What is the inspiration behind Viable?
Thirty years ago Dr. John Hoover attended a pro-life symposium and heard a testimony from a Middle Eastern physician and abortionist that changed his life. He hung on her every word as she shared how learning of the horrific dismemberment of babies had caused “the scales to come off her eyes” and her conversion to Christianity. At that moment, Dr. John Hoover had an epiphany— he realized that “Without the truth and only a lie, women have no choice.” He tucked this thought away in his heart for 30 long years, until recently when God called him to use it to write the play, Viable.
Hoover credits God with writing the play, stating he was merely “the typist.” Hoover’s first-hand experience of years as a psychologist and counselor helps to make the dialogue and expressed emotions of the actors authentic and relatable. The play does not touch on the legality or politics of abortion but rather looks at abortion through the healing, redemptive lens of Jesus Christ.
Why is it important to humanize abortion?
Hoover believes that because the abortion industry objectifies abortion, we must humanize it. Because the industry dehumanizes the process of abortion and the babies being aborted, he believes we must bring dignity to the lives lost and the lives impacted. Hoover summarizes, “The abortion industry goes to great lengths to convince us that it’s not a human, but rather just a fetus—a bunch of cells that could be likened to a parasite. They erroneously tell women that the fetus won’t suffer or feel any pain, just as the woman having the abortion won’t either.” Given his counseling background and countless conversations with women, Hoover has witnessed how women often suffer their entire lives after miscarriages and stillbirths and that abortion is no exception.Why should everyone watch it?
Viable’s actors, Scott Braxton and Gisele Gathings believe this play is for everyone—not just those directly impacted by abortion. Braxton shares that while he may not have been personally impacted by abortion, it didn’t take him long to relate to the content himself. Through his role as an actor, he has seen the play resonate time and time again with the general audience. Gathings echoes her costar’s sentiment by adding, “No matter where your pain lies, Viable shows that healing waits for you in Jesus.”
To learn more, reach out to Christian Creative Media to see or book the play near you.
*Backstory on the impact of Unplanned
The major motion picture, Unplanned linked arms with Support After Abortion in 2019. Following the closing of the movie, hundreds of calls were directed to our hotline at Support After Abortion resulting in a multitude of people being connected with healing programs. Lisa Rowe, CEO of Support After Abortion, shares the powerful story of one woman who was greatly impacted by the movie. “One month after having experienced an abortion, she watched the movie Unplanned. She called the hotline and we were able to get her into a virtual healing group. In a 10-12 week period, this woman was able to begin the healing process and have a dignity of life ceremony for her aborted child before the child would have been born.” Lisa goes on to explain how monumental this is sharing, “Because 50% of abortions are by women who have already experienced an abortion, this woman is lightyears ahead of her peers. Her early healing changed the direction of her life. She does not have to worry about becoming a statistic and a woman who has multiple abortions.” Had this woman not watched Unplanned, she may never have been triggered to search for healing after abortion and could have spent a lifetime suffering in silence. Rowe expects the same sort of impact with the play production of Viable. There is no limit to how God can use this opportunity to initiate healing for men and women.