What would the world be like without the Constitution?
Ask Bryce Sherwood, a senatorial aide in Washington, D.C., who discovers the devastating effects of a world without the Constitution in the new play “The Freedom Factor.”
Based on a novel of the same name by best-selling Latter-day Saint author Gerald N. Lund, “The Freedom Factor” opened to audiences at the Artisan Center Theater in Hurst, Texas, on Oct. 10.
Lund came up with the idea for his novel when watching a 1980s Clorox bleach commercial.
In the commercial, a woman doing the laundry opens her cabinet above the washing machine to grab the Clorox bleach, Lund explained, but a man opens a back door in the cabinet and steals the Clorox bottle. The commercial then asks, “What would happen if someone stole your Clorox?”
Lund said the commercial sparked thoughts about the Constitution.
“I wanted to do something on the Constitution,” Lund said. “And I thought, ‘What if somebody stole the Constitution?’ ”
The play, which closely follows Lund’s novel, tells the story of Sherwood’s attempt to make an amendment to the Constitution that would eliminate its checks and balances power. Founding Father Nathaniel Gorham, also an original signer of the Constitution, steps in Sherwood’s way and sends him on a journey to a world without a ratified Constitution.
In his visit to this new world, Sherwood begins to see the importance of the document and discovers that a price must be paid to keep freedom alive.
DeeAnn Blair, play director and co-founder of the Artisan Center Theater, said she absolutely loved Lund’s book and read it often to her children. “It’s been in my mind and heart to put it on the stage,” she said. “And now seems like the appropriate time to do it.”
Blair and her husband, Richard Blair, both members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, contacted Lund and got permission for the play in May. Rehearsals began in September and after 11 or so revisions with LDS playwright Jen Geigle Johnson, the play has finally hit the stage.
Artistic director Joe Sturgeon said the play is a fun story with heart, humor and moments of thoughtfulness.
“There’s a great message there for folks to get a chance to think about the elements that we take for granted sometimes that led us to have the great country that we have,” Sturgeon said. “It can be such an important message and a powerful one.”
Richard Blair, co-founder of the Artisan Center Theater, said on opening weekend he saw the audience come away with a better appreciation for the Constitution.
“We’re getting a lot of families talking to us saying that it’s an important message to their children,” Richard Blair said. “They’re excited someone took on the subject and put it on.”
DeeAnn Blair said the play is very true to Lund’s book and audiences can look forward to an experience that will increase one’s appreciation of the Constitution.
“It’s very gratifying to see a beautiful story and a powerful story come to life on the stage,” DeeAnn Blair said. “(We’ve) been given a wonderful gift of the Constitution and a gift of living in a free country and are proud of it and want to protect it.”
Lund said he hopes the audience will understand just how much the Constitution means to the nation’s freedom.
“We think of America as being great and a lot of people don’t connect that to the Constitution,” Lund said. “I’m hoping that some people will say, ‘You know what? The Constitution really is something to be valued.’ ”
“The Freedom Factor” runs through Nov. 8. For more information, see ArtisanCt.com.
Amber Clayson has a bachelor's degree in communications from BYU and writes for the Church News and Mormon Times. She can be reached at aclayson@deseretnews.com.