When Glen Bjornson first reads through a play script, he constantly asks, "Why would that character say that? Why would she feel that way?"

With degrees in psychology and theater, Bjornson just can't help it.

“People always ask me, theater and psychology?” said Bjornson, artistic director for the Virgin Valley Theatre Group (VVTG). “How did that happen? Well, they’re actually the exact same thing.”

With more than 30 years of community theater experience, Bjornson has indeed brought a new dimension to the VVTG since he was recruited by Teri Nehrenz to join the company after moving to Mesquite from Minnesota in 2013. Under his direction, VVTG productions have become more demanding and, simultaneously, more professional.

VVTG's current play, “Agnes of God," is the second of four scheduled productions during the 2015-16 season.

“Rehearsal, for me, is at least five days a week and at least three hours a crack, easy,” Bjornson said. “It takes a lot to do theater well. In my opinion, there’s no reason to do it if you’re not going to do it well and do it the best you can.”

And, Mesquite theatergoers have taken notice of that extra effort.

Maxine Shaw, a patron for the VVTG for the last 10 years, told the Desert Valley Times that she often encourages people to see the plays — even at the water aerobics classes she instructs in Mesquite.

“It’s much more professional than it was before,” Shaw said. “The way they open on time. The theater has been remodeled completely, and it looks so much better. The actresses have a lot more experience. They’re just doing a better job all around.”

The actors have benefited from Bjornson’s expertise, too.

“I respect Glen’s work,” said Nehrenz, who plays a psychiatrist in "Agnes of God." “I like what he brings to the productions. Unless he’s directing, I probably won’t be in the shows.”

She said Bjornson has a way of persuading the actors to look deeper in themselves to truly become their character, which is manifest in her heartfelt and emotional portrayal of Dr. Martha Livingstone.

“We had been rehearsing the show for two months,” Nehrenz said. “It was just last week he asked, 'Why did Agnes ask a particular question of me?' Now I can react to that the way that you would.”

In “Agnes of God,” Nehrenz stays on the stage throughout the entire show, along with Bekki Jones, who plays Sister Agnes, and Mike (Marilyn) Brenner, who plays Mother Mirium Ruth.

The production follows a psychiatrist, Dr. Livingstone, who is charged with ascertaining the sanity of Sister Agnes, who is a nun accused of murdering her newborn child. Dr. Livingstone demands answers from Agnes, as well as Mother Superior, who is especially protective of Agnes.

While the play brings up deep, psychological issues as well as questions of God and science as it follows the doctor's journey of her own spirituality, Bjornson said "Agnes of God" does more to bring up additional questions than to answer them.

While working as a psychologist, Bjornson said he would hold group therapy sessions and challenge people to let their defenses down to allow others to become more comfortable in “the truth of their humanness.”

“That’s what theater does when you do something like this,” Bjornson said. “That when the tear runs down your cheek because you’re invested in what’s going on on the stage and with the characters. What’s really happening is you’re touching this because it’s being revealed to you here and it allows you to feel OK and real in your humanness.

“This kind of thing keeps feeding that in the people that already value it, and it teaches the community,” he added. “It’s part of a greater artistic education. They come out going, ‘Wow, that was heavy.’ Later on, they find themselves thinking about it, and they’re talking to their spouses and it comes up in a discussion.”

While Bjornson said he enjoys volunteering as artistic director for VVTG, he also hopes others will get involved so that he'd have the chance to act in future plays.

“I hear a lot from the community, 'You should do light, family-friendly comedies, musical stuff,' and yes, I think we should,” Bjornson said. “But, I also think we have a responsibility to, on a regular basis, include something like ‘Agnes’ or ‘12 Angry Jurors.’ Something that forces people to think and feel and really touch somewhere deep inside.

"Otherwise, we’re really not, in my opinion, doing justice to ourselves or to the community.”

“Agnes of God” runs Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., followed by a matinee performance beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday. The closing nights of the play will be Friday, Jan. 29, and Saturday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students and can be purchased online or at the box office.

Follow Sarah Gambles on Twitter, @JustGambles14, email her at sgambles@dvtnv.com or call her at 435-229-5563.

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