Godspell A Joyful Retelling of the Gospel

by Kelley Smith, Lyman High School

Who is that, onstage, wearing a Superman shirt? Is it a bird? A plane? No--it’s Jesus, flanked by his eccentric cast of followers in Cypress Creek High School’s production of Godspell.

Godspell is the vibrant, joyful retelling of the Gospel According to St. Matthew, condensed to its most memorable passages, parables, and stories of Jesus among his followers. Written by John-Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz, the show speaks through song (sometimes soft and contemplative, but for the most part loud and almost vaudevillian in presentation), charades, parody, pantomime, and a chorus of “everymen” who serve as Jesus’ followers, biblical characters, and stereotypical representations of humanity at large.

Headed by Francisco Santelli as Jesus, the ten-member ensemble was in constant motion, either running up and down through the aisles of the theatre or tumbling across the beautifully simplistic set, complete with vividly painted boxes used for hiding, climbing, stacking, and anything else that the characters required. Santelli’s warm and humble Jesus served as an enjoyable foil to the remainder of the high-octane ensemble, and Brian Dowling revealed not only one, but two engaging characters in his dual role as John the Baptist and the tormented Judas Iscariot. Providing comic turns were the sultry Kelseanne Breder, the unceasingly animated Asef Mahmud, and the delightfully dopey Megan Rush. Vocally solid, the ensemble offered a harmonic and pleasing performance of the celebrated Schwartz score.

Beyond the characters themselves, it was the dazzling array of color onstage that propagated an air of excitement and joyful proclamation of the Gospel stories. Each actor swam in brilliant, eye-popping color, and the stage itself was lit by a spectrum of colors. The lighting added poise and beauty to a song or story when utilized, but those moments were often spread out, leaving a desire for more of that same vibrancy in each and every instant of the performance.

During the exhaustingly physical regimen of zany choreography and high-octane blocking, the cast kept an intense focus and fought hard to maintain the explosive energy demanded by the show. Projection faltered at various intervals, especially due to the outrageous physicality of the storytelling, yet the ensemble maintained its eccentric poise and spontaneity, and continued to bring highly comical motivation to the performance.

Visually enticing and consistently poignant, Godspell’s spirited ensemble and the entire production provide a highly enjoyable viewing experience.

Originally published by the Backstage Noise, 2005