- Year
- 2000
- When
- April 2000
- Type
- Musical
Synopsis
A translation of the Gospel into modern music, Godspell opens with the soloists adopting the persona of famous prophets or thinkers. Their words span various ages of enlightenment. John the Baptist then leads the company into Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord, a simple but hypnotic repetition of the same sentence. The leader of the group now assumes the role of Jesus and declares the purpose of God's mission on earth in Save The People. The group are ecstatic and pray to the Lord in Day By Day. Various parables from Matthew and Luke follow and the dialogue emphasises the gulf between rich and poor. This is underlined in All for the Best, one of two songs with original lyrics by Schwartz. We then move on to the parable of the sower and the seed in All Good Gifts. An enactment of the Prodigal Son leads us to the Act 1 finale, Light of the World. The second act opens with Turn Back O Man, an invitation to the gathering to change their ways. When his authority is questioned, Jesus begins to act out his last days on Earth. As Jesus's inevitable fate approaches, the company perform We Beseech Thee. After the last supper Jesus bids his followers farewell in On The Willows. Finally we have a re-enactment of the crucifixion and the finale of the show.
From the company’s records
Cast and team details are taken from the company website of 2004 as preserved by the Internet Archive.
Gaps in the record
The archive does not record the venue or the production team for this production.
Who made it
Cast
- Jesus
- Greg Yates
- John the Baptist / Judas
- Chris Wolverson
- Soloist
- Marina Bray
- Soloist
- Colette Edwards
- Soloist
- Liz Gilbert
- Soloist
- Colin Hunt
- Soloist
- Nikki Rai
- Soloist
- Lydia Simpkiss
- Soloist
- Luke Swatman
- Soloist
- John Wetherall
- Soloist
- John Wiley
- Recorder Soloist
- Kerene Elliott
Everybody else
The rest of the names the company’s records carry for this production, on stage and off it.
Chorus and company31
Fiona Collins, Helen Fisher, Clare Goodhead, Samantha King, Kay Whistance, Alison Williams, Sarah Arnold, Hayley Byrne, Dorothy Copson, Jayne Crowther, Ann-Marie Dove, Tami Dowen, Kerene Elliott, Caroline Hammond, Barbara King, Ruth Lewis, Jenni Rullan, Pat Small, Jenny Washbrook, Jan Wolverson, John Arnold, James Beckett, Chris Dowen, Tom Dutton, Mark Friedl, Mac Hammond, Trevor Law, Chris Lewis, Ken Lewis, Alan Pooler, Alf Rai
The running order
Every number, in the order the programme printed them.
Act one
Tower of Babble
Principals
Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord
John the Baptist & Company
Save the People
Jesus & Company
Day by Day
Marina & Company
Learn Your Lessons Well
Lydia
Bless the Lord
Liz & Company
All for the Best
Jesus, Judas & Principals
All Good Gifts
Luke & Company
Light of the World
Colette, John, Colin & Company
Act two
Turn Back O Man
Colette & Company
Alas for You
Jesus
By My Side
Liz, Nikki & Principals
We Beseech You
John Wetherall & Company
On the Willows
Judas, Luke, John Wetherall & Principals
Finale
Jesus & Company
Bows
Company
Were you in it?
We would like to know more about Godspell.
The record for this production is thinner than the show deserves. If you were in it, or you were in the audience, you may have something the archive does not.
Programmes, photographs, cuttings from the local paper, a cast list in somebody’s handwriting: all of it helps, and we will add it here.
Tell us about GodspellSay “Godspell, 2000” in your message and it will reach whoever looks after the archive.