Godspell

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 8/13/03 at 11:22pm

Was Godspell ever on Bway? I am running a spot for this show. It is the 1st time I have seen it or even heard the music. It is a little tough to understand but the music is good. What do you guys think?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/13/03 at 11:26pm

No. Only off-Broadway.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/13/03 at 11:28pm

Well, that's funny. Because I saw it after it made its transfer to Broadway. Gee, Broadwayguy, you've given up even doing the web searches for answers to almost every question? Research is STILL important. Not only did it play Broadway, it played in THREE DIFFERENT Broadway theaters.

Updated On: 8/13/03 at 11:28 PM

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 8/13/03 at 11:31pm

Thanks Finding Namo!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/13/03 at 11:32pm

Shhhhhh! You weren't supposed to tell 'im. I knew that!

I just don't understand why it is so hard to go to a site like www.ibdb.com and do a search to see if it has and to get info about that show.

Sarcasm Namo. Sarcasm.


here is the internet Broadway database entry for it. It played the Playmouth, Broadhurst, and Ambassador (where shows go to die)
IBDB entry :: Godspell Updated On: 8/13/03 at 11:32 PM

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 8/13/03 at 11:34pm

That's not all I asked and I was just starting a convo! UHHHH! I can't even post on this board!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/13/03 at 11:34pm

I believe you.

[kec]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 12:16am

It's long been one of my favorites. I very much enjoy the music and love to sing along with the various songs if I play the musical in the car. I got the dvd for Christmas, and enjoy watching it. It's kind of funny to see a young Victor Garber playing Jesus. The only disappointment was that they replaced one song from the stage production with Beautiful City. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the song I'm referring to though -- talk about an intellectual interruption!

Just curious, what do you find hard to understand? It's the Gospel according to Matthew, with a couple of the more familiar parables, like the Prodical Son.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 12:26am

It was "We Beseech Thee" that was cut. "Learn Your Lessons Well" was also cut in the interest of time. WBT was supposed to be "Too theatrical." Stupid decision on David Greene's part (RIP), as it's probably the best song in the show.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 12:36am

Re: The Ambassador.... Looks as if Chicago may have broken that curse. (moving to the theatre and then closing shortly thereafter)

I liked the Godspell Tour of 2001 which I saw/worked on. Great show -- the CD is amazing... and they didn't cut WBT (yes, yes I realize you're talking about it being cut when it was on Broadway. I just thought I'd mention)

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 12:38am

Actually, it wasn't cut from the Broadway production, but from the movie :)

[CJR]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 12:39am

Oh okay -- now see, this is what happens when you only have 3 1/2 hours of sleep and never saw the Broadway production!

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 12:41am

LOL I gotcha.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 10:07am

I'm currently in rehearsels for Godspell, and yes- it is an amazing show. The music is fabulous- and I LOVE the off Broadway CD. Barrett Foa is absolutely amazing, as is the entire cast. I didn't know it ran in 3 Broadway theaters, though. Wow. I saw pictures of the original production, and I almost threw up. The clown make-up thing is ridiculous (We're changing that in my show) and they all look like a mix of indians and hippies. Ugh!

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 10:20am

Wow, a show written in the 60's that's reflecting the peace movement and that era's thoughts on social change and they looked like HIPPIES? Go figure.

'Godspell' was very much reflective of its era then as it should be now. That's what makes it work.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 10:49am

GODSPELL is very much a show of its time. I remember seeing the first national tour, and I was moved beyond belief -- and I was only about 12 or 13. The key, I think, to a good production of GODSPELL is the cast...there has to be such a camaraderie there that it spills over into the show. And I don't think you can fake it, either.

I've done the show thrice, and seen numerous productions of it. While the original concept was "clowny" and to our 21st century tastes, is a bit corny, it worked. Treating GODSPELL like a book show never works, IMHO. The cast has to have a personal investment in it, on whatever level. You can't "act" it, you have to "be" it. The best productions are the ones where the cast contributes heavily to the material, I think...those parables can be done in so many different and witty ways.

The worst production I ever saw was when the concept was the cast were business people, and the "Tower of Babble" was done while they were walking to work, on the subway, etc. I think John the Baptist made his entrance as a homeless man in the subway station or some such crap. Erg. Too, too..."stagey".

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 10:58am

'Godspell's tough because it has to be reflective of its time without being a slave to pop culture references. It's a tough line to toe sometimes and, unfortunately, a lot of productions don't know they blew it until too late. There's a difference between moderning the show in terms of using modern references and humor and trying to put a new concept on the thing. The concept works, don't mess it up, just add new flavors to it so it's about today, instead of a different era.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 11:02am

JP, sometimes they don't even know they blew it at all.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 11:03am

Oh, I know, there's nothing worse than watching a cast where they're dying laughing at themselves while the audience sits in stunned agony.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 11:12am

You know my other pet peeve about productions of GODSPELL? When they use the names of the original cast (Peggy, Stephen, Gilmer, Lamar, etc.) as the actual names of the roles! Any idiot can figure out that those were the names of the original cast, and that your cast should use their first names when referring to each other onstage and/or listed in the Playbill. When I see that, it's a warning signal of things to come when the show starts. IMHO

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 12:49pm

I am currently in rehearsals for Godspell also (spot op) and we are doing it in this historical church in the center of town. It's kind of cool. And yes our cast is using the original names...Stephen, Peggy, Sonia, etc. I never knew that you were supposed to use your real names.
Here's a link about the church.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 1:45pm

Speaking of Godspell...What is the best recording to purchase?

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 1:55pm

Well, then...it's your job to enlighten them about the name issue. Consider it a theatrical public service announcement.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 3:19pm

I'm perplexed about the person who couldn't understand the lyrics to GODSPELL. I never had problems with them. Could this particular cast be having difficulty with their diction? Could the sound system be in bad shape? GOSPELL has fairly simple lyrics. This is not a Sondheim piece, but an enjoyable one, nonetheless!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/14/03 at 3:21pm

I prefer the 2001 off broadway cast recording... Barrett Foa, Chad Kimball, Shoahana Bean, Leslie Kritzer, Capathia Jenkins all on one disc and they all have their moments to shine and show off those voices.