Film: Neil LaBute and the price of the dark muse

In an interview that appeared in today's edition of The Herald, controversial playwright and filmmaker Neil LaBute candidly reveals his status in and relationship with the LDS Church (LaBute converted while a student at BYU) -- and how his dark muse has affected his personal life.

A few excerpts...

On his LDS status:

"So I remain in a kind of limbo –- the only word to describe my religious state. I'm not in good standing; I'm in a state of unworthiness. The hope is that I will move back to being a member of good standing; if not, I may actually be excommunicated. I think a hopeful church and a lazy me have left it in a place where nothing much has happened."

On the possibility of him returning to good standing in the Church:

"LaBute says he understands their position, but says he is compelled to write –- and will risk excommunication to defend his right to do so. 'Oh yeah, they want to hang on to me,' he admits. 'They haven't cast me out -– yet.' The whole business has given his own faith 'a shake or two', he adds. 'It's made me question my own church specifically, and [religion] in the general sense. To have blind faith is a little scary –- we're seeing the dark side of that in the world right now.'"

On his marriage [to a Mormon woman]:

"'Look,' he whispers, 'the marriage is dissolved. There were other pressures, but my work has certainly heightened that rift. It's been a big issue in our marriage. But my work's important to me –- I'm compelled to write. It's not a case of 'I must do it', but I'm always writing, even when I'm not sitting at my desk. I've made the choice now and that's that. I just happen to love writing anyway, and on the days I don't do it I don't know what to do with myself, so I go see a movie alone.'"