The musical Godspell was a colossal hit off-Broadway, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by John Michael Tebelak. It was 1971, and the news trumpeted stories about the "Generation Gap." Then along came Godspell, with a jaunty and moving retelling of the Gospel of Matthew. Music Theater Works' rendition of Godspell is now on stage at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. A lot of memories from that era came flooding back as I watched a talented cast perform in the contemporary setting of "Curt's Cafe." Godspell is directed by Matthew Silar.
The Gospel of Matthew portrays Jesus as a devout Jewish man and the Messiah—God on Earth in human form. Godspell has songs of joy, temptation, repentance, and salvation with some direct quotes from the apostle Matthew. Director Michael Silar does a splendid job of corralling the action of a large cast, and I loved Amanda Hope's choreography. The set was another nostalgic flashback. I owned a coffeehouse in Rogers Park, and anything could happen at any moment. There were zealots, wannabe gurus, and fallen women wanting coffee, and we served them all. Curt's Cafe has a patchouli-and-gluten-free-scones vibe (by the way, there are actually two Curt's Cafes in Evanston and Highland Park). Bob Knuth's scenic design is fantastic and quite authentic, with posters, pictures, and the giant water jug/baptismal font.
There are some great voices and actors in this cast of Godspell. Dani Pike is a standout with a great voice and stage presence. Kaitlin Feely has mad physical comedy skills. She does a "demon" thing that is fearless and hilarious. Ben Woods imbues his character with some sanctified preacher energy. There is a skill to making a one-syllable word into three that must be taught at the seminary. Maxwell J. DeTogne has that '70s folkie vibe and a good singing voice. Nicholas Ian does a version of "Turn Back Oh Man" that brought the house down.
I was jazzed to see Tafadzwa Diener from MotherFreakingHood! She is delightful in this ensemble with standout moments from "Light of the World" and other songs. Diener has great musical comedy chops. Eldon Warner Soriano has charisma and fits the role of Jesus. He has a good singing voice, but doesn't get a chance to rock the house. I had to remind myself that the Jesus character isn't as showy as the others. The Gospel of Matthew includes some parables that are unique to it. The Parable of the Two Sons and The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant are two that I have rarely heard. Schwartz and Tebelak caught the flow of Matthew's Gospel without the maudlin emotions or fear. Godspell caught some flak from the religious folks back in the day. The Catholic church I grew up in included several songs from Godspell in its repertoire during the guitar mass.
Jacob Simon does double duty as John the Baptist and Judas. John the Baptist is not as prominent as the Judas character, but, of course, Judas was more interesting and has been somewhat rehabilitated over the past 20 or so years. This character caused more consternation than Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, which premiered just six months later in 1971. Judas's betrayal is portrayed more as a prophecy, and Simon plays the angst level quite well opposite Soriano.
I like the director's choices in updating the musical for this production. Jesus turning over the tables at the temple was inventive, and the Matrix-like Roman soldiers performing the crucifixion were great. It was authentic that the Last Supper was a Passover meal, complete with a Hamotzi blessing. The four-piece orchestra was also a part of the action. Justin Kono conducted and played drums; Linda Madonia played piano; Kyle Paul played guitar; and Eric von Holst played bass. I should also mention that Soriano played the cello in the show, but the sound wasn't mixed well, or the cello wasn't mic'd. That is my only peeve about the production. The sound mix was uneven, and some voices got drowned out by the band or the chorus. That should be corrected so that everyone is given their due in the performance.
The music of the '70s was an interesting mix, and Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar cemented the era of big religious musicals. That was the era of 'girl with guitar' music and, of course, afros (I had one) and long-haired hippies. There were also some interesting things happening socially in America. Lots of new religions and cults popped up. We elected our first bonafide crooked president, and the Hare Krishnas and weed-smoking Coptics were on 60 Minutes. There were stories of kids who ran off to communes and were never heard from again. What would keep the youth of America on the Judeo-Christian path? Godspell had a Top 40 hit with "Day by Day," which played every hour on WLS here in Chicago and was the standard for the chorus at Holy Name of Mary with Sister Dolorosa.
We are again in some strange times, and I found the Music Theater Works production of Godspell soothing for my soul. Sure, it's part nostalgia, but it's also catchy, happy music with a fun, talented cast. The 2.25 hours, including intermission, were so worth it.
The Music Theater Works production of Godspell runs on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through November 16, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 N. Skokie Blvd. in Skokie. For more information and tickets, please visit MusicTheaterWorks.com.
For more information on this and other productions, see theatreinchicago.com.
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