Revival?

DramaRobin2002 · Revival?

Hi everyone! Has anyone heard anything about the Godspell revival that's supposed to be hitting Broadway this summer? I just heard about it from Broadway.com and the spyware currently attacking my laptop ikeeps closing my Google when I try to search things. Any information would be much appreciated.

Jman383

Yes, i DO know that the entire cast is the 2006 Papermill cast reprising all of their roles, EXCEPT Gavin Creel is playing Jesus.

Monsieur D'Arque

What was their style/take/treatment? Any new stagings or music arrangements?

Jman383

I have no idea. I've read a few reviews, and the ONLY thing I know is there concept, which is pretty cool.

The show is set in an abandoned theatre, during a storm. The thunderstorm happens, and then "Prepare Ye" is all of them coming into the theatre, meeting each other, and being baptized (I assume).

For the rest of the show, they make costume changes, use theatrical set pieces and props left in the theatre to illustrate the story. Here's a few pics from the show:

http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=12489

As far as the arrangements of song, the only things I've read is that By My Side is VERY soulful (the singer is black), and "Turn Back, O Man" is rather like the original (as in, unsoulful, more character-voice and playful, than sexy). That's about it though. Hope this helps!

Monsieur D'Arque

Sounds cool... I'd love to hear the new By My Side, but I'm not wild about the return of the Mae West style to "Turn Back O Man." Ever since The Blue Album, the song has been Broadway's number one "Big Black Lady" number, a setting which I thought worked even better than the original.

Jman383

Oh same. In fact, if you look in the pics, the girl who sings "Turn Back" is in the hat and blue dress. Weird, isn't it? I read in one of the reviews she scared a little boy out of the audience.

But yes, I love the soulful Turn Back. That's how we did it in my show, whereas my high school did it 4 yrs ago in the original style, and believe me, there wasnt even a comparison. Doing it the "black" way just shows off the singer's voice, let alone, adds more spark to the song.

Monsieur D'Arque

The woman on the Blue Album is Capathia Jenkins, whose signature song is "A Big Black Lady Stops The Show."

Everytime I hear her "Turn Back," I expect her to end her final riff with "Top that, ----! Ha-haaaaaa!"

Jman383

Oh I know, I love Capath. The first time I heard her though, she sounded NOTHING like she does on "Turn Back". She's the "Generations" soloist on the "Children of Eden" cd. Still fierce though. And i love how you call the 2000 cast the "Blue Album" lol.

Monsieur D'Arque

The three main Godspell albums are the Red, Blue and Yellow, as the film uses mainly the Red orchestrations. There are three scores- Red, which is the traditional score as heard in the film and Red Album; Blue, which uses the piano conductor score of Red with a newly written band score; Yellow, the experimental score, which is the only one with a completely different conductor's score and vocal book.

Jman383

Right so blue= 2000 and yellow= 2001 w/ Alex Lacamoire's orchestrations, correct?

Are these official names or are they just commonly used nicknames? Either way, I like them haha.

Monsieur D'Arque

Red Blue and Yellow come from the script and score trading community. They've become canon in talking about Godspell orchestrations using variations on the score- a music director might say, Okay. We're going Blue for "Alas for You," but somebody get me the yellow "By My Side."

Jman383

Ooh that's interesting! See, I just used the year... like, in my show we did the "2000 Turn Back, O Man", but the "2001 We Beseech Thee". The color thing's cool though!

lt.shaw

the cast was just announced on broadway.com.
here's a link: http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=568897

there are 14 people in the cast. they haven't announced the parts in the show the cast will play yet, but what do you think?

i like the 10 person cast feel, because there is a tight knit family. The larger the cast, i think the less the unity, and connection to jesus is felt.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Monsieur D'Arque

They are having a Jesus? I believe one revival or significant production did a version without a Jesus figure, focusing more on "Is God dead today?" and "Is religion or Jesus still relevant?" than on "What is the nature of religion's connection to community."

lt.shaw

yeah, gavin creel is jesus.

What Is This Feeling?

I'd be willing to see this revival. The concept sounds kind of interesting. I've seen Godspell like twice, once at a Church, and the other at a HS(public).
And I've been turned off from the show ever since. Don't get me wrong I believe in God, and I do consider myself a Christian. However, I think the score isn't all that well done. There are a few songs I really like,Day by Day especially. I'm also not a fan of interactive audiences.I never am. This goes for everything from Peter Pan to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to Godspell. But I'm willing to see the revival. Godspell isn't done professionally a lot where I live. I want to see it done professionally, and then if it still doesn't sit well with me, I guess I'm just not a fan.

DramaRobin2002

I don't know how I feel about the enlarged cast yet. I think it's really going to depend on how it's done. I am excited about it though. If they are using the Papermill's concept, it certainly sounds intriguing.

*Edited for new information*- I just read an interview with Stephen Schwartz and he mentions that, "I was happy to feel that, as "Godspell" productions tend to do, this cast features ten of the most talented (and funniest) performers around." So I am guessing that either the extra four cast members are stand-bys/understudies/etc or some changes have been made since he stopped by the workshops.

DramaRobin2002	Revival? Hi everyone! Has anyone heard anything about the Godspell revival that's supposed to be hitting Broadway this summer? I just heard about it from Broadway.com and the spyware currently attacking my laptop ikeeps closing my Google when I try to search things. Any information would be much appreciated.
Jman383	Yes, i DO know that the entire cast is the 2006 Papermill cast reprising all of their roles, EXCEPT Gavin Creel is playing Jesus.
Monsieur D'Arque	What was their style/take/treatment? Any new stagings or music arrangements?
Jman383	I have no idea. I've read a few reviews, and the ONLY thing I know is there concept, which is pretty cool. The show is set in an abandoned theatre, during a storm. The thunderstorm happens, and then "Prepare Ye" is all of them coming into the theatre, meeting each other, and being baptized (I assume). For the rest of the show, they make costume changes, use theatrical set pieces and props left in the theatre to illustrate the story. Here's a few pics from the show: http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=12489 As far as the arrangements of song, the only things I've read is that By My Side is VERY soulful (the singer is black), and "Turn Back, O Man" is rather like the original (as in, unsoulful, more character-voice and playful, than sexy). That's about it though. Hope this helps!
Monsieur D'Arque	Sounds cool... I'd love to hear the new By My Side, but I'm not wild about the return of the Mae West style to "Turn Back O Man." Ever since The Blue Album, the song has been Broadway's number one "Big Black Lady" number, a setting which I thought worked even better than the original.
Jman383	Oh same. In fact, if you look in the pics, the girl who sings "Turn Back" is in the hat and blue dress. Weird, isn't it? I read in one of the reviews she scared a little boy out of the audience. But yes, I love the soulful Turn Back. That's how we did it in my show, whereas my high school did it 4 yrs ago in the original style, and believe me, there wasnt even a comparison. Doing it the "black" way just shows off the singer's voice, let alone, adds more spark to the song.
Monsieur D'Arque	The woman on the Blue Album is Capathia Jenkins, whose signature song is "A Big Black Lady Stops The Show." Everytime I hear her "Turn Back," I expect her to end her final riff with "Top that, ----! Ha-haaaaaa!"
Jman383	Oh I know, I love Capath. The first time I heard her though, she sounded NOTHING like she does on "Turn Back". She's the "Generations" soloist on the "Children of Eden" cd. Still fierce though. And i love how you call the 2000 cast the "Blue Album" lol.
Monsieur D'Arque	The three main Godspell albums are the Red, Blue and Yellow, as the film uses mainly the Red orchestrations. There are three scores- Red, which is the traditional score as heard in the film and Red Album; Blue, which uses the piano conductor score of Red with a newly written band score; Yellow, the experimental score, which is the only one with a completely different conductor's score and vocal book.
Jman383	Right so blue= 2000 and yellow= 2001 w/ Alex Lacamoire's orchestrations, correct? Are these official names or are they just commonly used nicknames? Either way, I like them haha.
Monsieur D'Arque	Red Blue and Yellow come from the script and score trading community. They've become canon in talking about Godspell orchestrations using variations on the score- a music director might say, Okay. We're going Blue for "Alas for You," but somebody get me the yellow "By My Side."
Jman383	Ooh that's interesting! See, I just used the year... like, in my show we did the "2000 Turn Back, O Man", but the "2001 We Beseech Thee". The color thing's cool though!
lt.shaw	the cast was just announced on broadway.com. here's a link: http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=568897 there are 14 people in the cast. they haven't announced the parts in the show the cast will play yet, but what do you think? i like the 10 person cast feel, because there is a tight knit family. The larger the cast, i think the less the unity, and connection to jesus is felt. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Monsieur D'Arque	They are having a Jesus? I believe one revival or significant production did a version without a Jesus figure, focusing more on "Is God dead today?" and "Is religion or Jesus still relevant?" than on "What is the nature of religion's connection to community."
lt.shaw	yeah, gavin creel is jesus.
What Is This Feeling?	I'd be willing to see this revival. The concept sounds kind of interesting. I've seen Godspell like twice, once at a Church, and the other at a HS(public). And I've been turned off from the show ever since. Don't get me wrong I believe in God, and I do consider myself a Christian. However, I think the score isn't all that well done. There are a few songs I really like,Day by Day especially. I'm also not a fan of interactive audiences.I never am. This goes for everything from Peter Pan to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to Godspell. But I'm willing to see the revival. Godspell isn't done professionally a lot where I live. I want to see it done professionally, and then if it still doesn't sit well with me, I guess I'm just not a fan.
DramaRobin2002	I don't know how I feel about the enlarged cast yet. I think it's really going to depend on how it's done. I am excited about it though. If they are using the Papermill's concept, it certainly sounds intriguing. Edited for new information- I just read an interview with Stephen Schwartz and he mentions that, "I was happy to feel that, as "Godspell" productions tend to do, this cast features ten of the most talented (and funniest) performers around." So I am guessing that either the extra four cast members are stand-bys/understudies/etc or some changes have been made since he stopped by the workshops.

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Revival?