The Athenian Players Theatre and Berean Community Players will present their first production of the 2008-09 season, "Messiah on the Frigidaire," this weekend.

"Messiah on the Frigidaire," written by South Carolina native John Culbertson, is directed by Celeste Parsons. The play runs today through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

The play tells the story of the 30-something couple, Dwayne and Lou Ann Hightower, who live in a trailer park in Elroy, S.C. and find God in the most unlikely of places. When the streetlight comes on one night, after the neighbors' kid has trimmed the hedge, it casts a shadow that looks awfully familiar.

It becomes clear that the shadow the Hightowers have noticed has definite commercial potential.

After all, the online auction house eBay regularly sells religious images spotted in unlikely places. A pierogi (boiled dumpling) said to have the image of Jesus on it sold for $1,775. A woman who said her 10-year-old grilled-cheese sandwich bore the image of the Virgin Mary sold it for $28,000. A Pittsburgh man sold a section of his shower stall for $1,900 when he claimed an image of Jesus had appeared in the mold and mildew.

Although Lou Ann has spiritual reservations, Dwayne sees an opportunity to finally make something of himself and wants to exploit the phenomenon. With the help of Lou Ann's best friend, "Backseat" Betsy, Dwayne promotes the "miracle," and soon crowds begin flocking to the trailer park to see and worship at the miracle that has come to pass in Elroy.

However, the worshipping throng brings problems as well as opportunity.

After a lot of side-splitting fun resulting from the different approaches characters take to the "miracle," even Dwayne concludes that not everything that looks sacred is, and that sometimes God may be found in very ordinary-looking circumstances.

Heidi Wilhelm plays Lou Ann Hightower, with Corey Thompson taking on the role of Lou Ann's husband Dwayne.

The play also features southeast Ohio musical groups including the Rattletrap String Band and The Rarely Herd.

Reserved seats can be purchased in advance from the Stuart's Opera House ticket office (740-753-1924) or Web site (www.stuartsoperahouse.org). Tickets also may be purchased at the door.

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