The theatre program’s spring season draws to a close with the staging of “Godspell,” the classic biblical musical, written by John-Michael Tebelak and scored by Stephen Schwartz. Starring Logan Rice as Jesus and Hayden Salter as Judas Iscariot, the University’s version of “Godspell” is a joyous interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew, aided by kinetic choreography and thoughtful set design.
The original “Godspell” debuted off-Broadway in the 1970s, reinterpreted through decades of performance and a 21st-century Broadway revival. The musical places the story of Jesus and his disciples in a modern environment, all the way to the Passion of Christ and the Resurrection, and scores its biblical passages with catchy musical ballads and comedic pantomime.
Director Matt Davis, an assistant professor of theatre and head of directing and stage management, said he sought to harken back to a New York City setting still “rough around the edges.” Opening on the sounds of urban ambiance, the musical’s set design depicts a run-down church and city block, a gritty atmosphere littered with feasible props: crates, construction equipment and trash. Elements of the design double in creative ways as the cast interacts with the dense design through choreography and stunts. No stone goes unturned in this environment, a mark of good set design, yet the setting feels grounded and real.
Davis said that this realism — and the lack of modern distractions like screens and cell phones — places focus on Jesus’s role in the Gospel of Matthew as a teacher rather than the zaniness of the parables he tells. Rice’s performance as Jesus evokes that groundedness and personable affect as an educator. “I wanted him to feel like all of us, every man,” Davis said. “We could all be telling these stories to each other.”
Rice’s humble and down-to-earth delivery sells his role as Jesus, especially amid a crowded ensemble cast. All 12 disciples stay onstage beside Jesus for almost the entire performance, each providing solos and choreographed accompaniment. “I love an ensemble piece,” Davis said. “I love a piece where there are 13 people in the show and nobody ever leaves the stage.” Davis said that, as a pedagogical tool, “Godspell” was a great way to build performance skills in students, invested and involved in the entirety of the staging. The cast, it seems, was more than up to the challenge.
Each member brings a standout performance, but Salter as Judas and Dailey Dodgen and Aiden Flowers as disciples are particular highlights. Judas, the semi-antagonist of “Godspell,” is a difficult role to fill considering the character’s evolution between two acts. Salter sells Judas’ angst and devotion in equal measure, subtly changing his performance as the musical progresses. His voice soars with hope and sinks with anguish, bringing humanity to the Bible’s most notorious figure.
Dodgen shines as an exaggerated persona in many roles, acting as a bombastic king and a vagrant disciple with equal bravado. Dodgen’s voice projects powerfully in a crowded scene during his solo song, an especially important feat for such a focal point in the script.
Flowers shines as well, breaking the fourth wall as a guitar-playing journeyman — and occasional Marlon Brando impersonator. His charisma as an actor and chemistry with the cast underscore many scenes, elevating his interactions with other characters and creating highlights of situational comedy. Flowers’ instrumental ability onstage is also wonderfully fun, a skill used to great effect in the second act.
Each member of the cast is worthy of similar praise, and combined, the voice of the ensemble mixes beautifully in anthems like “Day by Day” and “We Beseech Thee.” All 13 members can break apart in organized chaos or satisfying unison through choreography, combining Schwartz’s music with palpable, physical energy.
As a send-off for the season, “Godspell” reflects the breadth of achievements by the theatre program this year, an unmissable performance for any musical fan.
“Godspell” runs in the Marian Gallaway Theatre from April 6-11 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance Sunday, April 12, at 2 p.m. Tickets are available to purchase online or at the box office.
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