ShowBizRadio

Spirited singing with a valuable message of love filled Bishop DuBourg High School’s theater last night. Godspell, the musical’s name coming from an old Anglo-Saxon word that means “gospel,” included new twists on old tales from the Bible, the cast acting out the short but entertaining episodes. The production, as a whole, presents these little moral stories along with a sort of reenactment of the Last Supper and the Passion of Christ in a more musical form.

This musical premiered on the Broadway stage in 1976 after five years of off-Broadway performances, making it one of the longest-running off-Broadway shows in history. Godspell features acclaimed music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.

In the principal role of Jesus was Mario Meyer, who led the rest of the cast with wonderfully unique vocals. Although his movements seemed somewhat awkward and unnatural at times, his expressions and line delivery were spot-on for the character. Meyer’s dramatic stage presence also built tension and sadness during the death scene.

Phill Kosta, who played both Judas and John the Baptist, worked each character’s distinct demeanor well. With effortless movements and an aura onstage ideal for the roles, Kosta also captured attention with his superb singing ability. He added to the intensity during the Last Supper and Jesus’s betrayal as well.

The ensemble, in character at all times, interacted wonderfully with each other and Jesus. All of their voices blended beautifully and created an excellent sound throughout the show. They made great use of their smallish space, moving around just enough to keep everyone entertained but not so much that it was distracting. The ensemble captured and kept the audience’s attention from the beginning.

While the spotlight strayed from the actors occasionally, lighting was overall fittingly subtle, whereas sound was executed very well within the given space.

Bishop DuBourg’s Godspell shared the enduring message of Jesus with the audience using lively songs and stories from a vibrant cast. They demonstrated that we can build a beautiful city — and world — by living out the Golden Rule day by day.

by Marissa Schrader of Notre Dame High School