Wretch Like Me
Reviewed by David Kashimba
Photo courtesy of David Templeton

 Bay Area writer and theatre critic, David Templeton, was born May 18, 1960 and born again May 1971. In his one man show, Wretch Like Me, he tells the story of his evangelical Christian upbringing. Now playing at 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, Wretch Like Me takes a humorous but not demeaning look at what it’s like to be born again. All totaled, Templeton was baptized three times. While Christ was only baptized once, Templeton is quick to point out that his three baptisms “doesn’t make me better that Jesus, just wetter.”

Though Templeton no longer professes a belief in any organized religion, he admits that he “believes in many things,” and in Wretch Like Me, he shows us how a belief in humor has great healing powers. The title comes from one of Templeton’s favorite gospel songs: “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” As a teenager he gains acceptance in his school’s Jesus Club where the group sings Amazing Grace to the tune of such popular songs as House of the Rising Sun and the theme song to the TV show Gilligan’s Island.

Through his sense of humor we watch Templeton grow from a desperate teenager in search of acceptance to someone who realizes that “some things are just between me and God and is nobody else’s business.” This entertaining thought-provoking show will take you on a spiritual journey that will raise you up with laughter.

For tickets or more information call 707-523-4185 or visit www.6thstreetplayhouse.com. On Oct. 26 Wretch Like Me will be playing at The Marsh theatre in San Francisco. For tickets or more information contact themarsh.org.

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