Episcopal Church Has Starring Role in New TV Series

c. 2005 Religion News Service NEW YORK _ The people packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the pews of Christ Church were well-coiffed, immaculately dressed and strangely silent. They had been warned to turn off their cell phones and not to react to the sermon. When director Rob Thompson yelled “action,” all turned their attention to the rector, […]

c. 2005 Religion News Service

NEW YORK _ The people packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the pews of Christ Church were well-coiffed, immaculately dressed and strangely silent. They had been warned to turn off their cell phones and not to react to the sermon.

When director Rob Thompson yelled “action,” all turned their attention to the rector, the Rev. Daniel Webster, as he spoke of forgiveness. About a minute later, Thompson yelled “cut.”


Three takes, and members of the “congregation” _ extras hired for the day _ were sent out of the sanctuary to await their next call.

Christ Church, located in Staten Island, has a starring role in “The Book of Daniel,” a new television series being produced by NBC-Universal and SONY Pictures. Aidan Quinn plays the pastor, and up on the altar with him on Wednesday were the Academy Award winner Ellyn Burstyn and James Rebhorn, as Episcopal bishops.

Garret Dillahunt, who spent two seasons playing two very different villains on HBO’s “Deadwood,” has been transformed into Jesus for the show about a priest battling some personal issues as well as church politics.

Actors “came out of the woodwork wanting to do this show,” Flody Suarez, the executive producer, said of the stellar cast.

A lot of churches auditioned for the role of the upstate New York St. Barnabus Newbury Church, too, before Suarez visited Christ Church and fell in love.

“This is an art director’s dream,” the Los Angeles resident said of the 100-year-old stone and granite English Gothic building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“You know, it is a gorgeous church and somebody finally discovered it,” said longtime parishioner Trevor Mills.


An added plus, Suarez said, was that Dillahunt looks just like the Jesus depicted in one of the church’s stained-glass windows.

The producers spent about $20,000 landscaping the front of the church and even painted the living room and dining room of the rectory, and bought new curtains. The Rev. Clarke French, interim rector of the parish, said he and his wife, the Rev. Sally French, are thrilled.

Parishioners are excited, too, according to Mills, who has been a member of Christ Church for 53 years and now serves as clerk of the vestry, its governing body.

“People are going to remember this forever,” said Mills, who stopped by to watch the filming and had a chance to chat with Quinn. Several parishioners were scattered in the pews as extras.

NBC has ordered 13 episodes of “The Book of Daniel” to show as a midseason replacement either in November or January. Suarez said crews will be at the church about every eight days through February _ longer, if the show is picked up for the regular season.

Crews also are filming at Silver Cup Studios in Queens, and in White Plains, where Quinn, aka Rev. Daniel, lives with his Vicodin addiction, his alcoholic wife and gay son.


Web bloggers are chatting up the show on a variety of sites, with the gay community applauding it and conservative Episcopalians dreading how their church _ which has real-life problems concerning homosexuality _ might be portrayed.

But Quinn, who was reared Catholic, said he was “impressed with the inclusiveness of the Episcopal Church.”

And French, the interim rector, said the experience is a big boost for the parish. He declined, however, to specify how much the congregation is being paid for the show.

“It’s not just the money,” he said. “They’re really excited about the whole thing.”

MO/JL END RNS

(Leslie Palma-Simoncek is the religion editor for The Staten Island Advance in Staten Island, N.Y.)

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