The Power of Conviction

Catholic priest Andres Gonzalez is a man with serious problems eating at his soul. For starters, he's living in Spain during the darkest days of the Inquisition. He's also recently met Isabel, a beautiful woman who happens to be Jewish. As the Inquisition is dedicated to forcibly converting heretics or making sure they die in the attempt, Isabel's days are most likely numbered. But the attraction between the two is mutual and immediate, and soon enough Andres succumbs to temptation. That's a heavy burden for a priest, but Andres knows how to ease it: He'll renounce Catholicism and resume his original Jewish faith so he can be with Isabel. As you might imagine, his superiors don't take kindly to that idea. Oren Neeman's Conviction is a remarkable story made all the more compelling because it's based on the actual confession of Andres Gonzalez. The New Jewish Theatre presents a one-man version of Conviction starring Israeli actor Ami Dayan at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Saturday and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday (April 4 through 14) in the Wool Studio Theatre at the Jewish Community Center (2 Millstone Campus Drive, Creve Coeur; 314-442-3283 or www.newjewishtheatre.org). There is one 7:30 p.m. performance on Wednesday, April 10. Tickets are $35 to $39.
Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays; Wed., April 10. Starts: April 4. Continues through April 14, 2013