RED HOOK — Television and movie actors will come together for a dramatic reading of an ancient biblical tale of suffering in Red Hook — which they say have parallels to the experiences of those who survived Hurricane Sandy.
The “The Book of Job” follows the Hebrew poem about the life of Job, a pious man who loses everything amid a cosmic debate between God and Satan, in a test to see whether he will renounce his faith.
The performance will be performed by actors Zach Grenier from “The Good Wife” and “24,” Kathryn Erbe from “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” and David Strathairn from “The Bourne Ultimatum" and “Lincoln.”
The group will perform an adapted version of the biblical tale, which, for them, carries no religious agenda but is a message about loss and human suffering to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy.
Job, played by Grenier, loses his children, his crop, and his livestock after a great wind passes through his home.
“Job is a righteous and upstanding human being who, in the span of a few hours, loses everything,” said Bryan Doerries, artistic director of Outside the Wire, a social impact theater group, who is staging the performance.
The company has performed “Job” in several communities impacted by Sandy, including Far Rockaway, Massapequa, and Staten Island.
The two-hour performance includes a 30-minute reading followed by a community discussion where Doerries invites residents and first responders to discuss their experiences with Sandy, in relation to the poem.
The Book of Job will be performed on Dec. 17 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Friends of Firefighters, located at 199 Van Brunt St. Admission is free. To reserve a seat: info@friendsoffirefighters.org.
