{"id":4710,"date":"2023-03-29T20:02:14","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T00:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theaterreviewsfrommyseat.com\/?p=4710"},"modified":"2023-03-29T20:02:14","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T00:02:14","slug":"godspell-art4-south-bend-indiana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theaterreviewsfrommyseat.com\/godspell-art4-south-bend-indiana\/","title":{"rendered":"Godspell (Art4, South Bend, Indiana)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

I have a long relationship with this show and, in my mind, its memorable tunes.\u00a0 Back in the days when I harbored some religious beliefs, Godspell<\/strong> was performed quite often.\u00a0 I’ve seen friends perform in it on stages and on altars.\u00a0 I saw the frenetic and misguided Broadway revival in 2011.\u00a0 The 2020 production at the Berkshire Theatre was the first post-Covid equity musical in America.\u00a0 It made national news and was my first post-Covid show as well.<\/p>\n

With all that baggage unloaded I decided to check out the version presented by Art 4 after having enjoyed their successful The Last Five Years<\/strong> in the fall. There are inevitable comparisons one makes when you see a show you know extremely well.\u00a0 This experience was similar to attending the Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street<\/strong> last week.<\/p>\n

The early productions of Godspell often mimicked the off-Broadway smash hit with the electric fence crucifixion and other trademarks.\u00a0 Over time things evolved.\u00a0 The plastic partitions between the performers during Covid was certainly novel (and Actor’s Equity approved).\u00a0 What I especially appreciated about Director and Choreographer Mark Albin’s vision were some fresh and inventive updates to the material.<\/p>\n

The show opens by considering the concept of truth.\u00a0 Various historical figures wearing identification sashes gather.\u00a0 Then Judas (Zach Wilkeson) arrives and prepares ye the way of the Lord.\u00a0 Parable storytelling here was mostly effective with a notably inspired Prodigal Son.\u00a0 Jesus was portrayed by Laurisa LeSure, a black woman in a nicely modulated performance filled with gentle wisdom and necessary gravitas.\u00a0 The entire cast was dialed in and entertaining to watch.<\/p>\n

Lingo is tossed in frequently by the young cast.\u00a0 “Go Master, it’s your birthday”.\u00a0 Trump is referred to as “you crazy comb over man”.\u00a0 That logically occurred amid the “no man can serve God and money” scene.\u00a0 Pictionary and Charades are employed in the storytelling.\u00a0 “Occupy Library” was a funny bit as the show is housed in the South Bend Public Library’s auditorium.<\/p>\n

The jokes continued.\u00a0 When asked “do you know what the seed is?” one guessed “the stimulus package?”\u00a0 Songs were nicely performed with an especially fine “Bless the Lord”.<\/p>\n

For a fifty year old show, there’s quite a bit of seriousness acutely relevant to today’s environment.\u00a0 Some lines and lyrics land hard.\u00a0 “They say one thing and do another”.\u00a0 “Everything they do is for show”.\u00a0 “This nation, this generation shall bear the guilt of it all”.\u00a0 Thankfully a solution is proffered:\u00a0 “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with love”.<\/p>\n

At intermission I was considering the changes made to this show over time.\u00a0 I recalled a play which blew my mind when I saw it in 2013.\u00a0 Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play<\/strong> begins with a group of survivors retelling an episode of The Simpsons<\/em> after a global catastrophe.\u00a0 Two subsequent acts present versions passed down and revised in later years.\u00a0 I won’t be around 75 years from now but Godspell will likely be.\u00a0 Hopefully creative people will continue to interpret, revise and celebrate this enduring and warm hearted American musical.<\/p>\n

Godspell concluded performances on March 26 , 2023.\u00a0 Art 4’s season will include Spring Awakening<\/strong> in July and The Lightning Thief<\/strong> in November.\u00a0 I saw the former’s original Broadway cast and the latter’s national tour.\u00a0 Both should be worth checking out and could benefit from a different point of view.<\/em><\/p>\n

www.art4sb.com<\/a><\/p>\n

theaterreviewsfrommyseat\/godspellberkshiretheatre<\/a><\/p>\n

theaterreviewsfrommyseat\/sweeneytodd2023<\/a><\/p>\n

theaterreviewsfrommyseat\/thelastfiveyears<\/a><\/p>\n

theaterreviewsfrommyseat\/thelightningthief<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have a long relationship with this show and, in my mind, its memorable tunes.\u00a0 Back in the days when I harbored some religious beliefs, Godspell was performed quite often.\u00a0 I’ve seen friends perform in it on stages and on altars.\u00a0 I saw the frenetic and misguided Broadway revival in 2011.\u00a0 The 2020 production at … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Godspell (Art4, South Bend, Indiana)”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6],"tags":[4863],"class_list":["post-4710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-outside-nyc","tag-musical"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nGodspell (Art4, South Bend, Indiana) - TheaterReviewsFromMySeat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I can see a swath of sinners settin' yonder and they're actin' like a pack of fools. 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