New York Times calls play about Colorado Springs "inquisitive"

The poster for "This Beautiful City."

The New York Times yesterday published a review of This Beautiful City, a play about Colorado Springs that, in the words of the New York-based theater troupe that performs it, "explores the Evangelical movement and its unofficial U.S capital." The Times praised the documentary play, which is based on interviews with Colorado Springs residents around the time the Ted Haggard scandal broke, as "engaging, inquisitive and evenhanded."

The theater troupe, called The Civilians, performed the play in Kentucky, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles before bringing it to New York. While developing it, they worked with students at Colorado College and spent weeks in Colorado Springs, talking with religious leaders, newspaper editors and just plain folks. They caused a bit of a stir -- or a few news stories at least -- in January 2007 when they showed up at New Life Church with Mike Jones, the onetime male escort who went public about his relationship with former pastor Haggard.

To get a taste of the play, click "Continue" and check out a trailer promoting the current production.