Original Play by Solon Phillips Explores Faith, Loss, and Redemption Through a Human Reimagining of the Magi

NEW YORK, Dec. 23, 2025 — Following its December 10, 2025 Off-Broadway premiere at The Theater Center, We Three Kings: The Story Behind the Story has emerged as a compelling new dramatic piece that reframes a familiar biblical narrative through deeply personal, human storytelling. Written and directed by Solon Phillips, the play delves into the inner lives of the three Magi prior to their arrival in Bethlehem, zeroing in on themes of loss, regret, faith, and moral reckoning.

Rather than portraying the Magi as distant icons, Phillips masterfully depicts them as imperfect individuals propelled by yearning and uncertainty. Hodiah is a teacher shattered by personal tragedy, Zadok a scholar burdened by a dark past, and Darius a young orphan searching for a sense of belonging. Their journey unfolds against a backdrop of political peril, spiritual ambiguity, and the looming threat of King Herod, transforming a well-known tale into an intimate exploration of character and choice.

Audience reaction to the premiere showed strong engagement with the play’s emotional essence, especially among viewers who saw their own experiences mirrored on stage.

“I recently lost my mother, and I didn’t expect the play to affect me as profoundly as it did,” stated Maria Martinez, who traveled from Maryland to attend the performance. “One of the wise men’s grief resonated with my own. Watching his journey gave me comfort and a glimmer of hope—that love endures, and that we will reunite with those we’ve lost. It was deeply moving for me.”

Phillips, making his Off-Broadway debut as both playwright and director, brings a storyteller’s meticulousness to the stage. A Washington, D.C.–based attorney and award-winning author, Phillips is renowned professionally for his work in high-stakes legal battles, where narrative clarity and credibility are paramount. That same discipline shapes We Three Kings, which prioritizes restraint over spectacle and character over doctrine.

“My aspiration is for this play to strike a chord with audiences far and wide,” Phillips remarked. “Not merely for its surface-level message, but for the subtler undertones within the text—those that speak to loss, faith, and the notion that even in our darkest hours, the story is far from over.”

While We Three Kings is a dramatic play—not a musical—it includes chosen musical interludes that accentuate key emotional moments without overshadowing the narrative. The result is a production rooted in dialogue and acting, crafted to resonate across religious and cultural divides. The film-like breadth of the storytelling, its vividly drawn characters, and its visual and emotional arc have already sparked serious discussions about adaptation, with plans in motion to develop the work into a feature film—one that would enable the story’s scale, intimacy, and universality to reach a global audience beyond the stage.

The play’s reception has ignited conversations about future stagings and extended runs. Its focus on widespread human struggles, rather than grand spectacle, positions it as a work capable of returning year after year without relying solely on nostalgia.

We Three Kings is produced by Remus Entertainment, a theatrical production company committed to original productions that emphasize thorough storytelling and emotional authenticity.

About “We Three Kings: The Story Behind the Story”

We Three Kings: The Story Behind the Story is an original dramatic play that delves into the individual paths of the three Magi before their arrival in Bethlehem. Written in Old English in the vein of Shakespeare, the play examines faith, regret, longing, and destiny through character-driven drama enhanced by select musical elements.

About Solon Phillips, Esq.

Solon Phillips is a Washington, D.C.–based attorney, playwright, and director. His work encompasses law, real estate, literature, and theater, with a consistent emphasis on narrative integrity and moral inquiry. We Three Kings: The Story Behind the Story marks his Off-Broadway debut as both writer and director.

About Remus Entertainments

Remus Entertainments is a stage production company dedicated to creating original theatrical productions centered on thorough storytelling and human-scale drama. Founded by Solon Phillips, the company operates under the principle that clarity of story is the bedrock of lasting impact.

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SOURCE Remus Entertainments