Godspell (2012 Revival Script)

Ck Productions
August 1st-3rd

Dramaturge Packet

A Brief History
Godspell is a musical by Stephen Schwartz
Book by John-Michael Tebelak.

Teblack was considered to be a scruffy hippy type (beard, funky clothes)

Schwartz(23 years old) had been a graduate of Carnegie Melon where Teblack
also went to school in 1970

Tebelak always pondered whether he should be an actor or an Episcopal minister

Easter of 1970 John-Michael went to a service and was kicked out because of the
way he looked

Joylessness of contemporary religion

Religion was respected the same was as it was hundreds of years ago

Generation Gap and interest of religion both inspired him to write Godspell

Godspell was a play based mostly on Jesus teachings in the book of St. Matthew

Controversial piece during the period-Vietnam, so most of the cast was

apprehensive

Show was a huge hit, was offered an extended run at the Caf La Mama in NYC

Cast members wrote their own songs and performed them in the show (Talent
Show)

By My Side by Peggy Gordon was the only song that made it into Schwartzs
score

Shows structure wasnt too cohesive so Schwartz was called in to write the score

The Godspell we know was that version that was at the Cherrylane Theatre

That off-broadway production was then brought to broadway in 1976

Then had a national tour and successful runs in Toronto and West End

The last revival before our version was the 2000 off-Broadway production, this
featured Shoshana Bean singing Bless the Lord and a modern more techno feel to
the show, also revamping the prologue Tower of Babble

Daniel Goldstein was asked to direct Godspell at The Pappermill Playhouse, a

famous equity theater in New Jersey, and try to reinvent Godspell to relay the
teachings of the parables in the most modern way, just as they were originally
done to that time period

His run at Papermill was a huge success and was brought to The Circle in The
Square Theatre on Broadway with open public auditions

TSITS is the only Broadway stage that is theatre in the round 365 days a year.

Goldstein brought Telly Leung along to sing AGG from Papermill, Cast Weeds
and Spring Awakening star Hunter Parish and long time Broadway beltress
Lindsay Mendez to round out a very talented cast with more than half being their
Broadway debuts

Halfway through the run, which played on Broadway from October 13, 2011, to
June 24, 2012, Hunter was replaced by Corbin Bleu

A year afterwards a national tour of Godspell went on for a few months and
recently closed this winter, starring Jake Stern as Jesus

That production strayed away from the recent Broadway revival script and score
to make it as organic as possible

Notes from a few people I contacted

Daniel Goldstein, Broadway revival directorI wish you all the best in the world with the production. What I would say to do, which is
the scariest thing - but also the best thing because then it's your own - is to ignore the
script and do the parables on your own. Look in the bible - get the original - and make up
your own - using the strengths of your cast. If someone can do impressions - or someone
can play an instrument - or do body contortions, use em. We did a talent show at the
beginning and let everyone show off all the amazing stuff they could do. And then that
stuff got into the show. So, the script that you have - that's all based on what we made up
in the room. I would throw away our ideas and come up with your own - and that
includes the assignments of lines. The character assignments in that script are not correct
based on the Broadway production. They're just a cut and paste of names based on the
original production. So don't be reverent to the script. It's not really a script so much as
Jesus's lines and the songs and a guide as to what to do. Have a blast, make each other
laugh, make sure the cast is unafraid and not embarrassed to fail hugely - our motto was
strong and wrong - and we had a big poster of all the stuff we tried and failed - because
then what's left will be gold. The point of all the stories is treat others as you would want
to be treated. And that's all you have to do. Enjoy yourselves and I wish you a great
production.
He also highlighted the idea of lots and lots of failing
Jake Stern 2014 Nation Tours Jesus-

I think the biggest thing you need to do (which we did with our cast) when doing
Godspell is emphasize "Community". The only way Godspell will work is if everyone on
and off stage literally become a community. Here are some ways you can accomplish
that. NO EGO... Make sure everyone understands that the only way you can do this show
is with everyone. Sit down with the Jesus and tell him that he is the most important part
of the show but he isnt the only part of he show. Make it a SAFE PLACE to work in. Go
through the parables (with a bible, we did that and it lead to some great convos and
helped everyone connect to the parables in there own ways.) and let people ask questions
and let everyone give answers. Encourage the cast to HANG OUT with each other. Our
show worked so well because we had a blast with each other on and off stage. And Just
HAVE FUN!!! Its such a fun show!
Now when it comes to Jesus, remember, everyone has a version of who they want Jesus
to be. So no matter what you're not going to please everyone. most People dont want
preachy Jesus. They want someone who really believes what he is saying and who is fun.
Its pretty simple. But extremely hard. But let the Jesus discover his character. Just make
sure he isnt preachy and he is enjoying being with his community.
Philosophers
Tower of Babble is the opening number and one of the hardest numbers, musically, in the
history of modern theatre. This number is about in chronological order the 8 most
influential enlightenment thinkers that challenged the teachings of Jesus Christ. Here is
the list of them:
Socrates
Thomas Aquinas
Galileo
Hegel
Gibbon
L. Ron Hubbard
Jean Paul Satre
Marianne Williamson
Mike will assign which Babbler you are based on vocal part and all that good stuff for
harmonies and the blend. From there on I will ask you to look up a little bit on your
thinker and
Disciples
The original cast defined the personalities of each character as the show was developed.
Most of the characters' names are simply the first name of the actor, so the characters are
more easily identified by the song they sing. The actor cast as John the Baptist doubles in
the show as Judas Iscariot.

In the most recent revival and original cast the chartacters were loosely based on these
descriptions
Anna Maria- A bit of a tomboy, but basically open and sweet. Perhaps the youngest of the
group. She is the first of the group to commit to following Jesus in the song "Day by Day."
Celisse- The female equivalent of the class clown. Goofy and a cut-up. In the 2012 Broadway
revival, she played several instruments, including conga, ukulele and guitar.
George- The comedian, the class clown. The guy who can do a hundred voices and
imitations
Jesus- Must be the most charismatic individual in the cast. High energy, charming, funny,
gentle but with strength. He is the sort of person others instinctively follow.
John the Baptist/Judas- He has attributes of both Biblical figures: He is both Jesus' lieutenant
and most ardent disciple and the doubter who begins to question and rebel. Like Jesus, he is
also charismatic, but in more of an overt revolutionary way. Usually played by someone
handsome and masculine, with an undertone of sexuality. He is the most "serious" and
intellectual of the group, though as with all the actors, he must still possess a good sense of
physical comedy.
Lindsay- The confident one, the show-off. The first one to vonunteer, sometimes she jumps in
before she really understands what's going on.
Morgan- Sassy and slightly cynical, the most urban of the group. Also the "sexy" one, but her
sexiness contains a large element of put-on, in the manner of Mae West or Madonna (who in
fact once played this role.)
Nick- Very high energy. Impish and playful. In the original, he played several musical
instruments, including concertina, recorder and guitar.
Telly- Not the brightest in the bunch, he is a little slow on the uptake. But there is a great
sweetness and innocense about him. Because he sings "All Good Gifts" he must be a very
good singer.
Uzo- The shy one. Sometimes a little slow to get things, but when she does, she commits all
the way. Has an "earth mother" kind of warmth to her.

Things for us to consider and decide on

Where do we want this to take place?
The OBC took place in an abandoned playground where that was brought to life, The role
that the setting plays in the show is that it is brought to life by the cast that inhibits it.
Each different setting limits or helps the type of literal props and set pieces we have and
how we can mold them into what we want parable to parable. Some noted settings
include alleyways, high school classrooms/gymnasiums, on top of buildings, an
apocalyptic world or in an abandoned theater. We can choose any of these already
successful ones and play with that. We must keep in mind how we cannot let the setting

detract from the impromptu of Godspell. Since the setting is never explicitly stated in the
text, directors frequently see this show as a chance to show off their creative abilities.
Parables
Taking this directly from the bible, Jesus understood that many people do not have
interest or regard for the message He was conveying. To those with a hunger for God,
with genuine interest, the parable was an effective and memorable way to communicate
Jesus message.
Jesus warns against the teachers of the law and Pharisees

Pharisees were people who interpreted the ten commandments

follow everything they tell you to do, do not, however imitate their actions
because they do not practice what they preach Hypocrites.
The Pharisees did good deeds for retribution not just for the deed itself
They considered themselves at a higher place where everyone should be equals.
You have only one god, 1st commandment and one of Jesus first teachings in the
show

I will be sending you a write-up of each parable in advance to explain what we are doing
page-by-page before I explain it in person below is an example of how Godspell takes
direct passages from the bible and explains them in the show also, I have a breakdown
of my favorite parable, The Prodigal son, which usually steals the show.
The Good Seed
"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message
about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away
what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received
the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it
with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution
comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell
among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the
deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed
that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a
crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown" (Matthew 13:18-23).

The Prodigal Son

1. What does "prodigal" mean?
The word "prodigal" is mysterious to us. Almost the only
time we ever hear it is in the title of this parable.
It's basic meaning is "wasteful"--particularly with regard

7. What do the actions of the prodigal son teach us?

They teaches us the depths to which our own misuse of
freedom will bring us.

to money.
It comes from Latin roots that mean "forth" (pro-) and "to
drive" (agere). It indicates the quality of a person who
drives forth his money--who wastes it by spending with
reckless abandon.
That's what the prodigal son does in this story.
2. Why does Jesus tell this parable?
This question is answered at the beginning of Luke 15,
where we read:
[1] Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing
near to hear him [Jesus]. [2] And the Pharisees and the
scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and
eats with them." [3] So he told them this parable . . .
Actually, Jesus tells three parables:
The parable of the lost sheep
The parable of the lost coin
The parable of the lost son (or, as we know it,
the parable of the prodigal son)
All three parables are on the subject of recovering the
lost, which is the implicit explanation of why Jesus
receives sinners and eats with them: They are lost, and he
wants to recover them.
Interestingly, the parable of the prodigal son (and the
parable of the lost coin) occur only in Luke.
3. What's happening in the parable?
Jesus' parables are based on real-life situations, though
they often veer off from the expected course of events in
surprising ways. Those surprises teach us lessons.
Here, Jesus relates the situation of a father who has two
sons, one of whom can't wait for his inheritance.
In Jewish society, there were laws regarding how
inheritances were typically divided. The oldest brother got
a double share (cf. Deut. 21:17), while the other brothers
got a single share.
When there were two brothers (as here), the older brother
would get 2/3rds of the estate, and the younger brother
would get 1/3rd.
4. What is the prodigal son asking for?
In this parable, the younger son demands "the share of
property that falls to me" (v. 12).
That means he is asking for the 1/3rd of the father's
possessions that he would ordinarily get when the father
dies.
Think about that.
He's asking his father to give him 1/3rd of everything that
he owns right now, before the father is dead, when his
father would still have use for these possessions.
How many fathers would receive that suggestion well
today? How many would comply with it if one of their
children asked it?
Not many!
This is a truly astonishing request, and it would have been
even more astonishing in the ancient world.
In a society that highly reverenced parents, it would have
been equivalent to saying: "Father, I can't even wait for
you to die. Give me 1/3rd of everything you have right
now."

If we are bent on leaving God, things will go badly for us.

We will be humiliated in the uncaring world.
The farther we get from the Father's loving care, the
worse off we will be, and our best course is to return to
God and his forgiveness.
8. What does the father do next?
When the prodigal son returns to his father, something
significant happens.
While he is still at a distance, the father sees him, has
compassion upon him, runs to him, hugs him, and kisses
him.
This is far from the humiliating reunion that the son might
expect based on his previous audacious and insulting
treatment of his father!
The returning son must have been astonished!
But he continues by beginning to recite his pre-scripted
speech to his father, and he manages to get the
first two parts of it out. He says:
(a) "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you"
(v. 21a),
(b) "I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (v. 21b).
But before he can say the third part--before he can ask to
be treated merely as a servant--the father interrupts things
and takes them in a very different direction.
Rather than treating his younger son as a mere servant, he
turns to the actual servants and orders a celebration.
9. What do the actions of the father teach us?
The first lesson is that the father will not treat a son as
a hired servant. The younger son is still a son!
As a result, his return is something to be celebrated!
He is to wear a fancy robe! A fancy ring! Shoes! There is
to be a fancy feast for everyone! There is to be music and
dancing!
Why?
Because "This my son was dead, and is alive again" and
"He was lost, and is found."
This shows us God's reaction when we return from being
lost in sin.
He doesn't begrudge us what we have done. He doesn't
take us back reluctantly.
Like the father in the parable, he takes us
back joyously! Eagerly!
But this is not all there is to the story . . .
10. What does the older brother do next?
There is usually at least one major lesson per parable for
each major figure in it, and now we come to the lesson
that the older brother can teach us.
He didn't demand his inheritance. He stayed faithful to his
father. And now he is angry.
Why should his younger, wasteful, sinful brother receive
such a reception by their father?
The older brother is so angry that he refuses to go inside
and join the party.
Naturally, his father hears about it and comes to talk to
him.
When that happens, we discover that he's not just angry
with his brother, he's angry with his father, too.
He points out that he has never disobeyed his father's
commands but that his father has never given him a kid (a

5. What does the father's reaction teach us?

Despite the breathtaking--and insulting--audacity of the
younger son's request, the father grants it!
Amazing!
This reflects the amazing indulgence that God shows
toward us. Even when we are acting as selfishly as the
prodigal son, God indulges us.
He yields what is his and allows us to misuse it out of
respect for the freedom that he has given us.
But he knows that the misuse of our freedom will have no
better results than it did with the prodigal son's misuse
of his freedom, and God trusts that we will learn our
lesson and come back to him
6. What does the prodigal son do next?
After he gets 1/3rd of his father's estate, he takes
everything he has and goes "into a far country, and there
he squandered his property in loose living" (v. 13).
In context, this means that he abandoned the Holy Land to
go, voluntarily, into exile into a gentile, pagan country
where he could live loosely without being censured by
fellow Jews living all around him.
He wanted to get out of God's land so that he could live in
sin and fund his sinful lifestyle by what he took from his
father.
But eventually the resources he had were exhausted and a
hard time came.
If he had not spent what he had on loose living (as we will
later learn, on prostitutes), he would have had the money
he needed to weather the hard time, but he didn't.
Thus he was reduced to a state of hunger and had to
subject himself to a pagan (humiliation #1) and to feed the
pagan's pigs (humiliation #2).
He would have been happy just to eat as well as the pigs
(humiliation #3), but nobody gave him anything to eat,
not even from the pigs' slop (humiliation #4).
Having been brought to such a low state, he recalled how
his righteous father treated even his hired servants better:
"How many of my father's hired servants have bread
enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger!" (v.
17).
He thus plans to return to his father and say three things:
(a) "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you"
(v. 18),
(b) "I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (v. 19a),
(c) "treat me as one of your hired servants" (v. 19b).
Even being treated as one of his father's hired servants
would be better than the treatment he is receiving in the
gentile world.

young goat) so that he could slaughter it and have a party

with his friends.
In contrast, the younger brother has "devoured your living
with harlots" (wasting a third of the father's estate!), but
when he comes back "the fatted calf" (that is, the best,
most tender and delicious animal, specially raised to be
so) is killed!
The older brother sees this difference in treatment as a
manifest injustice toward him and is angry with his father
because of it.
As we will see, he even seems to be worrying about his
own security in the family since the father is showing
such seeming favoritism to the younger son.
11. What does the father do?
The father tells the son three things.
First, he tells him: "Son, you are always with me." This
seems to be a reassurance to the elder son that he has not
lost his place in the family. His place is secure.
Second, he tells him: "and all that is mine is yours." This
is because the division of property has already taken
place. The younger soon took his third, so the two-thirds
that remain will go entirely to the older son.
This means that the current celebration does not represent
a threat to the older brother or his inheritance. Instead, it
is a celebration of joy occasioned by the return of the son.
Thus the father thirdly tells him: "It was fitting to make
merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is
alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
12. What are the spiritual lessons for us?
From this parable we can draw a number of spiritual
lessons:
We can be a genuine son of the Father--who is
spiritually "alive"--and be "lost" through sin. We can turn
our backs on our heavenly Father and leave him of our
own free will. Mortal sin is a real possibility.
Mortal sin inevitably lands us in a far worse
state than we were in originally.
We can, however, return to the Father and be
accepted by him with great joy. In fact, he is ready and
eager to accept us back and forgive us, no matter what
we've done.
Christians who have never fallen should not
resent those who come back. They should share in their
Father's joy.
Their own place is secure and their heavenly
reward is not threatened. God loves them just as much as
he loves those who come back through a dramatic
conversion.

Godspell Contact Sheet

Tommy Ranieri
Director
Tommyjranieri@gmail.com
631-478-3118

Light Of The World - George

Matt Healey
healeymatthew7@gmail.com
631-560-9239

Jess Schaffer
Choreographer
Jschafferperform@aol.com
631-617-4227

Turn Back O Man - Morgan

Emily Sarra
esarra172@aol.com
631-553-7225

Jesus
Jake Derobertis
jakederobertis@gmail.com
631-384-1938

All Good Gifts - Telly/Musical Director

Michael Recchia
Karatemike415@aol.com
516-637-5650

John The Baptist/Judas

David Dimarzo
d.dimarzo05@gmail.com
631-245-7747

By My Side - Uzo
Breanna Pariti
B.pariti@gmail.com
631-942-9187

Day By Day-Anna Maria

Gaby Goubran
gabyg97@gmail.com
516-348-4274

We Beseech Thee - Nick

John Wixted
jldubbs88@gmail.com
631-742-4348

Learn Your Lessons-Celisse

Megan Gallagher
gallagherme@rider.edu
631-972-8816

Ethan Felizzari
Producer
efelizzari@yahoo.com ckprodshows@gmail.com
631-255-3590

Bless The Lord-Lindsay

Danielle Nigro
Dnigro1@binghamton.edu
631-521-4797

Buy Tickets at! http://godspellck.brownpapertickets.com/

Production Fees- $125 to Ethan Felizzari or can be paid in ticket sales or sponsors at
equivalent amount
15 tickets sold=60 dollars off
30 tickets sold= No Production fee
Shows are August 1st at 8pm August 2nd at 3pm and 8pm and August 3rd at 3pm
Islip Town Hall West
9