Murray – Like many great American musicals, “Godspell” remains relevant more than 50 years later and continues to be produced around the world.
Murray State Music will present “Godspell” in Lovett Auditorium on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin), screenplay by John-Michael Tebellack. The show originally premiered off-Broadway in 1971, then opened in London and made its Broadway debut in 1976.
Director Maribeth Crawford, an associate professor of voice and opera at MSU, said “Godspell” is not only a well-known show featuring famous songs and Biblical characters, but also a well-known show that has enough talent for each role. He said it was a fun show to produce because of the opportunity it provides. A new and unique cast makes it their own.
“Most people are familiar with the story. Most people have heard of Jesus and the teachings of the gospel, but this is like ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ which is actually It’s not a show about Christianity,” Crawford said. “This is really a show about building community. The first time I realized this title was, I was excited and thought, ‘What could be a more fitting title right now?’ People are now deeply divided in many areas, including political, religious, and moral. We are very divided and have strong opinions about who is right and who is wrong.
“This show is really about saying, ‘Okay, we recognize that we’re all different, and we’re going to celebrate those differences.’ We’re building a community centered on understanding and peaceful solutions. We’re going to keep building. That’s why this show has survived.”
In keeping with the show’s laid-back vibe, the music will have a ’70s rock feel, with a live band providing accompaniment, Crawford said.
“This show has a rock vibe and a little rock combo,” she said. “There’s a couple of guitarists, a couple of keyboardists, drums and percussion, so it’s upbeat and fun and really interesting.
“There are lots of opportunities for audience participation. We ask for audience volunteers throughout the show, so it’s really interactive. This show also includes a fair amount of improvisation. Many of our students work on improv outside of drama class. I can say that I have never directed a show that involved as much improvisation as this show.”
The creators of “Godspell” have encouraged each of the cast and crew members who have produced the production over the years to take risks and try new things in the way they present the material, and they have Director Ford said that’s certainly the case this time around, with the actors wearing modern clothing. Biblical costume. While the show may have originally been created with an early 1970s audience in mind, Crawford said directors like her continue to find new themes in the material. In this work, she noticed many similarities between the struggles of the characters in her script and the struggles of strangers on the internet today.
“You may have seen a lot of people perform ‘Godspell’ in clown costumes,” Crawford said. “We don’t do it that way. It’s more modern. There’s an element at the very beginning, and the prologue actually includes different philosophical perspectives and how they interact with each other. It shows how we don’t understand the way we think. There’s a lot of discussion, but we connect it to discussions on social media online, where we argue with people we don’t know, and where we talk to people in person. In this show, we strip away the surface and start directly addressing the issues, discussing and trying to find understanding throughout. I think that’s why it continues to be a canon of musical theater, because we can all relate to that experience.”
Calvert City junior Evan Jenkins plays the role of Jesus. He is a vocal performance major and has a professional interest in opera, so he is always excited to be in a show where he can showcase both his vocal and acting talents.
“This is a great opportunity because my plan is to go into opera after I graduate from college…My dream role one day is actually Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar (written by Andrew Lloyd Webber). , this is what it looks like.’ That’s a good start,” Jenkins said.
Ms Jenkins said the show was very challenging, with complex music, difficult songs and many monologues to memorize, but it was also a lot of fun.
“It’s a fun, entertaining show that actually gives you the emotion you want to feel in a show like this at the end,” he said. “It’s kind of bittersweet at the end, and it’s a roller coaster of emotions.”
Another cast member is Madisonville junior Quinn Cauchy, who plays the role of Joan, which was created by actress Joan Jonas.
“I play a character named Joan, who is a member of the ensemble, but technically many of us have chosen to go by our real names on the show,” Coursey said. “My character is kind of the show-off of the group, so before I really understand what’s going on, I volunteer first. This show is a little different and more traditional. It’s very challenging because there’s a lot of things that you wouldn’t do on that show, and there are some audience participation moments, like playing charades and playing games of “Snap.” Contains only a small amount.
“The music is difficult and the scenes are weird, but it’s a lot of fun. I’m a musical theater major, so I love appearing in every musical opportunity I can. I love singing and acting. , I love dancing, and this production combines all three in a way that’s unlike any other show I’ve ever been in. This is a different type of musical than anything I’ve done before. It’s been a really good learning process for me. I’ve learned a lot just in the last month or two.”
Jenkins noted that while the show doesn’t have a traditional storyline, it does feature many events and parables from the book of Matthew, as well as the cross mentioned in the book of John.
“It cuts across the Gospels and kind of shows us the life of Jesus one frame at a time,” Jenkins said. “It’s about community and being able to unite people around a common theme.”
“Everything can be interpreted in so many different ways,” Coursey added. “You’ll never see ‘Godspell’ made the same way twice. Everyone does it in completely different ways, so you can do it the way you want and still have the same message behind it.” It’s kind of cool to be able to do that.”
General admission tickets can be purchased at the Lovett Auditorium entrance and are free for students. Audience members will be seated on stage for a more intimate presentation, so only about 200 audience members will be able to sit for the performance, Crawford said. For this reason, she encouraged attendees to arrive early to ensure a seat.