perceived force in the shaping of our current political/ cultural moment, this play has relevance for us all,” BTT’s artistic director, Stephen Waldschmidt, said in a news release.

“Along with plenty of laughs, My Little Plastic Jesus offers insight to better understand the hyperpolarized politics in North America,” said Waldschmidt, who is directing the production. “This play invites us to transcend the seeming inability to hear one another across partisan divides — which is an absolute necessity as we head towards the federal election on October 21.”

My Little Plastic Jesus is being presented in a style similar to a house concert. With this smaller, intimate style of show, Bratton believes he can develop a “more direct” connection with the audience.

“You have to have the right kind of play to do it, and my show kind of felt like it lent itself towards that,” he said. “I’m hopeful to have a bit of a Q&A after every show, and that’s much easier when you have an intimate kind of community to do it with.”

Tickets are $20 and are available at the door or online. Visit mylittleplasticjesus.com for more information.

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In addition to My Little Plastic Jesus, there are a number of other plays running in Saskatoon this month. Here’s a look at some of them.

GLORY

PERSEPHONE THEATRE UNTIL OCT. 12

Persephone Theatre has opened its latest main stage season with the Western Canada Theatre production of Glory, which runs until Oct. 12 at the Remai Arts Centre. The show is inspired by the true story of Canada’s own Preston Rivulettes. Billed as a “great hockey story featuring thrilling rink action accompanied by swing jazz,” Glory is a play that “proves a woman’s place is on home ice.” Tickets are $30 – $56 and are available by calling 306-384-7727 or by going online to persephonetheatre.org.

WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

LIVE FIVE INDEPENDENT THEATRE UNTIL OCT. 13

Live Five Independent Theatre is opening its 16th season with Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, produced by Xtasis Film & Stage. Directed by Joshua Beaudry, the show stars Mark Claxton, Pamela Haig Bartley, Sarah Bergbusch and Jaron Francis. Tickets are $26 for adults and $22 for seniors and students. Tickets can be purchased by calling 306-653-5191 or by going online to livefive.ca.

FRANKENSTEIN; OR, THE MAN AND THE MONSTER

GREYSTONE THEATRE OCT. 9 – 19

Greystone Theatre showcases the work of University of Saskatchewan (USask) student actors and technicians. The theatre’s latest offering is Henry Milner’s 1826 Frankenstein, based on Mary Shelley’s famous novel, which was the first stage adaptation that featured the birth of the monster on stage, in plain view of the audience. Tickets are $22 for adults, $19 for seniors and $17 for students. Tickets can be purchased from the Department of Drama in USask’s College of Arts and Science by calling 306-966-5188 or by going online to artsandscience.usask.ca/drama.

I LOST MY HUSBAND!

PERSEPHONE THEATRE OCT. 16 – 27

Persephone Theatre is launching its 2019-2020 Deep End series with the comedy I Lost My Husband!, which will run from Oct. 16 – 27 at the BackStage Stage at the Remai Arts Centre. Directed by Jennica Grienke, the show features a three-person cast comprised of Connor Brousseau, Kristel Harder and Amanda Trapp. Tickets are $30 and are available by calling 306-384- 7727 or by going online to persephonetheatre.org.

-Shannon Boklaschuk