Sorry that this week's post is so late, guys. I think people are reading thus far and I am grateful for that, so I am sorry that I did not post with my usual weekly punctuality.
I want to talk this week about Godspell. This is a rather informal post, different from my usual ones, but important notheless. I am a member of a local theater production of Godspell and I find that there is a powerful connection between my faith, my love/hate relationship with acting, and the music of this play.
Firstly, Godspell is based on the gospel of Matthew, godspell being the old English for gospel (fun fact). It is from the 70s, so some of the music is funkified but its overall goodness weighs the slight need for updating. Oddly enough, it was considered heresy when it was first performed. I can't see it, but some people thought the author was making fun of Jesus. Perhaps its because he took artistic license with where to stage things in the story? Or because the movie Jesus had a white man's afro? Who knows. The 70s were a strange time, methinks.
The show's cohesiveness comes from the centrality of Jesus (whom actually never leaves the stage) and the community of believers he creates. Our version uses the colors of the rainbow to deliniate both this cohesiveness and useful individuality we each possess as a child of God.
Something that is different from both movie and recorded versions (its not even on the original cast album) is that the show opens differently with a different song altogether. Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord may be a great opening for the movie, but the show actually opens with several different kinds of philosphies competing for attention. This actually enhances the entrance of John the Baptist, I think (though I think the movie version actually captures something different and beautiful unto itself).
Prepare Ye the Way of the Video: http://youtu.be/wSIs1MHdFQY
Bonus biblical Nerd points: Before or when the term Christian first came into play, the movement of Jewish Jesus followers was known as "the Way".
Interestingly enough (point 1), several of the songs can be found in old hymn books. My personal favorite is O Bless the Lord, My Soul - call me a sucker for a good gospel song but this song has great capacity for movement and joy as well as being chocked full of biblical references that won't go over your head. Its easier to listen to than try to dissect in one blog post. Fun fact: This song occurs in the midst of act one, and is followed by the Beatitudes (Blessed are the...., For they shall be....), which actually occurs in the gospel of Matthew a lot closer to the beginning but I thought was a great artistic choice for the show.
O Bless the Lord, My Video: http://youtu.be/19LP4qNYUD4
Or consider our version of All Good Gifts. We have a larger cast than the traditional ten, so we have two different parts of the stage interacting with All Good Gifts. On one side, you will find the disciples in their individual colors coming together for the first time. Jesus and Kelly the disciple (interestingly enough (point 2), disciple names are based on the real person names - if you get a copy of the real script, you'll find disciples with names like Joanna and Gilmer) are in the center of their circle and Kelly is singing about God's majesty in nature.
I'd like to stop and take a moment to consider this. There are several psalms (8, 19, 147, 148) that speak of the majesty of God in nature and there is certainly a movement among some Christians to view nature in light of God (case in point: Donald Miller's books) and praise him for it. But do we think about it? Do we praise him for the soft, refreshing rain or the sunshine?
Conversely, do we praise him during blizzards or heat waves? I don't praise him during heat waves so much, but he made the heat to wave as much as he made the pleasant sun and the sweet scent of the rose. So that is a thought to bear.
The other part of the stage is seperated by those of us in the world, who have not yet or will not choose to follow Jesus. Our chimes at the end of the song sound bittersweet and the black we wear onstage signifies our following of the world and its sin.
Its honestly hard for me being part of world and I'm only more aware of it now in light of what I do not do as a Christian. When I hold up the Bible to myself as a mirror and look at those who have come before, I find myself horribly comfortable and not really living for Jesus. Were I to live in the old days, I fear I would not have been chosen based on my kindess (several disciples are chosen by Jesus and the holy Spirit afterwards this way). That being said, I am glad to be chosen for grace's sake and glad that when I can give, I give. I fear I could have always given more, but that is the past. And since I have no Tardis, I must struggle with giving it to God and leaving it there.
Working in Godspell at this moment in time is great, because there is a revival cast either on or having just finished on Broadway, so we have a point of reference for what we are doing (even though we are a unique cast in many ways). If you have a chance, I recommend a visit to Godspell. Its reminiscent of Jesus Christ Superstar, but its much more like Hair or Tommy (the movie) than Superstar. It is a great joy and privilege to be part of this cast (puns and singing at Red Robin included) and I think this might be the start of something good for me.
I'll be back next week to our reguarly scheduled blog cast. Now that tech week is done and we're onto performances, there will be more time to read, reflect, renew myself, and consider the difficult things in what I read, post, and even sing.
Thanks for reading,
John
No comments:
Post a Comment