Dr. Charles A. Gillespie, associate dean of the School of Performing Arts, associate director of Catholic Studies and director of the Pioneer Journey, published his book titled “God on Broadway: Revealing the Sacred in the Spectacle” in November 2025.
Source: Contributed by Dr. Charles A. Gillespie, Sacred Heart University
Gillespie’s book, and the class he teaches by the same name, tackle the central questions of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition (CIT) by using theatre as a vessel to drive the conversation. The book argues that the questions of CIT often emerge in places we don’t expect, and the class aims to show how religious and ethical issues arise beyond religious practices and institutions.
“When you go into the city to see a play, you don’t think to yourself, ‘I’m going to walk out of this one with my head spinning because I’ve encountered the divine differently.’” said Gillespie. “Theatre, since the dawn of human civilization, has been about confronting what it means to be human and what my relationship might be to the God/gods, and about mysteries of the universe.”
In his class, Gillespie uses plays and musicals like “The Fiddler on the Roof,” “Doubt,” and “The Great Oedipus Rex,” to raise thought-provoking questions about religion and God. The course examines these productions to answer questions like: “What does it mean for God to be a bystander to suffering?”
Like the God on Broadway course, Gillespie’s book examines over 15 shows to support the overarching theme that commercial and popular entertainment can reveal something about the God of love.
“God shows up in unexpected places, and one of the most interesting spots where we’re grappling with spiritual questions in the 21st century is when we make art together,” said Gillespie.
As for junior Hope Kaczynski, who took Gillespie’s God on Broadway class, she learned how to have scholarly conversations that challenge one’s beliefs.
“In the conversations held in Dr. Gillespie’s classroom, it made you listen and challenge everything you thought you understood. It forces you to confront and compare your ideas and understandings,” said Kaczynski.
“What I took away most in his class was not only how themes of religion relate to theatre, but also how theatre evolved over time because of history and religion,” said senior Michelle Cuocci, who also took the course.
“So many things in theatre have come from theology, from Catholicism to the Ancient Greeks, and it is so interesting how these concepts can relate to one another, even in today’s theatre,” said Cuocci.
Gillespie hopes his book can bring together joy and complexity.
“Sometimes the things that bring us the most joy are also difficult, and that’s where I hope my book is helpful for SHU students,” said Gillespie.
“We have this assumption that ‘when I’m in work mode I should only talk about my major and the stuff that’s really important for me during the day, and when I’m in fun mode, I’m only supposed to be entertained and light, and relaxing,’ and I think that cuts us off from some of the best stuff about human life,” said Gillespie.
“God on Broadway: Revealing the Sacred in the Spectacle,” published by Fortress Press, is available for purchase on Amazon. Gillespie’s class, CIT-208 God on Broadway, is offered in the fall semester with no prerequisites.
