The Storybook Theatre of Hawaii will host a “Stop Shopping Revival Meeting” at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 1, at 3814 Hanapepe Road, in Old Hanapepe Town. Kaua‘i residents will have this one chance to witness Reverend Billy, the pastor of
The Storybook Theatre of Hawaii will host a “Stop Shopping Revival Meeting” at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 1, at 3814 Hanapepe Road, in Old Hanapepe Town. Kaua‘i residents will have this one chance to witness Reverend Billy, the pastor of NYC’s Church of Stop Shopping.
Reverend Billy has taken his ministry across America. He visits churches, theaters as well as suburban malls and urban shopping districts in order preach his message against rampant consumerism.
The Rev looks like a cross between a young Billy Graham and a blond Elvis Presley. His charismatic evangelical style is reminiscent of a fundamentalist preacher, but his message is targeted at Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Nike and Victoria’s Secret. He asks each of us the question “What would Jesus buy?”
Before Reverend Billy can be dismissed as another prankster-activist with a megaphone, one must note that there is something more here, far more. The Reverend reminds us that when large corporations decide to leave their footprint on our neighborhoods, local identity and sovereignty are lost.
The Reverend Billy is the creation of Bill Talen, a performance artist and comedian who is both funny and dead serious about his mission. He believes that consumerism is overwhelming our lives and warns us of the coming Shopocolypse.
“The corporations want us to have experiences only through their products. Our environment is disappearing into the suburbanized corporate world of big boxes and chain stores.”
“So we are singing and preaching for local economies and real — not product mediated — life experiences. We like independent shops where you know the person behind the counter. We are working with local activists who are defending themselves against supermalls, nuke plants and gentrification.”
Reverend Billy will only be on Kaua‘i for one day, so get out to The Storybook Theatre to experience “The Rev.”
Contact the Storybook Theatre for more information at 335-0712. For more about Bill Talen and his work, visit www.RevBilly.com
