This article is about the musical. For the movie see
Godspell (film). For the album see
Godspell (album).
Godspell
(an archaic spelling of the word gospel) is a 1970 musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It opened off Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has played in various touring companies and revivals many times since. Several cast albums have been released over the years and one of its songs, "Day By Day" from the original cast album, reached #13 on the Billboard
pop singles chart in the summer of 1972.
The structure of the musical is that of a series of parables, based on the Gospel of Matthew (though considerable material, such as the parables of the prodigal son and of the rich man and Lazarus, comes exclusively from the Gospel of Luke). These are then interspersed with a variety of modern music set primarily to lyrics from traditional hymns, with the passion of Christ treated briefly near the end of performance. It started as a college project performed by students at Carnegie Mellon University and moved to La Mama in Greenwich Village. It was then re-scored for an off-Broadway production that was a long-running success, but most people are familiar with the film version or have seen a local high school production of the musical.
The musical opened a year after another religiously-themed successful rock musical, Jesus Christ Superstar
.
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GODSPELL TICKETS
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Background
The show originated in 1970 as Tebelak's
master's thesis project, under the direction of
Lawrence Carra, at
Carnegie Mellon University in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most of the score's lyrics were from the
Episcopal Hymnal, set to music by the cast members. Several of those cast members were from the CMU music department. Tebelak then directed the show, with much of the student cast, for a two-week, ten-performance run at
New York City's
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club (aka Cafe la Mama), opening February 24, 1971. It was brought to the attention of producers
Edgar Lansbury (brother of
Angela Lansbury) and Joseph Beruh by Carnegie alumnus
Charles Haid (associate producer), who wanted to open it off-Broadway.
[1]
The producers hired
Stephen Schwartz, another alumnus of Carnegie Mellon's theater department, to write a new song score. Schwartz's songs included a variety of musical styles, from
pop to
folk rock,
gospel, and
vaudeville. One song, "By My Side", was kept from the original score. As with the original score, most of the non-Schwartz lyrics were from the Episcopal Hymnal. See also
Godspell (1971 Off-Broadway Cast)
.
Godspell
moved from the
Cherry Lane Theatre to the larger Promenade Theatre on August 10, 1971, where it became one of the longest-running off-Broadway musicals, before moving to
Broadway in June 1976, where it ended its run in September 1977 after an additional 527 performances, for a total of more than 2,600.
All ten actors are on stage throughout the show.
Characters
The original cast defined the personalities of each character as the show was developed. Most of the characters' names are simply the first name of the actors, so they are more easily identified by the song they sing. The actor cast as
John the Baptist doubles later in the show as
Judas Iscariot.
Herb Simon is credited as Herb Braha on the cast album; it is unclear if this is the same person.
Lamar Alford died April 5, 1991.
[2] His counterpart in the film version,
Merrell Jackson, died a few months earlier.
Synopsis
Act one
The show begins with the Voice of
God declaring his supremacy: "My name is Known God and King. I am most in majesty, in whom no beginning may be and no end." The company enters and takes the role of various philosophers throughout the ages:
Socrates,
Thomas Aquinas,
Leonardo da Vinci,
Edward Gibbon,
Jean-Paul Sartre,
Martin Luther,
Friedrich Nietzsche, and
Buckminster Fuller. They sing fragments of their respective philosophies — first as solos and then in cacophonous
counterpoint — in "Tower of Babble (Prologue)".
In response to this,
John the Baptist blows three notes on the
shofar, to call the community to order. He then beckons them to "Prepare Ye (The Way of the Lord)", and baptizes the company. Jesus comes, also to be baptized. John responds by, instead, asking to be baptized by Jesus. Jesus explains that it is not his place to baptize; that he has come to "Save the People".
In his first
parable, Jesus explains to the company that he has come "not to abolish the law and the prophets, but to complete." In the original production, it was at this point that the company donned their clown makeup, and subsequent productions may use some object — be it a pin, a scarf, or a badge — to denote that the company has become followers of Jesus. He explains to the company that those who adhere to the law of God will earn the highest place in the
Kingdom of God. He tells them the story of the widow and the Judge: God is a just jurist who will support those who cry out to him.
The company is just beginning to understand Jesus and his teachings, and take it upon themselves to tell the story of the
Pharisees and the tax gatherer praying in the temple. "Every man who humbles himself shall be exalted!"
As Jesus teaches of the law regarding the offering of gifts at the altar, the company makes offerings, themselves. They are taught that to approach the altar of God, they must be pure of heart and soul.
Then, they act out the story of a master and a servant who owed him a debt. The servant asks his master for pity in repaying the debt, and the master absolves it. The servant then turns to a fellow servant who "owed him a few dollars" and demands that it be paid in full. The master, hearing this, condemns the servant to prison. Jesus explains the moral: "Forgive your brothers from your heart." The member of the company telling the parable sings "Day by Day", and the company joins in. After the song, Jesus teaches that if one part of you offends God, it is better to lose it than to have the whole of the body thrown into hell.
The company then plays charades to finish several statements posed by Jesus, including "If a man sues you for your shirt...." and "If a man asks you to go a mile with him...."
"Do you want to see a show?" The company relays the
story of the Good Samaritan in the form of a play-within-a-play. Jesus explains the need to "love your enemies" and not make a show of religion before men. God will reward a good deed done in secret. ("Shhh! It's a secret!")
The parable of
Lazarus and the rich man is next tackled by the company, who are quickly learning how to work together. On earth, the rich man feasts, and Lazarus begs and is ignored. Upon dying, Lazarus is rewarded with Heaven, while the rich man is in Hell. We are told to "Learn Your Lessons Well", or be faced with eternal damnation. When the rich man asks if he may be released from hell to warn his brothers of their impending doom, Abraham tells him no, and says, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."
Jesus teaches that no man can serve two masters: God and money. A member of the company tells a story of a man who spent a lifetime acquiring the good things in life, then dies before he has the time to enjoy them. She sings "Oh Bless the Lord, My Soul", then Jesus tells them not to worry about tomorrow: "tomorrow will take care of itself. Today has problems of its own."
In a call-and-response type of method, the company recites the
beatitudes. Judas, however, directs the final beatitude regarding persecution at Jesus, and Jesus quickly changes the subject. ("Did I ever tell you that I used to read feet?") However, with this Jesus persuades the company that it is "All for the Best": heaven contains the ultimate reward. Judas sings a verse, and the two do a soft shoe and a vaudevillian joke. The company joins in the final verse (sung in counterpoint) to bring the song to conclusion.
This is followed by the parable of the sower and the seeds, which Jesus tells them represents the Word of God. "All Good Gifts" is sung to further illustrate the point.
The action to this point, while amusing and entertaining, has been to do one thing: create from this rag-tag company a community of love and caring. At this point in the musical, they have formed this community and now march as soldiers in the military, symbolic of their ability to think as one unit. With Jesus as the drill sergeant, they segue into the famous parable of the
Prodigal Son. They sing "Light of the World" about Christ's Light and how it should shine in each of us. Jesus thanks the audience for coming, and announces a ten-minute intermission. (In the original production, the cast joined the audience for wine and bread.)
Act Two
The second act opens with one or more cast members singing "Learn Your Lessons Well", to call the audience back into the hall. Another member of the community sings "Turn Back, O Man", in which she implores mankind to give up its temporal pursuits and to turn to God.
Jesus says, "This is the beginning."
At this point, several members of the community begin to question Jesus's authority, and he responds with yet another parable. He is asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" and responds, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul.... And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The Pharisees continue to question him, and he laments "Alas for You", and calls them hypocrites. Members of the community gather and join in his song, and throw garbage at the Pharisees.
Jesus predicts that he will not be seen for quite a while, while standing at the "
Wailing Wall", and predicts great wars and famines. He reminds us of the time of
Noah, and teaches that faith can calm the storm. The community is told to "keep awake, then. For the
Son of man will come at a time when you least expect it."
One woman is cast out as an
adulteress. Jesus says, "Let the one of you who is faultless cast the first stone." He explains that he will not condemn her either, but that she must not sin again. She watches Jesus walk from her, and entreats him to remain "By My Side". During this song, we see Judas agree to betray Jesus and receive thirty pieces of silver for it.
In one of the lighter moments in the second act, Jesus tells how he will separate men as a shepherd separates his flock into
sheep and
goats. The sheep will enter heaven while the goats must suffer eternal damnation. "We Beseech Thee" cry the goats, begging for mercy.
After the song, the community reminds each other to take things "Day By Day", as they remove their clown makeup (or other accouterment). They assemble for the
Last Supper, and Jesus tells them that one of them will betray him. Each member of the community asks, "Is it I?" ending with Judas. Jesus tells him to do quickly what he must do, and Judas runs off. Jesus breaks the bread and shares the wine and tells his followers that they will dine together in the Kingdom of Heaven. He asks that they wait for him as he goes into the
garden of Gethsemane to pray. The band sings "On the Willows", which is about what has been sacrificed. In the song, Jesus says goodbye to the company members.
In the garden, Jesus implores God, if there is another way, to let the burden be lifted from his shoulders. He is tempted by
Satan, but orders him out. Jesus returns to his followers to find them all asleep.
Judas returns and is kissed by Jesus on the cheek (an ironic twist on the original Gospel of Matthew), and Judas turns Jesus to bring him to be
crucified. The community starts to attack Judas, while Jesus reminds them, "He who lives by the sword, will die by the sword.... This has all happened to fulfill what the Prophets have written."
The "Finale" begins, loud and in B-minor, with Jesus being put upon an electric fence, representative of the cross described in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus wails, "Oh God, I'm dying," and the community answers, "Oh God, You're dying." Jesus dies and the music comes to a rest. One woman sings "Long Live God," joined on each phrase by another female voice. The men join in with "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord" in counterpoint, as they remove Jesus from the fence and carry him out (either offstage or through the aisles of the auditorium). There is controversy over the fact that there is no obvious resurrection of Jesus present in the show, though some see the singing of 'Prepare Ye' in the finale and/or the curtain call (where all including Jesus return to the stage) as representations of the resurrection.
Songs
;Act I
- Opening ‡
- Prologue:Tower of Babble ‡
- Prepare ye The Way of the Lord
- Save the People
- Day By Day
- Learn Your Lessons Well
- O Bless the Lord
- All for the Best
- All Good Gifts
- Light of the World
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;Act II
- Learn Your Lessons Well (Reprise) ‡
- Turn Back, O Man
- Alas for You
- By My Side
- Beautiful City †
- We Beseech Thee
- On The Willows
- Finale
- Day By Day (Reprise)
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‡ These songs are sometimes omitted from productions
† See notes below on "Beautiful City"
"Beautiful City"
"Beautiful City" was written in 1972 as part of the movie and re-written in 1993 after the
Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While not part of the show proper, it can be included in any production without having to secure additional rights as long as the new lyrics are used. It can be placed anywhere in the show the director desires, though it makes more sense as part of the second act.
Its position in the film is directly after "By My Side," which in turn follows directly on from "Alas for You," omitting the parable in between. This provides a sequence where Jesus upturns the
tables at the temple before the pharisees. Then, scared by what he has done, he walks off, followed by the disciples, who ask, "Where are you going? Can you take me with you?" and they are reunited with Jesus, and sing "Beautiful City."
Many theatrical directors choose to use it in place of the "Day by Day" reprise, and it is also effective in place of the "Long Live God" and "Prepare Ye..." lines of the finale. It can be shortened or re-arranged as needed. "Beautiful City" has also been used at the very end of the play in an additional dialogue-free scene that depicts the Resurrection, which was not depicted in the original.
In their Broadway Junior series—popular musicals edited to one act and appropriate for middle school—Music Theater International supplies "Beautiful City" as part of the show. This version contains much of the first act and very little of the second: "By My Side" is omitted entirely. "Beautiful City" is at a point in the beginning of the traditional second act, but followed quickly by the Last Supper, the Betrayal, and the Crucifixion.
Toronto production
Although
Godspell
was produced in many cities throughout the world, the
Toronto production in 1972–1973 had a lasting effect on the city's theatrical community and the entertainment world as well.
Before Godspell, Toronto's theater community was essentially limited to short runs and touring companies of
Broadway and
West End plays. When
Godspell
opened at the
Royal Alexandra Theatre, it was expected to be a run of a few dozen performances for what was largely an audience of subscribers to the theater's season. However, the Toronto run had a cast drawn entirely from local performers instead of using a touring company. After an enthusiastic response from the audience, the show moved uptown to the Bayview Playhouse in
Leaside after its scheduled run at the Royal Alex ended and ran until August 1973, setting what was then a record run of 488 performances. This record was not broken until the Toronto production of
Cats
in 1986.
Godspell
established Toronto as a major theater center that could support its own productions with its own talent.
Moreover, the production provided the first regular acting jobs for several performers who would later go on to bigger things, including
Victor Garber (who won the role of Jesus in the film version),
Eugene Levy,
Andrea Martin,
Gilda Radner,
Dave Thomas, and
Martin Short. Radner came to the attention of
Lorne Michaels during the production, which also had several performers who had worked with him on his Canadian comedy specials. Three years later, Radner was the first cast member hired for
Saturday Night Live
.
Jayne Eastwood left the cast to become a member of the original Toronto troupe of
The Second City, which has been in almost continuous production since, and Levy, Martin, and Short went on to join that company as well.
Paul Shaffer, the show's musical director, would also join Radner on
Saturday Night Live
as its musical director.
Modern Productions
Godspell
has remained such an important part of the modern musical theater vocabulary because of its versatility. The original production made the company a troupe of clowns who follow Jesus in an abandoned playground; subsequent productions have been set in museums, classrooms, on top of buildings, an apocalyptic world or in an abandoned theater. Since the setting is never explicitly stated in the text, directors love using this show as a chance to show off their creative abilities. This show can occur, literally, anywhere. The setting can be advanced enough for the biggest Broadway producers, and small enough for any high school production. In one such production, the setting was simply three construction scaffolds. In another, it was done with a wall, some steps, and a treasure chest. The setting has even been in a
McDonald's restaurant. Godspell is also a very low-budget musical. A church production in Grand Rapids, MI had a total cost of less than $500 for running two shows—the only thing that was purchased was the music and
libretto.
Godspell
was revived off-Broadway at the York Theatre from August 2, 2000 to October 7, 2000. The production was directed by
Shawn Rozsa, musically directed by Dan Schachner, and choreographed by Ovi Vargas. Cast members were
Barrett Foa as Jesus,
Will Erat as John the Baptist/Judas,
Shoshana Bean, Tim Cain, Catherine Carpenter, Lucia Giannetta,
Capathia Jenkins, Chad Kimball, Leslie Kritzer, and Eliseo Roman.
The 2000 national tour mounted by Stephen Schwartz's son
Scott Schwartz set the action in a technologically created universe. In addition to an updated score, several of the philosophers during
Tower of Babel
were re-characterized. Cast members were Joseph J. Carney as Jesus, Michael Yuen as John the Baptist/Judas, Todd Buonopane, Jessica Carter, Sharon Francis, Esteban Giron, Sarah Hubbard, Natalie Joy Johnson, Lauren Lebowitz, and Sal Sabella.
In September 2007,
Paul Kerryson directed an all new cast for a Revival UK Tour of
Godspell
that opened at the Peterborough Key Theatre, and is set to run throughout early 2008. The Show currently stars
Tom Bradley as Jesus and
Ryan Molloy as John The Baptist/Judas. The cast also includes Christopher Bartlett, Yildiz Hussein, Paul Ayres, and Tiffany Graves to name but a few.
In May 2008, The Stephen Sondheim Center had a short revival of the show. It was directed my Randal K. West. It featured all new arrangements by musical director Justin Hill and starred Ryan Gaffney as Jesus, Mason Davis as Judas. The show also featured Stephen Mark Crisp singing "All Good Gifts" &"Beautiful City"
A Broadway revival had been announced for September 2008, but it was postponed. Producer Adam Epstein said: "...there were no other options at this time than to postpone."
[3]
Film
A
film version of the musical was released in 1973, set in modern
New York, and starring
Victor Garber as
Jesus,
David Haskell as
John the Baptist/
Judas, and
Lynne Thigpen in her first film role. John-Michael Tebelak co-wrote the screenplay and served as the creative consultant. The song
Beautiful City
was written for and first included in the film, while the songs "Prologue/Tower Of Babel", "Learn Your Lessons Well", and "We Beseech Thee" were left out.
In popular culture
- In the film Meet the Parents
, Greg (Ben Stiller) recites "Day by Day" when asked to say grace over his first meal with the family.
- In the film Wet Hot American Summer
, "Day by Day" is performed at the camp talent show. At first, the other campers enjoy the performance, but at the end of the song, booing ensues when an image of the cross appears behind the performers. In the DVD commentary for the film, director David Wain noted that the booing was not directed at the cross but rather at the performance itself.
- On their album Jesus Freak
, Christian rock band dc Talk does a cover version of "Day by Day."
- On their album F?A?8
, the band Godspeed You! Black Emperor used a sample of the opening line of "By My Side" for the song "Providence".
- In one of his "Slimmin' Down With Steve" segments on The Daily Show
, Steve Carell worked with a nutritionist to make a healthy meal of pasta primavera. When they both bowed their heads to say grace, Carell belted out "All Good Gifts" at the top of his lungs, startling the nutritionist.
- In an episode of King of the Hill
where Bobby Hill attends a high school, he is overjoyed to find that the play is being held, as it was banned from his middle school.
- In Scotland, PA, the characters sing "Day by Day" in a homage as to what people did in the 70's.
- In the novel How I Paid for College
, the main character is starring as Jesus in a production of Godspell at his school.
- In an episode of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, the employees of Harvey's law firm are so overjoyed at the seeming resurrection of their boss Phil (who had been killed off in the previous episode) that they break into a song which parodies Godspell, complete with costumes similar to those of the play.
- In an episode of "So You Think You Can Dance (Season 4)", contestants Joshua Allen and Katee Shean dance a Broadway dance number set to "All for the Best", choreographed by Tyce Diorio.
Controversy
The "
hippie" garb that the cast wears has caused controversy. To clear up the issue on this, in the 1999 "Notes on the Script" Stephen Schwartz wrote, "There are often misconceptions about the concept of the clown
analogy in
Godspell
. For instance, sometimes it is misunderstood as the cast being 'hippies' or '
flower children'. The concept was derived by John-Michael Tebelak from a book by
Harvey Cox, a professor at
Harvard Divinity School, entitled
Feast of Fools
, most particularly the chapter called 'Christ the
Harlequin'."
See also
- Godspell-Original Australian Cast
Notes
- An Interview with Stephen Schwartz 1998
- Lamar Alford; Actor, Writer and Composer April 5, 1991
- Gans, Andrew."Broadway Revival of Godspell Postponed",playbill.com, August 19, 2008