Skip to main content

More News about the Good News

This is not a review. We have plenty of good reviewers in the Baltimore/Washington area. For an extremely local one, you might want to look here. These are my musings upon seeing a favorite musical from my youth and reflecting on how it has changed.

*****

So the sweet and gentle Godspell of my youth was apparently transformed into something more akin to a rock opera in the Broadway revival of 2011. And this production is rooted in that one, so you'll find much more wailing and rocking out than in the original. This review touches on something that we noticed. In all of that rocking and wailing, some of the ensemble singing and tuning was lost. Diction as well. If you come to the show already knowing all of the songs, it won't be a problem for you. But for my daughter who was seeing it for the first time, it was a significant obstacle.

Overall, the energy, enthusiasm and boundless physicality of this production are breathtaking. And those remembering its irreverent topicality will not be disappointed. The story-telling quality of the parables, interpreted with a "let's act it out" style, allow the show to keep updating through the years. And that's good.

I wasn't sure, however, about the setting of Burning Man. My recollections are that the show doesn't really have any particular physical anchor--perhaps an empty playground?-- and that while the Burning Man reference is current, it doesn't add much to how the audience experiences the play. I was stunned by the violence of the crucifixion scene, which I remember as being much more symbolic in the original.

Helicopters, searchlights, megaphones, militarized police wearing helmets that obscure their identities. Jarring. And, I would guess, deliberately so. But for a show that is so deeply rooted in festival, fantasy, and allegory, it feels inappropriately specific to me.

The conversation on the way home focused on two aspects of the okay.

1. If you didn't know the biblical account, and only had this production to go on, why do you think Judas betrayed Jesus?

2. Did the "righteous anger" displayed by Jesus cross the line? Did it show a spark of mental illness? Did it lean less toward holy savior and more toward crazed cult leader?

So, not the typical, "what was your favorite musical number?" conversation. I still love the music, by the way. And this production includes a lovely song that was new to me, "Beautiful City" which was written for the movie. I think, as a teen, I was far more moved by the lyrical quality of "Day by Day" and "All Good Gifts". This time through I was struck by how perfectly crafted "All for the Best" is and how beautifully it illustrates the contrast between Judas and Jesus. Much credit should be given to these particular performers for pulling that off.

I encourage you to go see this production whether or not you have seen this show before. As I said yesterday, it has been extended until March 15th. It's not your mother's Godspell, but it doesn't have to be. It's musical, funny, dramatically challenging. And it will make you think.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more