Godspell

By John-Michael Tebelak

Produced: July, 1983
Robidoux Resident Theatre, St. Joseph, Missouri
Director: Arthur Dirks
Scenery, lighting, costumes: Arthur Dirks
Facility: Missouri Theater
Notes:

This production was a community theatre production, staged in an old Shubert road house. The concept was updated. The characters were taken from contemporary (to 1983) life characters, which did tend to reduce the family/gang sense of the original. The music was carefully rehearsed for a more contemporary sound, instead of the unison sound of the 60s. The stage was conceived as a theatrical space, with real theatrical objects pressed into use as needed, preserving the improvisational sense of the original. The background was a quilt of burlap bags.

The production received an unenthusiastic review in the local paper. Letters to the editor protested the review in both daily papers for three weeks, when the papers finally said they wouldn't print any more.