Northlight Theatre artistic director B.J. Jones will wrestle with the politics and personality conflicts of a hugely successful Southern Baptist church in David Rambo's God's Man in Texas, March 29-April 30 in Skokie, IL. Jones, a veteran Chicago actor, plays the young preacher, Dr. Jerry Mears, who steps on the toes of established but aging Dr. Gottschall, whose ministry is an industry in the name of faith, via a popular TV program. Tony Mockus plays the silver tongued, charismatic Dr. Gottschall in this Chicago-area premiere of the comedy-drama.

This is Jones' first appearance at Northlight since taking the artistic director job two years ago.

The play was a standout in the 1999 Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, KY. The work is inspired by the true story of a preacher who ascended to the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas and then quit 22 months later.

Michael Grant is featured in God's Man in Texas as a reformed drug abuser who runs interference between the two preachers.

Susan V. Booth directs. Designers are Michael Phillipi (set and lighting), Nan Zabriske (costumes) and Joe Cerqua (sound).

Official opening is April 5.

Tickets are $30-$42. Northlight is at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., adjacent to the Old Orchard Shopping Center. For information, call (847) 673 6300 or try the web site at www.northlight.org.

-- By Kenneth Jones