Max McLean

Max McLean
McLean in 2019
Born	(1953-04-14) April 14, 1953 (age 71) Panama City, Panama
Alma mater	University of Texas
Occupation(s)	Stage actor, writer, and producer
Years active	1992-present
Spouse	Sharon McLean
Children	2

Max McLean (born April 14, 1953) is a Panamanian-born American^[1] stage actor, writer, and producer.^[2] He is the founder and artistic director of the Fellowship for Performing Arts,^[3] a New York City-based company that produces live theater and film from a Christian worldview.^[4]

McLean is known for his stage adaptations of books by author and theologian C. S. Lewis. Some of McLean's adaptations include The Screwtape Letters (written with Jeffrey Fiske),^[5][6] The Great Divorce (written with Brian Watkins),^[7][8] and C.S. Lewis Onstage: The Most Reluctant Convert (based on Surprised by Joy).^[9] C.S. Lewis Onstage was adapted into a film, The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis, which starred McLean as an older Lewis, was released in 2021.^[10]

Outside of his work regarding Lewis, McLean wrote the play Martin Luther on Trial with Chris Cragin-Day,^[2][11][12] and narrated KJV, NIV, and ESV versions of "The Listener's Bible", an audio Bible.^[13]

McLean was born in Panama City, Panama, on April 14, 1953. McLean immigrated to the United States through New York City at age four.^[13]

McLean graduated from the University of Texas in 1975, where participation in theater helped him overcome a fear of public speaking. After graduating, he pursued theatrical studies in London.^[14][13]

In 1992, McLean founded the non-profit theatre company, the Fellowship for Performing Arts (abbreviated as FPA).^[13]

Early on, McLean and the FPA toured and performed at colleges and universities. These included one-man shows with dramatic presentations of books of the Bible. He has adapted Genesis, the Acts and the Gospel of Mark (called Mark's Gospel).^[13][3]

After seeing McLean perform Genesis, playwright Jeff Fiske emailed McLean, telling him that he would portray Screwtape well.^[1] With Fiske, McLean adapted the 1942 novel The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis as a stageplay, which stars McLean as Screwtape.^[6] It has been performed since 2006,^[15] and has received positive responses from critics.^{[16][17][6][18]}

McLean and co-writer Brian Watkins developed a stageplay for the 1945 Lewis novel, The Great Divorce, and in September 2013, McLean brought it to the Cape Playhouse in New York City for the development production.^[7] On December 13, 2013, it premiered at the Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix, Arizona, and toured nationally in 2014.^[19] In December 2019, a revised revival of The Great Divorce opened at Theatre Three on Theatre Row in New York City.^[20] After this, it began a national tour.^[8]

McLean adapted the 1955 Lewis book Surprised by Joy ^[9] into the one-man play, C.S. Lewis on Stage: The Most Reluctant Convert. McLean also stars as Lewis.^[21] The play was adapted into the film, The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis, which McLean reprises his role in as an older Lewis. It was released in 2021.^[10]

McLean co-wrote the play, Martin Luther on Trial, with playwright and drama professor Chris Cragin-Day, which premiered at the Lansburgh Theatre in Washington, D.C., on May 12, 2016.^[2]

In 2009, McLean received the Jeff Award for Best Solo Performance for his one-man show Mark's Gospel.^[22]

McLean's narrations for The Listener's Bible have received several Audie Award nominations in total. One in 1999 for the "Inspirational" category,^[23] one in 2000 for "Package Design",^[24] and one in 2002 for "Inspirational/Spiritual".^[25]

In 1976, McLean became a Protestant Christian, after having grown up a nominal Catholic.^[13]

He is married to Sharon McLean, and they have two grown daughters. They live in New York City, and are members of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church.^[13]