Open Forum

  • 1.  Godspell in Public School?

    Posted 05-30-2014 10:10
    Well, what are people's thoughts? Can/should Godspell be produced at a public high school?

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    Beth Lambert
    Performing Arts Teacher
    Carrabec High School
    Fairfield ME
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  • 2.  RE: Godspell in Public School?

    Posted 05-30-2014 11:11
    Sure!  I've done it in the high school setting twice, and several other high schools in Phoenix have produced it.  I did ask permission of the principal just to be sure they wouldn't get upset later. But we had no complaints or backlash from the community at all.  It was very successful for us.

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    Susan St. John
    Tempe AZ
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  • 3.  RE: Godspell in Public School?

    Posted 05-30-2014 11:23
    Of course it works. If you approach it from a literary standpoint, the story is important to study. 
    The overall message, while it's focus stems from Christianity, is in fact the philosophy of every major world religion. 
    You can also play down the crucifixion at the end, and make it more of a celebration (sort of like the recent revival).

    Godspell does not need to be any more Christian than Fiddler is Jewish. The improv opportunities, and individual personalities of your actors makes this a terrific showpiece!
    I say do it!

    I am considering this for our show next spring since we are in the middle of a 2.5 million dollar renovation of our auditorium. I want to rent a circus tent and perform outside -- if I can find a tent large enough!

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    Ron Wells
    LCJ Summit Middle School
    Summit, New Jersey
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  • 4.  RE: Godspell in Public School?

    Posted 05-31-2014 07:10
    I don't like Godspell so I wouldn't do it at my school. But it has been produced at public schools for decades. My school produced it the year before I started there -- getting me off the hook, I guess. 

    I can't think of a good reason why it shouldn't be done from a content standpoint. I bet your school choir performs sacred music as part of their program. Many schools read parts of the bible in literature class. 

    If we can present Godspell, do we also have to strike Fiddler from our repertoire?

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    Mark A Zimmerman
    Theatre Director
    Akron School for the Arts
    Akron Public Schools
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  • 5.  RE: Godspell in Public School?

    Posted 06-01-2014 09:28
    I directed GODSPELL at my school and it was one of my most successful shows. I had also just come off of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK so I had diversity of material on my side. No issues! (THE Bible for Dummies was a big help for me!) The only caveat...you must have a strong Jesus! I also used "Beautiful City" as an encore following curtain call with the entire cast in white. The Christians looked at it as the resurrection and the non-Christians looked at it as a pretty (all in white) number. Go for it! ------------------------------------------- Garry Tiller Performing Arts Department Chair Baltimore County Public Schools Baltimore MD -------------------------------------------
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  • 6.  RE: Godspell in Public School?

    Posted 05-31-2014 09:10
    Beth,
    "Godspell" gets done in public schools all the time around here. In fact Brookwood in Snellville, GA won region one-act with it in 2011, and presented it at ThesCon the next year. This March, when I directed it at the Christian school where I teach, we had a visit from cast members from another local public HS stop by check us out before their production.

    For the record, I adore Godspell. Believe it or not, there are Christians who don't like Godspell. We actually had some folks (not from our school) who were unfamiliar with the show, and thought we were "making fun" of Jesus. Additionally, (and Schwartz addresses this in his notes), many Christians have the same objection to Godspell as they do to Superstar: the show ends at the crucifixion. 

    Back to Schwartz: he's Jewish, and states flat out that the theme of Godspell is not the Passion, but rather the creation of community. And that's where the meat of the show lies. The parables that are portrayed are all pretty much universal stuff: love your neighbor, turn the other cheek, don't be a hypocrite. 

    We theatre types (me included) are quick to come the defense of our fellow Thespians when they get content backlash. See the recent thread on Sweeney Todd. Same should hold true for Godspell. As Orson Welles once noted "If you truly want to understand human nature, you only need to read Shakespeare and the Bible." From a strictly literary standpoint, Godspell addresses some classic themes. For believers, there is an an extra layer. 

    Godspell is primarily parables. Parables are teaching stories. And we are nothing if not storytellers. 

    Scott

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    Scott Piehler
    Drama Director
    Lilburn GA
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  • 7.  RE: Godspell in Public School?

    Posted 06-02-2014 14:19
    My school's other theatre teacher directed Godspell with our (public school) students a few years ago, and we received no objections that I recall - whether that it was too dogmatic, or not dogmatic enough.  To be honest, in a city that's home to a 27,000-member Southern Baptist church, I was much more worried the year that I directed Inherit the Wind - yet we got no complaints about that one, either!

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    Jeff Grove
    Theatre Teacher, Aesthetics Department Chair
    Stanton College Preparatory School
    Jacksonville FL


  • 8.  RE: Godspell in Public School?

    Posted 02-05-2018 08:46
    Edited by Ginny Butsch 01-21-2021 09:59
    Aside from being part on most christian education curriculum im sure it's appropriate to have it included.

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    arthur hunt
    moscow ID
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  • 9.  RE: Godspell in Public School?

    Posted 02-06-2018 16:28
    If we can’t produce Godspell in public schools then we would have to look at removing any play/musical that deals with ANY religion or religious undertones. If we start putting every work under a microscope in order to make sure that we are not offending or making anyone uncomfortable or if we only produce works that cater to certain religions or beliefs, then we are not going to be left with many options.
    I think you have to know your audience and the demographics of your school/company and go from there. What will work some places may not work for others. That’s my 2 cents!

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    Michelle Evans

    Michelle J. Evans LLC
    Dawsonville GA
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