REVELATIONS is a murder mystery with religious undertones. I was born and raised in Texas and grew up immersed in the dogma of the Church of Christ. For those not familiar, it is (historically) a highly conservative approach to religious teachings--as a child I heard more than my share of "hellfire and damnation" sermons. It instilled in me the concept that what we do, the choices we make, always have consequences. The fact that this play also deals with an ongoing conflict between Americans and Arab American immigrants is particularly important.

I have learned that we are all citizens of the world. I have long since left behind most of the extreme teachings of my childhood. My faith was moderated by my experiences in the "real world," and my interactions with the best and the worst of humanity. I came to a personal revelation that things are not always as black and white as they seem. But it is that initial seed of religious fervor--still firmly planted somewhere in my psyche--that fueled the creation of REVELATIONS.

REVELATIONS is meant to be played in an abstract unit set, cracked and peeling. It at once evokes small town Texas in the 1960s but has some decidedly Arab architectural influences. There is a worn, weathered, raked wooden floor. Sun damaged southern gothic windows hang suspended upstage. There is another level above the windows for observation. It should appear sunbaked and dry. The only foliage is suggested by the breakup of leaves.