Stacy Keach Talks About Portraying St. John in Truth and Life Audio Bible

As John, He wants the Apostle to Tell the Story of His Best Friend

For Stacy Keach, John always had been a fascinating person, being the closest friend of Jesus. He wanted to be sure that he portrayed the apostle with an intimacy in his tone. He wanted to illustrate the difference in tone between John in the Gospel of John and John in the Book of Revelation.

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - As an actor, Stacy Keach has played everything from Shakespeare's King Lear to Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. In the myriad of amazing roles he has played, Stacy Keach recently portrayed St. John in the Truth and Life Dramatized Audio Bible.

I recently had the opportunity of speaking with him about the project and how his faith influenced his portrayal of the great apostle.

Randy: I know that you've been involved with Carl Amari quite a while on the Twilight Zone series and the Word of Promise Audio Bible Series where you played Job and Paul. When it came to the Truth and Life Bible, what drew you to this particular project?

Stacy: Well, you know.it's very funny. I was raised an Episcopalian. While I was growing up, every time we would come to the Apostles Creed we said, "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church. The Holy Catholic Church; I always thought that meant that we believed in the Catholic Church.I took it literally.I didn't know as a kid.

Twenty-five years ago this year, as a matter of fact, I married my wife who is Catholic and I became a Catholic.

Also, John has always fascinated me, being the closest friend of Jesus. There is a certain intimacy in his tone in terms of the way he writes about Jesus. It always interested me that there is a difference in tone between John in the Gospel and John in the Book of Revelation.

Revelation intrigues me as well. It is often portrayed as a doom and gloom kind of book and I don't feel that it is. I think it is more of something to behold in terms of the amazement or the miracle of existence particularly in events that took place and transpire in Revelation. I've always felt that the tone should be more amazement than horror.

Randy: Now this was a bit of a shift. You've played kind of the rough and tough guys over the years. and everything. Even in the Word of Promise, Paul is pretty much a nuts and bolts kind of guy and Job, of course, was a very different person to portray.

So, in comparison, when you approached John did you have to sort of start from scratch in your thinking?

Stacy: Yes I did. I always have been fascinated with Paul in terms of his transformation. The thing I was really concerned about was not giving John a pontifical or a declamatory tone. I've heard John read in the past, as we all have. It can get very pompous if you are not careful.

When thinking about John, I wanted to make sure it was if I was telling a story to one of my children about my best friend. That's the kind of approach I took, with the help, I might say, of the wonderful directors in Truth in Life. I'm trying to remember the name of the woman.

Randy: Brenda Noel?

Stacy: Yes. Well, she was extraordinary! She is very sensitive and has a great ear.

Randy: Let's talk about Truth and Life, now that it's been produced. How would you like to see it used? What would you like people to take away from this work?

Stacy: Well, I think that there are two things that come to mind. One - Obviously, the experience of listening to the Bible dramatized makes it come alive in a very immediate way. And with music and effects, I think that makes it entertaining.

Also, I think of the educational aspects. The Bible provides the kind of sustenance that enhances one's faith. I mean.it does mine.

Whenever I hear the Bible read and as beautifully read as these wonderful actors in Truth and Life, it does inspire me and causes me to find a peaceful center in myself.

Randy: With Truth and Life you have dramatization and music enough to bring the story back into a context as it really happened.

Stacy: Exactly. It's immediate and it's now.

Randy: In talking with Carl Amari recently, there may even be an Old Testament edition coming. This would be quite an exciting project, I think.

Stacy: That would be exciting. Yes!

Randy: If you had your choice - now, I know you've done Job before - if you had your choice and you could be involved in the Old Testament production, who would you like to portray?

Stacy: Well that's a good question. I hadn't thought about that. I think Abraham. His story has always fascinated me.

Randy: Well, if they do the project, I hope you get that part!

Stacy, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. This is a really great time for the Truth and Life Bible. Bible study is more popular than ever.

Stacy: I think you are absolutely right. Our religious faith is a part of everything we do which increases our desire to learn more about our own faith.

For more information about the Truth and Life Dramatized Audio Bible, you can click here.

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Randy Sly is the Associate Editor of Catholic Online and the CEO/Associate Publisher for the Northern Virginia Local Edition of Catholic Online (http://virginia.catholic.org). He is a former Archbishop of the Charismatic Episcopal Church who laid aside that ministry to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

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