It’s not often an audience spontaneously and simultaneously leaps to their feet at the end of a show, clapping and cheering, dancing and singing long after the last notes of the final song are played.
But that’s exactly what happened Friday night as the Riverhead Faculty and Community Theatre presented opening night of their production of “Godspell” at the Jameport Meeting House on Main Road in Jamesport.
Conceived and originally directed by John-Michael Tebelak for his master’s thesis at Carnegie Mellon University in 1970, “Godspell,” a musical based on the gospel according to St. Matthew, then moved to Cafe La MaMa in New York City in 1971, opening on Broadway in 1976 and closing in 1977. Later revivals included an Off-Broadway run in 2000 and the most recent Broadway revival in 2011. A film version starring Victor Garber as Jesus was also released in 1973, with a notable scene of the cast dancing atop the not-yet-opened World Trade Center.
Watching the crowd sing and smile, laugh and cry at RFCT’s moving production, it dawns that almost everyone, really, has a “Godspell” story. Reading the playbill, cast member Linda Aydinian, for example, whose heartfelt rendition of “By My Side” drew an emotional response from the audience, said it was seeing “Godspell” for the first time in a Brooklyn storefront that sparked her love of theater, and performing.
Over the years, “Godspell” — performed in literally countless venues, from high school shows to community theater stages, Broadway to church basements — touches a collective chord, a joyful celebration of faith and trust, kindness and community. “Come sing about love,” the show urges audiences. Because, love, and the faith that, together, “we can build a beautiful city,” is a message that transcends time and gives the show new meaning and fresh relevance with each performance.
To that end, even though it’s been over 40 years since the first cast stepped onto the stage, a ragtag group in 70s garb and Jesus in his well-known “Superman” shirt, faces painted with hearts and starbursts, the show has not lost its powerful ability to pack an emotional punch.
The RFCT’s production exceeds every expectation. With cutting edge jokes about Facebook, Twitter and the economy skillfully woven into the script, the show is hilariously funny, with crowds laughing long and loudly at the cast’s spot-on timing. Snippets of songs about popular culture — Yes, it’s “All About that Bass” — meld seamlessly with the show’s stand-out score by Stephen Schwartz, who later went on to achieve even greater heights of Broadway fame with “Wicked”.
Working with virtually no props and a stark set, the ten actors on the Jamesport stage collaborate together as one to bring the show to joyful life. Directed and choreographed by Anita Boyer, who stood in for ill cast member Heather Cusack in Friday’s performance, the show is alive with energy, humor, heart, and dance numbers that rock the house.
Produced by Jan McGoey and Glenn Abramowitz, the show’s beautiful score soars under Michael Bennett’s musical direction. Lighting by Julia Eager spotlights the show’s most heart-rending moments.
Watching “Godspell” performed by a cast spanning generations brings a new, poignant look at the characters, a particularly compelling directorial choice.
The cast in the RFCT’s show shines, pure and simple. Each brings unique talents to the proverbial table and together, they soar.
From Aydinian’s soul-touching rendition of “By My Side” to Julie Crowley’s new, sassy take on the Broadway standard “Day by Day,” and Manning Dandridge’s pure and gently moving “All Good Gifts,” the audience is treated to a well-loved score brought back with care and a clear commitment to remaining true to the show’s message. Nancy DiGirolamo’s saucy “Turn Back O’Man” invigorates the second act, and brings humor and a touch of spice to the classic, while Patti Hautch’s “Bless the Lord” raises the proverbial roof as she hits the high notes with ease. John Hudson’s portrayal of John/Judas reflects the battle of a man on the precipice of a decision he doesn’t want to make. It take fine acting chops to convey the character’s broken heart as he’s betraying his Lord, but Hudson is up to the challenge. Peter Nolan’s “You are the Light of the World” infuses the stage with sheer joy, and Fred Nydegger’s “We Beseech Thee” is vocal perfection. Boyer’s “Learn Your Lessons Well” is infused with her impeccable timing and irrepressible passion for the show.
Special note needs to be made about Patrick O’Brien’s rendition of Jesus. Having grown up on stages across Riverhead and the North Fork, O’Brien is a young actor to watch. He pours his own deep and heartfelt faith into his character and gives one of the most riveting and emotionally powerful renditions of Jesus this reviewer has ever seen — and that’s saying a lot, having seen the show not only in both its Broadway incarnations and but in dozens of community theater productions. O’Brien is, to put it simply, made for this role. His youthful, wide-eyed wonder brings heart and genuine sincerity to the telling of the parables in Act 1. And his fury during “Alas for You” is belied by the broken-hearted shadows in his eyes as he surveys the disciples who will, ultimately, turn from him in his hour of greatest need. His vocal range is extraordinary, and O’Brien’s command of the role, from the very first moment on stage until his last, dying moments on the cross, deliver a performance that stands as perhaps the best, by far, of his young career. He’s an emerging actor on the rise, and this is his shining moment.
The RFCT production also includes Schwartz’s newer version of the song “Beautiful City,” which was originally in the film. The words carry great meaning in a world rocked by fears of terrorism and other threats, reminding that love can prove a formidable force. “We can build a beautiful city. Yes, we can. We can build a beautiful city. And call it the city of man.”
Together, the RFCT cast creates magic at the Jamesport Meeting House. Together, the cast truly grasps the true meaning of the show, and brings honest emotion and open hearts to every single scene, leaving audiences in tears mixed with joy as the finale concludes. Not an easy thing to do, in a post-9/11 world, to remind audiences that the innocent message of love and trust, faith and kindness can still win over evil, as people stand together, hand in hand, fighting to keep that message alive — but the RFCT cast succeeds in a performance so powerful that one wishes the show could run forever. Yes, it’s that good.
Don’t miss the chance to see this production in its limited run. Tickets cost $20 at the door. Remaining show dates and times are Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., as well as Friday, November 21 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, November 22 at 8 p.m. To purchase tickets call 631-987-7209 or visit Brown Paper Tickets.
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