After their costumes are fitted and their faces are painted, the cast of "Dead Man Walking" will be left with some butterflies in their stomachs as the curtain rises.

But they can take heart in one thing: God is probably on their side.

After all, two Jesuit priests are involved in the production. The director is the Rev. George Drance, and assistant professor of performing arts. The Rev. Grant Garinger is assisting with the production.

However, the men do not only hold the title of 'Jesuit.' In fact, Drance is a man of many titles, some of which include professional actor, director, instructor and artist in residence at Fordham University in New York City.

"I was an actor before I was a Jesuit," said Drance, a 1984 College of Communication alumnus. "I'm very fortunate that I have the opportunity to perform, teach and do pastoral work all at the same time."

Garinger, who has explored animation, film and theater, has wanted to be an artist ever since grade school.

Drance commutes weekly between New York and Milwaukee to teach classes and to direct "Dead Man Walking," which will be playing at the Helfaer Theatre Nov. 11 through Nov. 21.

But he doesn't have much trouble balancing theater and religious work. Actually, they build upon one another, he said.

"As an actor that has a spiritual life, directors have told me that I have been able to bring about a (spiritual) quality in my characterizations" that other actors have not, Drance said.

And acting has also enhanced his pastoral work.

"Having played so many different characters with so many different backgrounds, I think I can be more understanding of different kinds of people when it comes to being a priest," he said.

Theater and religion are more closely intertwined than most people might think, according to Drance.

"The theater was really born out of the same impulse as religion," he said. "It's a desire to be in contact with something bigger than ourselves — something divine."

For fellow "priest-artist" Garinger, the connection between the two professions goes back to the time of Jesus.

"Jesus was a storyteller," Garinger said. "And that's certainly what happens on stage."

Phylis Ravel, artistic director and chair of the Performing Arts Department, agrees that faith can be a beneficial component of the arts.

"There are many artists who feel spiritually called to their work," Ravel said. "And when they have that dimension, it is a far greater experience."

Keeping that theory in mind, Ravel invited Drance to return to Marquette to direct "Dead Man Walking," a play written by actor Tim Robbins that questions the justice of the death penalty and humanizes its victims.

"I knew Fr. Drance would add a dimension to the direction of this play not only due to his artistic skill, but in his vocation as a priest," she said.

Garinger agreed that his and Drance's vocation played an important role in bringing the play to life.

"We talked about God creating everything," Garinger said. "I think every artist is connecting to that — making something out of nothing."

Garinger said people shouldn't think that priests in theater only deal with religious productions.

"From any story you can get something," Garinger said, "Whether it is a spiritual lesson, a life lesson or just enjoyment."

But Drance, who is sometimes asked to act in controversial plays, must decide whether the play's content coincides with his religious values.

"What I have to decide is: Is the controversy serving a greater understanding of humanity?" he said.

If it is, then he doesn't have a problem with it.

"If it's a controversy simply for shock value — and there's a lot of that out there in the industry now — then I don't think it's worth my time," he said.

Now, as a director, Drance said he enjoys having much more of an "artistic voice" in his work.

"But acting is still very near and dear to my heart," he said.