'We can bring the church to them,' Chicago actor Harry Lennix says about new Easter film 'Revival!'

ByMarsha Jordan WLS logo
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Chicago actor Harry Lennix releases new Easter season passion play with gospel music, 'Revival!"
Chicago actor Harry Lennix shares his passion play set to music in an Easter movie that's being released on Sunday.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago actor Harry Lennix shares his passion play set to music in an Easter movie that's being released on Sunday.

"Revival!" is the story of the Easter season set to gospel music.

Lennix has been working on this expression of faith for 7 years. Now, he hopes to get a million people to watch "Revival!" online - Easter Sunday afternoon.

"There's really nothing in existence that actually utilizes what I consider the greatest sacred music in the world, which is gospel music, that actually tells the narrative of Jesus," Lenniz said.

Before becoming an actor, Lennix studied in a Chicago seminary to become a Catholic priest. He remains a man of deep faith.

"What is better to have in this day in age than good news? Literally, what gospel means is the good news, that no matter how things may look, you know the ultimate happy ending is that there is a man who was crucified, who died and after everybody thought all hope was lost," Lennix said. "He came back and he stayed around for 40 days and he delivered a message and gave a command that we two could share in this."

Fellow Chicagoan Chaka Khan is part of the cast. But Lennix, as Pontius Pilate, sticks to dialogue.

Lennix said the audience wouldn't have been delighted to hear him sing.

"All of my life, I went to Northwestern University, a great celebrated musical theater department, I tried out for every musical I could get into and they never let me in to one musical, they said Harry, stick to Shakespeare," Lennix said.

"Revival!" will be available on all popular streaming platforms, as well as on DVD.

"I'm looking to inspire," Lennix said. "People can't go to church or most people are not going to church, but we can bring the church to them."