Mia Love Live has never shied away from vulnerability — in fact, that’s often where her work begins. Her past one-woman shows have tackled mental health and growing up in a rapidly gentrifying Charlotte. But she says her newest piece is her most personal — and spiritual — yet.
“Good News: A Redemptive Work” is a one-woman theatrical experience debuting June 7 at the Stage Door Theater. It’s a story of returning to faith, told through music, storytelling and movement.
She’s calling it part show, part revival — and she joined WFAE's Nick de la Canal to talk about it.
The following are highlights from the interview, edited for clarity and brevity.
You’ve called this show “a revival,” and you’ve described yourself lately as a “part two Christian.” What does that mean — and can you talk about the road that led you to this point?
It's such a crazy thing, and it's wild to me, even — the person it's happening to — but I call myself a 'part two Christian' these days as a term to relate what I've been going through and what I've been through.
I grew up with the gospel and church. I strayed away for about four or so years, doing my own thing, just trying to find my way, being in darker spaces and also being hurt by the church, if I'm being quite honest.
And so I left for a while, and I blamed it on God, and I went on one of my anger streaks for a long time. Then, at the end of 2023, all of 2024 was about repairing my relationship with God.
And one morning during prayer, I just remember seeing a brand-new show — had no idea what the name was. In fact, I kind of fought the idea of the show, but trusting that what I saw, was a real sign and it wasn't anything that I was just making up in my own mind.
Some of what you're sharing, like spiritual detours and being hurt by the church, are things that a lot of people carry quietly. Can you talk more about that and why you wanted to bring that into the open on stage?
Well, I think you said it, Nick. That's stuff that people don't really talk about.
And because no one talks about it, and because no one is honest about it — because no one who has a platform is willing to say — or very little people who have a platform are willing to say — you know, 'I experienced church hurt and I was very hurt, so hurt, I went and did this, I went and did that. I was lost. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to be discipled or ministered to.'
I would avoid people in the streets who asked could they pray for you? No, you cannot pray for me. And if we don't talk about these issues, then how can we navigate them?
Can you share more about what pushed you away from the church, or why you did take a "spiritual detour," as you put it?
I felt like at a point, God wasn't answering my prayers. I felt like, why would people who claim to represent the Lord and know the Lord do this?
It was also part of feeling like I found community, and help and kinder people outside of the Christian space.
And so I started to find those things in other places. I started to find kind people who, to me, were outside of the church and represented Christ better than the people who were supposed to — you know, say that they were representing Christ. But it kind of cost me in the end, I feel like.
So this is a one-woman show, but it sounds like there is a lot happening on stage — storytelling, music, movement. What does that mix allow you to express that words alone might not?
I love music. I'm a fan of music. I didn't want to just tell the story through the words that I wrote — I also wanted to tell it through the music.
I wanted the music to say that I was sad. I wanted the music to give the audience an opportunity to visualize the space that I was in as I'm talking about whatever theme I'm talking about.
They are technically three background vocalists. However, they stand in place as angels, so I wanted people to kind of understand — not that I just have singers to accompany the music, but I have angels who are with me.
You're putting this show out in a moment where Christianity has been politicized, to an extent, and faith and public life have been tangled up in some complex, even controversial ways. How do you think about sharing a spiritual message like this at a time when many people have complicated feelings about the church?
Can I be very honest with you, Nick, just for a second?
I am terrified.
These are things that I pray on every single day, Nick — you have no idea. It transformed my platform. I'm pretty sure I've lost some fans because of the kind of content that it is now, or what I'm speaking about now. I'm terrified.
However, I feel like it's a time for it, and it just so happens that it's now.
It sounds like redemption and faith play a central role here. Where does your faith sit today compared to when you started creating this piece?
Man, that is such a good question.
You know, it's completely different from when I first received the idea. I don't think people understand how much of my faith has been tested during this entire process. I've even considered walking away from it. But it has grown my faith.
There were situations and times, still at this current moment, where I was like, this is a lot, this is tough, but always having to go back and always having to pray and spend time with the Lord and really allow him to be my comforter.
You're always intentional about what you leave your audience with. What do you hope people carry home with them after seeing "Good News"?
If they don't have a relationship with God when they come, I hope that they at least consider. If they did come in with a relationship with God, but it was a little bit on the outs or it was kind of, you know, raggedy or not in good condition, I hope that there's some repairing that goes on.
I hope that they don't feel alone in those things, such as 'church hurt,' or their faith walk, or not really knowing how to talk to God because they've only based their relationship off of what they grew up doing.
I hope that they want to know God more.
Mia Love Live's "Good News: A Redemptive Work" debuts June 7 at the Stage Door Theater in Charlotte.
The time: 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 7
The place: Stage Door Theater, 155 N. College St.
The cost: Starting at $40
