Godspell The Musical - A Great Entertainer

By Author: Al Terry
Total Articles: 781
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Godspell the musical debuted in the year 1971 at an off-Broadway theater. John Michael Tebelak wrote the musical as a part of his Master's thesis at the Carnegie Mellon. Tebelak also directed the original Godspell. Tebelak wrote the musical when he was just 22. In the musical, he tries to portray Jesus as a happy man who is concerned about everyone's happiness. The musical takes a unique look at the last days of Jesus.

Unique Musical

Godspell the musical is based on The Gospel as according to St. Matthew, which deals with the last days of Christ. The musical presented a new way in which Jesus Christ could be presented. In the musical, Jesus is dressed as a clown with a red nose. He is wearing a Superman shirt and has a red heart painted on his forehead.

Godspell the musical shows dramatized versions of some of the well known parables from the Gospel. The musical is more than just a religious experience. It tries to interpret humanity's greatest events in its own unique style.

The Show

Godspell is a two act show with ten cast members. It has a small orchestra which includes piano, guitar, drums, ...
... and bass. It has minimum scenery, lighting and sound. It includes some of the greatest musical numbers like Save The People, Day by Day, Light of the World, Learn Your Lessons Well, and By My Side.

Godspell the musical opens with a group of ten people who have gathered in a playground, which is surrounded by a high wire fence. Each of the members put on a tee shirt bearing the name of a famous prophet or thinker: John the Baptist, Jesus, Socrates, Da Vinci, Gibbon, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, Nietzsche, Jean Paul Sartre and Buckminster Fuller. The characters then enter into interesting dialogues and various parables are explored.

The musical score of Godspell is by Academy and Grammy Award winner and six time Tony Award nominee Stephen Schwartz. The song Day by Day went on to become a chart hit. Schwartz is also famous for his other works like Pippin, Prince of Egypt, and Pocahontas.

Entertaining Audiences Worldwide

The show made its Broadway debut on June 22, 1976 at the Broadhurst Theatre. Critics applauded the show for its freshness and unique approach. The show then moved to the Plymouth and the Ambassador before closing on September 4, 1977.

This great musical has entertained audiences worldwide. Productions of this hit musical were produced in all major cities of US including Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Toronto, and Boston. Paris, Melbourne, Hamburg and Amsterdam were some of the cities where productions opened. In 1971, a London production was also opened. This one ran for nearly three years.

A film version of the musical was also released in 1973. The film cast included Toronto alum Victor Garber as Jesus, David Haskell as John the Baptist/Judas and Lynne Thigpen.

Godspell the musical is a refreshing show, the tickets of which can be bought online. Just order them online and they will be delivered at the billing address. The tickets are available at very competitive rates. You can check out the sitting arrangements before you book yours. Booking tickets online is easy and convenient. However, make sure that you are dealing with an authorized ticket broker.
Al writes many articles about concert events around the country including ways to locate Godspell The Musical Reviews and News for fans. His resources include news and events about the show and different ways to find Godspell the musical reviews and news online.