23 November 2005

Julia Sweeney: Sold out. But coming to TED

Is it bad blogging protocol to blurb a sold-out show? That's the question we've been asking ourselves these past few weeks — knowing that TEDster Julia Sweeney's extraordinary one-woman show has come to New York, and also knowing that you can't get tickets.

Set in a cozy living room, brimming with books, Letting Go of God traces a spiritual journey that takes an unexpected turn toward science (a turn, which, incidentally, also led her to TED). Sweeney — who's well-known for both her 4-year run on Saturday Night Live (where she invented the character "Pat") and her powerful one-woman shows (Her first was "God said Ha!") — projects a warmth and sincerity on stage that's unmatched in today's theater; you immediately feel you're chatting with an old friend. This gift of intimacy allows her to achieve the impossible: An utterly disarming show that honestly confronts the most controversial topic of our times.

Following a triumphant run in Los Angeles last spring, Letting Go of God is playing the Ars Nova Theater through Nov. 26. The run is sold-out, but same-day tickets may be available at the theater. If you miss it, take heart: Julia will perform an excerpt at TED2006.

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