Conceived & originally directed by John-Michael Tebelak
Music & New Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Directed by Ron Law
Music Direction by Ellen Robinson
Choreography by Lisa Blanton
Theatre Charlotte
September 11 - 28, 2008
Godspell is based on the Gospel of Matthew and was written originally as a master’s thesis project in 1970; it used Episcopalian hymnal music for the score. Since then, it has had many different changes. It opened off Broadway in the spring of 1971.
When it was moving to Broadway, Stephen Schwartz was asked to create “modern” music in a variety of styles. About half of the songs remain from the original score, one song (‘By My Side”) remains from the Off-Broadway version and the rest are the Stephen Schwartz songs; musical styles have changed with different productions, but the lyrics remain the same. Most people have heard the song "Day by Day" even if they are not familiar with the show.
The set appears to be a nearly bare stage with parts of construction still in evidence: rolling stairs, a ladder, a mop bucket, and a lit lamp stand. We are shown a slide montage before being called to community by the shofar (a trumpet made from a ram's horn), blown by John the Baptist (Vito Abate) followed by his reverberating vocals in "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord." The cast comes together from every direction and congregates center stage as the mop bucket is called into use as their baptismal font.
The costumes are modern, comfortable and a little funky; tee shirts with slogans like tough men wear pink, Green Eggs & Ham, as well as the eternally wished for Peace and Hope are in evidence. When the cast has become the disciples of Jesus, they each receive a talisman--a yellow, Live Strong, wristband as a sign of their belief. In earlier versions, clown make-up has been donned. They have added a couple of political lines here, all in keeping with the plot.
This show has so much symbolism packed into it. Everyone has worked to unify and cement this production together and build it into a solid, but enlightening show. I believe that every cast member has at least one impersonation. The voices of Bill Clinton, Groucho Marx, Ed Sullivan, Shirley Temple, Betty Boop as well as the accents of New York or New Jersey and the upper crust starch of possibly, Thurston Howell III are occasionally heard.
Jesus is portrayed by Joe McCourt. You can feel the understanding and power behind the parables, it just radiates from him to the audience. Vito Abate plays the dual roles of John the Baptist and Judas and when he is singing it is rich and powerful.
The disciples retain their own names rather than the historical ones. Each one has a moment to stand alone and they all do a wonderful job of standing alone as well as merging into the ensemble. The disciples are played by: Steve Buchanan (great rap song), Brittany Currie (what a powerful voice), Caroline Firczak (poignant and sweet), Kristin Graf (pure energy, pure voice), Emily Johnson (perky, but down to earth), Leigh Anne Spencer (vivacious and joyous), Jack Stevenson (man of many faces and accents), and Joe Veale (solid to the core).
