

“When you feel sad or under a curse, your life is bad, your prospects are worse, your wife is crying, signing, and your olive tree is dying, temples are graying, and teeth are decaying, and creditors weighing your purse, your mood and your robe, are both a deep blue, you bet that Job, had nothing on you, oh don’t forget that when you go to Heaven you’ll be blessed. Yes, it’s all for the best.”
This first verse is sung be Jesus and the next verse is sung by Judas, talking about those who have it easy, who are living the good life, and it seems the world was made for them. The point of the story is that when times are at their absolute worst, rather than giving up and getting bogged down in the dumps, focus on the promises of God and His power to get you through. The song that follows is “All Good Gifts”, which accompanies the parable of the sower. This parable tells the story of a man who sows seeds of mustard grass in different places. On rocks they dry up, in weeds and thorns they get chocked and die, but on good soil they take root and grow. Then they tell the parable of the Prodigal Son and sing “Light of the World” (“… but even the tallest candle stick ain’t much good without a wick. You’ve gotta stay bright to be the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men, let your light so shine…”). With this happy celebration song that just makes you want to clap along, they closeActI.(Fun Fact: When the show first opened, they referred to the intermission as the “party” in between acts. The cast would join the audience in the lobby for wine and bread.) Act II is called to order with a reprise of “Learn Your Lessons Well.” Then one of the girls sings “Turn Back Oh Man”, imploring mankind to relent with temporal pursuits and turn instead to God. This song is one of my favorites. It’s a sassy bluesy number with tons of opportunity for direct audience interaction and improv comedy. Next, the Pharisees challenge Jesus, asking him what the most important commandment is. He says to love God with all your heart and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus sings “Alas For You” to the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites and blind fools. They bring in a woman you has been condemned as an adulterer and sentenced to be stoned to death. Jesus says that the one among them who is without fault may throw the first stone. Of course, no one there is without fault, so they all leave. As Jesus walks away from her, she sings “By My Side”, asking Jesus where he is going and if she can go too. This song is my favorite in the show. It’s so beautiful, a lullaby, a love song, a pure and vulnerable sound, like a little child reaching up to take their daddy’s hand. It is during this song that Judas is given the 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus to the authorities. Thankfully, the next song is much more upbeat, though not particularly happy. Jesus says that as a shepherd separates his sheep from his goats, one day He will separate his sheep/followers from the goats/those who did not follow. He separates the cast into the sheep and goats. The goats are sent to eternal punishment. They sing “We Beseech Thee”, calling for mercy. For such a dismal situation, the song is very fun and lively, further illustrating Godspell’s purpose of making the gospel a joyful journey. The point of Jesus’ story is not the damnation, but rather the chance to be saved from damnation. It is now time for The Last Supper and theGardenofGethsemane. The cast sings “On the Willows.” Jesus takes this time to say goodbye to the other people in the cast before His crucifixion. During the Crucifixion, Jesus sings “Oh God, I’m dying,” and the cast responds, “Oh God, You’re dying.” When He dies he sings, “Oh God, I’m dead.” Then the cast takes Him down and carries Him out through the audience in a funeral procession. As they carry Him out they sing the finale number, “Long Live God/Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord reprise.” Though there is no resurrection scene, most people just allow the finale to lead into the curtain call, becoming a resurrection moment when Jesus comes back out for His bow. Some productions even add the song “BeautifulCity” from the movie in at certain points in the show and reprise it at the end. My mom introduced this show to me. We used to listen to the original cast recording in the car when I was growing up and mom always sang “Turn Back Oh Man” with a fun gravely style that I thought was so cool! I’ve done lots of musicals but I haven’t gotten the chance to do this one yet… Thankfully there is a revival on Braodway… again. (lol)In loving memory of Patricia Faherty whose smile was a light of the world. “Then I’ll take your hand, finally glad, that You are here by my side.”
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