“Thou shalt not bear false witness” to Johnson County Community College’s production of Godspell, an upbeat and updated musical that is sure to uplift audiences.
Godspell, originally written by John-Michael Tebelak with book and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, is a story about a collection of outcasts and lost souls who strive to unite and better themselves through the teachings of Jesus Christ. Also there to assist them is Jonnie the Baptist, a peppy and enthusiastic Salvation Army officer whose attempts to inspire the disgruntled crowd have been futile. JCCC’s version is also set in the modern world (or a contemporary, littered street, complete with crumpled up newspaper and empty pop cans).
The structure of this story about the gang of misfits, which includes 14 cast members and 6 band members, is a series of parables based on the Gospels of both Matthew and Luke. The short sketches are set to music lyrics from traditional hymns.
The show’s musical selection is religiously based, but doesn’t attempt to convert audiences to the Christian faith. Most notably, the song “Day by Day” reached #13 on the Billboard charts in 1972, and is still recognized and played as muzac in elevators today. Other memorable songs include ”All for the Best,” which was complete with tap dancing and the moving company number “By My Side.”
Director Beate Pettigrew adapted the show to include specific characters such as “Kandi the prostitute” and “Judas the street pusha.” As the iconic Jesus himself, Jeremy Right was patient and gentle, with a calming voice that was easy on the ears. Also noteworthy was Tony Cintrony as “Ginger-Snap the drag queen.” High heels, fishnets and eyeliner-drawn-on-cleavage were no match for Cintrony, who proved to be perfectly comfortable in his drag attire and gave an honest and humorous performance.
While the cast was strong as a whole, especially during empowering ensemble vocal numbers, it sometimes became hard to hear the one-liner jokes often present in the script. With 14 characters, the stage often got boisterously noisy, and lines of dialogue were drowned out.
Aside from modernizing the script, Pettigrew expertly incorporates pop culture jokes. From references to Charlie’s Angles and Thriller, the audience never feels as if they’ve been taken back to the original 70’s production. These references, combined with identifiable characters, make the show relatable to widespread audiences.
Kelly Vogel’s elaborate set design uses train tracks, concrete-looking steps and a full size pick-up truck that carries parts of the orchestra. The band’s onstage presence allows the audience to experience every element of the show first-hand, and the band members’ visible focus on Jesus further draws viewers into his message.
Though many elements of the show are impressive, the production itself was simply good. Without many memorable elements, the show is subject to fade in the minds of viewers, which, due to the decline of organized religion, is ironically the path that the message of Jesus has taken. Ultimately, the production is a success, allowing audiences the opportunity to contemplate faith, while simultaneously being entertained – and that’s the gospel truth.
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