Day Twenty: Godspell
My, we're at Day 20 already! Well, today's post is a 'guilty pleasure' musical I have, and that would be, for me, Godspell.
I probably shouldn't like this musical as much as I do because my friends are all sick of it (sick of the junior version, that is.) The junior version been done three times in the past four years, and the original has been done once (as far as I know.) According to some of my friends, it'll become as bad as Annie (I'm so not letting that happen!)
The show starts with God's voice saying: "My name is known: God and King. I am most in majesty, in whom no beginning can be and no end." The company members (which is very small, I think it's around eight people) pretend to be different philosophers (Socrates, Thomas Aquinas, da Vinci, etc.) sing about each of their philosophies, which are focused around God.
John the Baptist (whom is played by the same person playing Judas) calls the community to order and tells everyone the Lord is coming. He begins to baptize the company when Jesus comes, asking to be baptized as well. John instead tells Jesus that he isn't worthy to baptize such a holy person, and that Jesus should baptize John. Jesus states that his purpose is to come "save the people."
The company enacts various parables while Jesus teaches them the meanings behind them. Some include the widow & the Judge, the Pharisses & the tax collector, the Servant & Master, the Good Samaritan, Lazarus, No Man Can Serve Two Masters, the Beatitudes, the Sower of the Seeds, and the Prodigal Son.
For act two, Judas betrays Jesus as the rest of the company begins to cling to him even more. As they assemble for the Last Supper, Jesus reveals that one of them (hinting at Judas) will betray him. After going to the Garden of Gethsemane to think, he finds his followers all asleep.
Jesus finds Judas and tells him to crucify him. The company begins to attack Judas, but Jesus tells them ,"He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword" and that it must be done. After Jesus dies on the cross, the company take him down and bring his "corpse" either offstage or through the aisles as they are praising him and "hinting" he will resurrect. The End.
I like this show. It's catchy and I think that in order to be classified as a 'theatre person,' you must have been involved in the junior versions of either Godspell or Seussical (which is coming up on a later post.)
My favorite song from the show, "By My Side," makes me cry! (but not this recording, it isn't the greatest version, but it's recent!) (Just to warn you, the guy speaking in this is Judas narrating how he betrays Jesus; the girl speaking is the singer of the song.)
For act two, Judas betrays Jesus as the rest of the company begins to cling to him even more. As they assemble for the Last Supper, Jesus reveals that one of them (hinting at Judas) will betray him. After going to the Garden of Gethsemane to think, he finds his followers all asleep.
Jesus finds Judas and tells him to crucify him. The company begins to attack Judas, but Jesus tells them ,"He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword" and that it must be done. After Jesus dies on the cross, the company take him down and bring his "corpse" either offstage or through the aisles as they are praising him and "hinting" he will resurrect. The End.
I like this show. It's catchy and I think that in order to be classified as a 'theatre person,' you must have been involved in the junior versions of either Godspell or Seussical (which is coming up on a later post.)
My favorite song from the show, "By My Side," makes me cry! (but not this recording, it isn't the greatest version, but it's recent!) (Just to warn you, the guy speaking in this is Judas narrating how he betrays Jesus; the girl speaking is the singer of the song.)
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