Godspell

Godspell originally premiered before Jesus Christ Superstar in an off-Broadway production in 1971, before finally moving to Broadway in 1976. It is known for its playful, optimistic view of Jesus’ teachings, with a much more light-hearted tone than Jesus Christ Superstar. The Gospel of Matthew is retold by Jesus and John the Baptist/Judas, with help from the cast by partaking in clowning, mimes and jokes. Godspell continues to be one of the most frequently produced musicals in schools, community, regional, and summer stock theatres as well as in churches (Hischak, 2008). Most of the script and lyrics are words and phrases that the audience could find in the Bible or hear at a church service and is seen to be a mostly biblical accurate retelling of biblical events (Bial, 2015). 

The most potentially controversial element of this musical was Jesus and his disciples depicted in clown-face once they are baptized. While this certainly was mentioned by critics who were claiming blasphemy, many critics saw an innocent and joyful celebration of religion and youth culture. The idea that the musical is a sincere expression of religious devotion certainly kept most critics away.

It’s certainly important to consider, especially when comparing Godspell to Jesus Christ Superstar, the intent behind each production. Unlike Jesus Christ Superstar, that was created with a series of music for the purpose of Tim Rice trying to become recognizable in the pop music world (Roberts, 2023), Godspell was written by John-Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz with the purpose of spreading a joyful message, born out of a Master’s thesis to retell the bible with the innocence of a child. (Berkshire Theatre Group, 2020)

This play uses some different theatrical techniques to become relatable to the audience. The actors are first introduced as their real names and portray their “real selves” before the baptism scene, making them more personable to the audience. Relatedly, parts of the production are performed in the audience space which increases the sense of intimacy to viewers.

 Bial (2015) analyzes how Godspell is much more closely related to religious ritual by creating a community-oriented performance. He writes:

“As in religious ritual, the sense of shared community is further enhanced by breaking down the physical separation between actors and audience through the device of playing parts of the show in the audience space, and reaches its zenith at the conclusion of the first act, when the performers invite the audience to the stage to share wine with the company.”

Once Godspell moved to Broadway, however, critics believe that it had lost its sense of intimacy. However, it remained a massive cultural phenomenon because it revisited the idea of Jesus as a revolutionary figure in a time where young artists were influenced and radicalized by cultural revolution the 1960s. The Civil Rights Movement, the second wave of feminism and the sexual revolution all contributed to the success of the show, because it showcased the voices of a new generation who preached community and love (Berkshire Theatre Group, 2020).

References:

Berkshire Theatre Group. (2020). History and impact of "Godspell". https://www.berkshiretheatregroup.org/history-and-impact-of-godspell/#:~:text=One%20who%20challenged%20authority%20and,The%20Gospels%5D%20and%20recreate%20the

Bial, H. (2015). Playing God: The Bible on the Broadway Stage. University of Michigan Press.

Goldberg, D. (Director). (2011). Godspell [Musical]. Circle in the Square Theatre, New York, NY.

Hischak, T. S. (2008). The Oxford companion to the American musical: theatre, film, and television. Oxford University Press.

Roberts, D. (2023). 'It seemed very daring at the time – and it was.' Music Business Worldwide. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/it-seemed-very-daring-at-the-time-and-it-was1/