'The Great Divorce' on Stage Delivers Poignant Message

WASHINGTON -- An eternity in heaven or spend the remainder of existence in hell? What would you choose?

It seems like a preposterous question. But it's exactly the topic Christian author C.S. Lewis tackles in his theological fantasy The Great Divorce.

Now the classic work is coming to the stage thanks to Christian production company Fellowship for Performing Arts.

"The plot is based on the title of the divorce between heaven and hell. And so what Lewis imagines is that he finds some lost souls in a place called the Grey Town which is a metaphor for hell," Artistic Director Max McLean explained to CBN News.

"They are invited to get on a magical bus and this bus take this motley crew to the outskirts of heaven," he said.

Through the fantastical journey to heaven Lewis attempts to explain the simple yet difficult decisions that separate mankind from an eternity with God.
 
"They have the choice to get back on the bus and go back to where they came from or they can stay and go up the mountain," McLean described. "But they say there will be plenty of work because there are choices that they have made in their life that the result of those choices brought them to the Grey Town in the first place."
 
He said bringing such a vivid and beloved story to life took a great deal of care.
 
"We've got some of the best theatrical minds in the country that worked together for months putting this piece together," he said. "We use an extraordinary projection design, set design, costume design, the sound design as well as the magnificent words that Lewis paints."

"We are very, very careful to make sure that Lewis' vision is clearly articulated," he added.

But McLean said the prodution more than a beautiful reinterpretation. Instead The Great Divorce delivers a poignant message for believers.

"The Great Divorce is about spiritual warfare from a heavenly point of view that is about exhorting us, encouraging us to go up the mountain," he explained.

"Don't just follow the stream and go downstream, anybody can do that. Dead things go downstream. It's alive things that have to fight against the current," McLean said.
 
The Great Divorce continues its cross-country tour through May 2.