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Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Reviews Godspell Conceived and Originally Directed by John-Michael Tebelak Directed and choreographed by Debra Rice Endris Reviewed by Keith Waits Entire contents copyright © 2009, Keith Waits, all rights reserved.
Godspell, which, along with Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar, introduced modern pop/rock music to the realm of musical theatre, is such an ebullient and innocent show that it might seem difficult to critique without coming off as a curmudgeon. After all, how can anyone not be charmed by the wholesome and guileless quality of this script, based mostly on the Gospel According to St. Matthew? The story is a series of parables acted out by a group of young, colorfully dressed people who congregate around the character of Jesus, whom they refer to as "Master". Comic scenes of slapstick that echo of the Three Stooges and the Marx Brothers alternate with very accessible pop songs that handily meet the criterion of good show tunes that the audience be humming them as they leave the theatre. The score by Stephen Schwartz, who later would write the music and lyrics for Wicked, is irresistibly buoyant and memorable. This production, which is staged in a cozy space where no one is seated more than about 20 feet from the stage, works very hard to be professional and bring the material home, but, try as it might, it never quite fulfills its potential. The energetic cast of teenagers and college students is filled with talent and enthusiasm, and for the most part they were a winning and cohesive ensemble, and could sing well. But too often they lacked the projection necessary to overcome the volume of the pre-recorded musical score, a problem all-to-common in civic theatre productions, whatever the size of the venue. There were also problems with the lead performance by Jacob Endris as Jesus, whose flat vocal delivery and stiff movements robbed the play of its center. Godspell is not a play that can easily suffer the miscasting of this important role. Fortunately, beginning with Tyler Strickland's more practiced hand with the dual role of John the Baptist / Judas, the rest of the cast picks up the burden and just about pulls it off. There was no shortage of eager-to-please charm, and Leslie Hudson performed, "O, Bless the Lord, My Soul", with style, displaying star quality throughout the evening. Kim Hollkamp's heartfelt rendition of the best known song from this score, "Day by Day", was one of the saddest casualties of the conflict with the audio volume, but I will never forget the innocence and lack of guile that characterized her affecting work. Harli Cooper did a fine job with, "All Good Gifts", and Grace Robertson made the most of, "Turn Back O Man", providing just the right amount of spice in her performance of the saucy, vampy tune. The number is interjected late in the evening with the intention of energizing the audience in preparation for the big finale, and Ms. Robertson's full-throated delivery does not disappoint. Although lacking a solo number, I would also mention Craig Brauner, who displayed comic assuredness in his every movement, but in truth, the ensemble was the real strength of the show. Director Debra Rice Endris moved her lithe and nimble cast around the stage with an eye toward making the most out of simple choreography that never overwhelmed the limited space, giving the actors ample room to play the physical comedy portions of the show for all they were worth. Musical Director Dan Endris' vocal arrangements found each appropriate emotional peak, and I was particularly struck by the quality of the choral work in, "By My Side". The number occurs as the second act moves the story into the darker waters of Jesus' betrayal and sacrifice and is quite beautiful in its effect. Whatever the show's limitations, I would say that the husband and wife team of Debra and Dan Endris know how to win over an audience. They have crafted an engaging production of a popular and accessible, if somewhat dated, classic of American musical theatre, and, sure enough, I drove home with those songs playing in my head. Special note: If you are attending a Drama Studio production for the first time, it is worth mentioning that the St. Genesius Theatre is perhaps a little hard-to-find and is housed in a whitewashed Quonset hut structure on Bell Avenue. www.thedramastudio.net
Godspell
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