The Godspell, according to UVM

For the past several nights, students, parents and community members have been gathering in Royall Tyler Theatre to listen to the words of Jesus Christ.

Well, not exactly.

“Godspell,” the UVM Theatre Department’s latest production, ran from Feb. 18 to 28 and was sold out on all of the dates.

Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak first produced the play in 1971 at the height of the Vietnam War.

They wrote the play to provide a more accurate depiction of the story of Jesus at a time when the general public was misrepresenting his words and ideals, according to Schwartz in an interview.

While the play is based on the Gospel according to Matthew, it seeks to provide a non-religious, humorous take on these divine words.

The play, which the theatre department depicted through an ensemble cast, opened with several philosophers — Socrates, Martin Luther and Leonardo da Vinci to name a few — that spoke, depicting the “Tower of Babble.”

After this brief prologue, the cast members assumed their roles as Jesus’ disciples. In an odd twist, the members were referred to as their real-life names when they are disciples.

This beginning was particularly choppy, as the opening did not mesh well with the following scene, in which Jesus enters.

But Jesus’ character made up for this rough start. Sam Durant Hunter, a junior theatre major, played the young preacher with a vengeance.

Although clad in simply a sweatshirt and jeans, his presence took over the entire theater as soon as he spoke. As he preached to the ensemble cast, who were then playing his disciples, his disciples did as they were told in an obedient fashion.

The ensemble cast was a positive attribute of the play, as all of the actors proved to be extremely versatile.

While Jesus told the stories to his disciples, the ensemble cast changed characters, becoming the figures in his stories. These stories were portrayed comically, as they were told in a modern, joking fashion.

This humor was a common theme throughout the play, turning an often serious subject into a lighthearted tale.

Senior theatre major Julia DiFerdinando took the humor to a new level in her portrayal of an an elongated death of Lazarus. The entire audience broke out in laughter as she continuously rose from the ground, only to fall back down each time.

As the play moved into the second act, however, the tone completely changed. This was inevitable, though, as the entire audience was aware of Jesus’ eventual demise.

While unavoidable, this reenactment depicted his betrayal in a graceful manner.

The ensemble cast, who were then playing the townspeople, were starting to doubt Jesus’ teachings. Nevertheless, Hunter remained in character, completely unfazed by those persecuting him.

As he died on the cross, however, he showed a different side of Jesus. In a weakened voice, he yelled “Oh God, I’m dying!”

In spite of the fact that Jesus rose from the dead according to the Gospel, the play ended on this somber note.

One of the bright spots in the play was the superb singing, in different styles and genres.
The final scene is highlighted by the cast singing the play’s signature song, “Beautiful City.”

Overall, “Godspell” was quite entertaining. The lack of props and the simplicity of the costumes highlight the most important part of the play — the acting.