The new play #GodHatesYou wants to remind audiences that words can hurt, especially when amplified through social media.
#GodHatesYou is a new play receiving its first full production at ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½βs Pegasus PlayLab in June and August. The story follows Laurel who takes the message of her radical church to Twitter and is confronted with unexpected encounters, leading her to question the meaning of her faith, her relationship with God and the impact of her words.
This play was first seen in Orlando at Orlando Shakesβ Playfest 2018.
βWhen we did the reading of #GodHatesYou last November, we really liked the play but in many ways the script seemed to be a better fit for ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½βs Pegasus PlayLab than for Orlando Shakes,β says Cynthia White, director of #GodHatesYou and director of New Play Development at Orlando Shakes. βThe central character is 26 and is just stepping out into a larger world and finding her voice, something you could say students do when they come to a university.β
Pegasus PlayLab at ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ is a new play festival in its second year dedicated to developing plays by emerging playwrights. The 2019 festival kicked off with a series of workshop readings during which actors presented new plays with minimal staging and scripts in-hand in front of an audience. #GodHatesYou is this yearβs full developmental production, meaning a script that has already been polished through workshops and readings and is ready to introduce the elements of sets, costumes and lighting.
Thatβs not to say that this is the final product. The cast and playwright are still digging deeper into these characters and discovering what their journey holds.
βExploring the characters and building relationships within the play, I have been impressed by the way the words resonate,β says White. βOn the surface, one could see a group of rigid and angry fanatics, but we find as we dig deeper, a group of people who think they are saving the world and deeply believe that they love everyone.β
If there is something to take away from this play, according to White, it is βWords matter.β The main character is opened to new ideas and thoughts when she talks to people outside of her constrictive religious bubble. When she sees that her words cause harm, she must reconsider her entire life. βShe comes to the conclusion that she doesnβt just need to ask for Godβs forgiveness, but for humanityβs forgiveness.β
Although this play covers several heavy themes, thereβs levity as well.
GodHatesYou is full of enormous contradictions, but the director says it will take viewers on a fascinating and unexpected journey towards a better understanding of what makes us all human.
Pegasus PlayLab runs through June 23 with an encore production of #GodHatesYou Aug. 29-Sept. 1. Tickets, information and more at
#GodHatesYou | Main Stage
June 13-23 and Aug. 29-Sept. 1
By Emily DendingerΒ Directed by Cynthia White
Having attended her first picket at 5 years old, Laurel is proud of the good work she has done in the name of the Lord. Groomed to be the next leader of her radical church, Laurel takes to Twitter to spread the Word. When her tweets are responded to by an agnostic college student, a rabbi and a few Twitter trolls, Laurel struggles to determine the true meaning of her faith and define her relationship with God.
On Thursday, Aug. 29, the production will be joined by WMFEβs for a post-show talkback about the play, religion and social media.
