The Longwood Theatre Department is gearing up to present "Godspell,"which is their second show and first musical of the 2011-2012 play season. The show opens this week, running from Nov. 10-13, and again Nov. 17-20.
Auditions for the 13-member production were held on Monday, Oct. 3 and were open to all members of the Longwood and Farmville community. According to Stage Manager Abby Frank, the cast incorporates students from every class. There are five freshmen, three sophomores, two juniors, and three seniors.
Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak wrote the musical nearly 40 years ago as a senior project when they were in college. The first act is a fun and upbeat way of presenting the parables of the Bible with music and dancing. The second act is a re-telling of the death of Christ.
Associate Professor of Theatre, and director of the play, Pam Arkin describes the musical as "a beautiful and stylized way" of presenting the story of Christ. Arkin said that she has a special attachment to "Godspell" because both she and her daughter have been cast members at some point. She said that it was "an amazing experience for me as an actor". This experience ultimately led her to choose to direct the musical.
Every show comes with challenges of some kind, though. As a director, Arkin said that one of the biggest challenges is making sure the whole cast is on the same page musically. Not all actors are trained singers who can read music, which has led to some hiccups in the rehearsal process. Arkin also said that getting the logistics for a musical right have been challenging because both actors and musicians need to be at rehearsals, and all of them have different work and class schedules. Arkin said that it is a "small musical that is deceptively difficult".
However, the script allows for additions to it, which Arkin said, "Has made the show a creative process that can be enjoyed by the whole ensemble." Additions that have been made to the script include many pop culture references from television shows such as MTV's "Jersey Shore," as well as fun jokes and idioms from the cast members. Arkin believes that this flexibility with the script is one of the reasons the show has survived for nearly 40 years.
Arkin also hopes that the audience will come away with more than just an entertaining experience. She hopes that the play will inspire the audience to help, accept, and not judge others. Of this message she said, "If there is a more relevant message to today's world then I don't know what is."
Tickets are $8 for general admission, $6 for Longwood faculty/staff, senior citizens and students from other schools/colleges, and $5 for Longwood students. Box-office hours are 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, and one hour prior to show times. Come early as there is limited seating available and tickets may sell out fast. Contact the Box Office at boxoffice@longwood.edu for more information.
