Click on the photo below to watch the full-length play:
The Truth About
Christ’s Love in One Act
If you want to break attendance and donation records at your events, you might need to break the mold:
“Viable broke all attendance and fundraising records in the history of the South Carolina Citizens for Life Proudly Pro-Life Dinner.
The same can be true for your church, university, or special event when you replace your customary keynote speaker with the one-act play Viable.
It was a bold move by SCCL President Lisa Van Riper, our Board, and I as Executive Director. But God more than blessed the results.”
– Holly Gatling, Secretary of the National Right to Life Committee and Executive Director of South Carolina Citizens for Life
“The word got out quickly. There had been a one-act play preceding the formal beginning of the National Right to Life Convention that had the audience’s brains engaged, their hearts softened, and their tear ducts working overtime. The name of the play was ‘Viable: The Truth of God’s Love Presented in One Act.’ This is a play steeped in the Christian faith that leaves an indelible message that our God is a forgiving God who seeks reconciliation with His children regardless of their pasts.”
— Dave Andrusko of NRL News Today
Viable was introduced at the South Carolina Citizens for Life Proudly Pro-Life Gala, January 10, 2020 by SCCL Board Member, Karen Iacovelli, and closed by South Carolina Attorney General, Alan Wilson, plus a smattering of audience reactions.
Click on the image above to watch a short trailer of Viable.
Click on the photo above to watch an extended 13-minute video of more audience reactions plus selected moments from various performances of the play, Viable, on stage.
Click on the photo above to watch the full-length play recorded live on stage.
The Truth of Christ’s Love Live On Stage in One Act
First lady, Peggy McMaster, South Carolina Governor, Henry McMaster, and Gisele Gathings (Judy in the play Viable) at a Post-performance reception for Viable.
Gisele Gathings (Judy in the play Viable) giving backstage hugs to audience members after a performance of
Viable in Tri-Cities, Washington State.
“A journey through raw emotion, revelation, and realization of faith, family, and falsehoods into transformational hope, forgiveness, healing, life, and love. Viable speaks life into many life experiences therefore transcending race, religion, politics, and speaks to vastness of God’s love for His creation.”
—Gisele Gathings, Composer and Jazz-Gospel Vocalist of “Choices” and the Character “Judy” in the play, Viable
“I knew that I wanted to bring the Viable play after seeing it at National Right to Life Convention . I knew that it would be
impactful and it was. In the evaluations, many people identified the Viable play as the thing that they liked most about The Pro-Life Pro-Family Coalition Conference. An Ob/GYN doctor that had been practicing for many years indicated that lines in the play were statements that she has heard over the years from her patients. We were especially gratified that several groups were so touched by the play that they want to bring it back to the area to churches and schools. I hope this happens because EVERYONE should see this play. Thank you Viable cast, John Hoover, PHD and support staff for doing an awesome job.”
—Dr. Joronda Crawford, Co-Founder of Pro-Life Pro-Family Coalition of Chicago
Viable is a One-Act Play, Live on stage.
Viable is a heartwarming, triumphant story about a mother who has been heavy-laden with secret shame, sorrow, and self-condemnation for 30 years because of her choice until she experiences the healing, renewing, and restorative love of Jesus Christ most unexpectedly and unusually.
The one-act play, Viable, is not about the legality, constitutionality, or politics of abortion. It is about God’s perspective on grace, mercy, restoration, and redemption. On average, 1 in 4 women in any church in America has experienced abortion in one way or another, and most of them take the secret to their graves.
In 70 minutes, with three actors and two chairs, Viable’s simple-but-powerful storyline is a passionate portrayal of one woman attempting to protect her own emotions amidst decades of post-abortion trauma. Like millions of women in the United States and around the world, the leading character, Judy, suffers psychologically for three decades from a wound that time alone won’t heal until she encounters the redeeming love of Jesus Christ most unexpectedly and unusually.
Viable launches a journey of healing and restoration for women and men through the love of Jesus Christ. Expressed through the unconditional love of a child, Judy experiences the forgiveness of Jesus and is fully forgiven and set free from self-condemnation. As highly controversial and electrically-charged a social issue as abortion can be, Viable follows a journey of restoration, renewal, and hope through the eyes of one woman heavy-laden with despair.
The healing power of Jesus Christ is at the core of Viable. His peace that passes all understanding, regardless of what caused the original distress, is the point of the play.
In Viable, decades of undifferentiated anger and self-condemnation filled Judy with rage toward herself and those she loved until the healing love of Jesus came to her in the night. Only the tender love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ can fully heal women and men who have made emotionally devastating and relationship-destroying choices in their lives that can shadow and enslave them for the rest of their lives.
The worst part of human choices that leave a wake of shame and regret is the wall that they build between themselves and the opportunity for a personal and intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior. Only through the truth of God’s love can the most emotionally wounded among us be fully forgiven and set free.
Now that termination of life in the womb can be secretly self-administered at home, the need for PASS (equated to PTSD by Psychology Today on October 25, 2010) healing is now often more immediate than the years and sometimes decades that women and men frequently suffer before realizing how badly they need to seek help.
Some of the Women's Resource Group Directors Who Broke the Mold by Hosting Viable
The Cast of Viable visits four cities in Arkansas. Pictured here are (L-R) Scott Braxton (George), John Hoover (Producer & Playwright), Rose Mimms (Executive Director of Arkansas Right to Life), Gisele Gathings (Judy), and Kimberly Jackson (Church Counselor).
After a performance of Viable at Southside Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia, cast members pose with Patrick Braski of Chick-fil-A (far left), Lenoris Daniels of Georgia Right to Life, Actor Scott Braxton (George), Warner Robins, GA Mayor LaRhonda Patrick, Actor Gisele Gathings (Judy), Understudy Rayana Briggs (Church Counselor), Christine Braski of Georgia Right to Life, and Producer/Director John Hoover (far right).
Viable Cast with Georgia Right to Life President, Ricardo Davis (far L), producer/director, John Hoover, GRTL Assistant Director, Genevieve Wilson, and GRTL Executive Director, Zemmie Fleck (far R), following a dinner Theatre performance Atlanta, GA.
Cast with Debbie Juhlke (Red Dress) and her Board following the Embrace Life Initiative First Fruits Dinner Theater performance in Austin, TX.
Watch The Short Trailer Here
Watch Video Highlights Here
Watch Audience Reactions Here
Listen to a new song from Nashville artist Geoffrey Klerekoper that will capture your heart.
“For the Little Ones”
Music, Lyrics, and Vocals by Geoffrey Klerekoper
For more, visit FormerlyJacob.com
Watch Video Highlights Here