Herndon's 'Godspell' is next stop for theater fans

Alan Naylor (center) is Jesus in Godspell at NextStop Theatre/Photo by Lock & Company


Godspell is so good that on his show last Thursday night, Stephen Colbert carried around a Barbie doll who was wearing a Godspell t-shirt!  

Talk about great press!  

The performance in Herndon at the NextStop Theatre Company is like watching a party of Jesus freak college kids dance and sing non-stop while they present his parables in high kickin' fashion.

The cast's chemistry and enthusiasm can't help but infuse audience members with a good dose of the power of the message and reminders to "let the one of you who is faultless cast the first stone" and "no man can serve two masters—God and money," and the most important:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind

and

Love your neighbor as yourself.

You don't have to be Christian. 

It all started in 1970 with a master's thesis by John-Michael Tebelak at Carnegie Mellon University who wrote the script, and Stephen Schwartz, another Carnegie Mellon alumnus, who was hired by producers the next year to compose music and lyrics when the show moved to off-Broadway.

Mr. Schwartz based many of the songs on selections from the Episcopal Hymnal, like "Save the People," "Bless the Lord," "All Good Gifts," "Turn Back, O Man," "We Beseech Thee," and the most popular, "Day by Day."  

Most of the parables are from the Gospel of Matthew.

Alan Naylor is "Jesus," and he authentically looks the part  and has no trouble convincing anyone on stage or in the audience that he's the man to follow. 

The production opens on the interior of a modern day, used furniture, locally owned coffee bar (you've been there), this one aptly named the "Holy Grounds Café," found in Everywhere, USA, and occupied by solo guests attached to their devices, all heads down, please.

(On the backdrops projectionist Sean Cox casts their words  to insure their non-privacy.)

Jack Golden has created a single effective set whose actors deftly move furniture pieces to side shows, their actions almost undetected until the lights (by Brittany Shemuga) shine on the next artists who let loose in melody.

With plenty to fill eyes and ears, the audience is never left yearning for more.

That the director, Lorraine Magee, is also the choreographer demands considerable acclaim since constant dancing and action pack the production, quite a role.

Jennifer Lambert is a member of the ensemble in Godspell at NextStop Theatre/Photo by Lock & Company

The delightful ensemble is essentially nameless but Jennifer Lambert as the sexy "come here, Sugar Boy" tease is memorable, and the baseball player (A.J. Whittenberger) wearing a Washington Senators uniform (he said at the play's end) makes him easy to pick out. 

Costumer Maria V. Bissex fits everyone in varied and typical millennial styles.

Willing audience participation is invited to play "Charades." 

Elisa Rosman on keys directs the hidden six-piece orchestra who add depth and enjoyment although the musicians occasionally eclipse some of the soloists.

Everyone has a good time, and the show's infectiousness quickly transmits to the audience who gradually realize that despite the mostly merry mood prevailing, the Last Supper and the crucifixion loom.

The scene in Godspell reminded me of Salvador Dali's The Sacrament of the Last Supper, 1955, on view in the West Building at the National Gallery of Art

At the closing a member of the audience was overheard to say: "This is great timing for Easter" which is the last day for the show (April 1).

Stadium seating means there is not a blocked view in the house.

The ensemble includes Angeleaza Anderson, Philip da Costa, Javier del Pilar, Tess Higgins, Bobby Libby, Jolene Vettese, and Chani Wereley.

Other creative team members are Neil McFadden, sound; Rebecca Talisman, stage manager; and Colleen O'Brien, assistant stage manager and properties.

What: Godspell

When: Thursday through Saturday nights at 8 p.m., Sundays, 7 p.m., and weekend matinees at 2 p.m., through Easter, April 1, 2018.

Where: NextStop Theatre Company, 269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon, VA 20170 in the back right corner of Sunset Business Park, near the intersection of Spring Street/Sunset Hills Road. Right off the Fairfax County Parkway. A wee big hard to find on a first visit, so allow an extra 15 minutes.  The program notes that GPS map systems often give incorrect driving directions once inside the Sunset Business Park. From the "Taste of the World" restaurant, circle counter-clockwise around the building and look for maroon awning.

Free parking: Available near the door.

Admission: Tickets start at $35 with dynamic pricing which fluctuates with demand. Groups of eight or more get a 20% discount, and student rush seats, if available, sell for $5.  See FAQ or call 866-811-4111 to purchase, however, online ordering is recommended.

Duration: Under two hours with one intermission.

Rating: G without any adult language although the crucifixion ending may be too intense for young guests .

For more information: 703-481-5930 or info@nextstoptheatre.org

patricialesli@gmail.com

'Godspell,' another big Olney hit

The cast of Godspell, now on stage at the Olney Theatre Center/Photo by Stan Barouh

 
It's witty, provoking, packed with action and contemporary culture, and you don't even have to be Christian. 

Or religious. 

All that's required is that you "be."

Who can't benefit from a lively musical which reminds us all to be kind to one another, to treat others as you like to be treated, to withhold those rocks, we are all sinners, all Jesus' teachings in song and dance?

It's Godspell now on stage at the Olney Theatre Center where it's possible to have a good time with the Bible.

Huh?

Is anyone surprised that the run has been extended through March 8?  (This just in: And extended again! Thru March 15.)

Nope.

Godspell first opened on Broadway in May 1971, following Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar, all three sharing some of the same characteristics.

At the Olney, the acting, set, costuming, and music all come together notably, but it's the script which stars.

Nova Y. Payton and the cast of Godspell, now on stage at the Olney Theatre Center/Photo by Stan Barouh

A slow start of a few short minutes and Nova Y. Payton's striking voice opens entrances for the ensemble whose members gradually drift onto stage while speaking in different tongues a la the Tower of Babel. From there the production launches, and there's no holding back, as Jesus' life and teachings soon take center stage with Jordan Coughtry as "the man" with his ageless messages.

Ivania Stack dresses him from head to toe in neutral beige, a great contrast with the pop apparel of the other performers in colorful 60s hippies garb. ("Beige" as a standout color? With lights and Stack's design, it works.) 

That there are only ten members of the healthy ensemble is surprising, for visually and audibly, the effect seems to be many more.

The singing is best in groups or duets, but the voices of Payton and Rachel Zampelli (who plays both Judas and John) are the finest.

The cast of Godspell, now on stage at the Olney Theatre Center/Photo by Stan Barouh

Except for casual variations, Paige Hathaway's set doesn't change much from its opening scene, but it's not necessary since the action is so fast-paced and leaves little time to study what's on stage anyway.  (The side of a deserted western highway, complete with electrical poles (good for climbing and singing), old tires (good for making walls), and a red truck which ambles out and becomes useful in many scenes.)

Will Pickens does a nice job with sound design with unseen rumbling trucks and vehicles speeding by on the highway to get things rolling, and an invisible helicopter with murmuring blades, whose purpose I am still uncertain, unless it was law enforcement on the prowl. 

Audience participation is always fun, and the older vested man in the front row (surely a mathematician) who was pulled up to join the cast, handled his new role with flair, without hesitation or doubt, moving in time with the music and his partner up close and personal, to the delight of the audience.

It was great to see members of the electric orchestra, usually hidden in the pit.  Under the superb direction of Christopher Youstra, the musicians remained on stage for the entire performance, elevated to an unobtrusive platform on high which served as a perch for the actors in various scenes.  The orchestra's costuming (Hawaiian shirts, hats) was right in keeping with the actors'.  

"Who am I?" and "Where am I going?"  At the Olney, Jesus can show you the way.

Helen Hayes nominations are in order:

Lighting: Sonya Dowhaluk

Choreography:  Bryan Knowlton

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical: Jordan Coughtry

Outstanding Director of a Musical: Jason King Jones

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

Other ensemble actors:  Kurt Boehm, Maggie Donnelly, Michael J. Mainwaring, Calvin McCullough, Christopher Mueller, Allie Parris, and Emily Zickler. 

Other key crew members: Trevor A. Riley and Dennis A. Blackledge 

Orchestra and additional vocalists:  Danny Espy, Kim Spath, Rob Mueller, Yussef Chisholm, and Alex Aucain

What: Godspell conceived and originally directed by John-Michael Tebelak with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (from Wicked, Pippin, and Enchanted) and based on the Gospel according to Matthew. 

When: Now through March 15, 2015 with evening shows at 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. weekend matinees.

Where: Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD 20832

How much: Tickets start at $38, with discounts for military, groups, seniors, and students.  Recommended for ages 7 and up.

Duration:  2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission.

Refreshments: Available for purchase and may be taken to seats.

Parking: Abundant, free, and on-site

For more information: 301-924-3400

For more reviews of Godspell and other plays on stage in the Washington, D.C. area, go to DC Metro Theater Arts.

patricialesli@gmail.com