Mark St. Germain's provocative God Committee has found a perfect Seattle home. Taproot Theatre in the Greenwood business area in North Seattle gives the challenging play its Northwest Regional Premiere staging. It's the perfect play for the talented Taproot company and the perfect play for its loyal audience who want provocative works on contemporary issues.

The play, solidly directed by Scott Nolte, plays in real time. A hospital conference room is the setting as a group of doctors and staff meet to decide who will be the recipient of an upcoming heart transplant. The clock on the wall ticks away the time as St. Germain's poignant play ticks away the reasons one patient is higher on the list than another. Complications abound--secret drug tests, psychological tests, a sizeable donation for a new hospital wing, possible racial issues.

The medical staff itself is a source of many plot twists--a belligerent colleague, a hidden medical condition, the accidental death of a child. As the clock clicks on, decisions must be made.

For GLBT audience members, a special focus on a HIV-positive heart recipient is a provocative element. He is not excluded from the possible heart transplant because of his HIV status, but, heartbreakingly, he is an unlikely choice because he has no support system of friends or family to help in his recovery from transplant surgery.

A talented cast head the play. Philip Davidson, with 24 years at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland on his resume, makes his Taproot debut as Dr. Klee, the chief of staff with secrets of his own. Don Brady, a Taproot veteran, is the cantankerous Dr. Gorman who has a not-so-secret agenda to fulfill. Marquam Krantz provides comic relief -- and a different point of view -- as the wheelchair-bound Dominick. Dale Brothers is charming as a visiting Catholic priest, and Rachel Pate is terrific as the no-nonsense nurse who keeps the doctors in line. Pam Nolte, with more than 75 Taproot roles in her past, is powerful as Dr. Ann Ross. Candace Vance has great scenes as the intern sitting in for an absent colleague. Her honest enthusiasm for life is questioned by several of the other members of "the God committee" but her youthful spirit survives.

A provocative subject, a well written play, a solid staging, a great cast, on-target direction--these all add up to an excellent God Committee at Taproot. The show continues through March 3. Ticket details at 781-9707.

By Milt Hamlin