This last week, the Catawba student actors put on a performance of the musical Godspell that was full of heart! The show premiered on Tuesday, November 10th, and shocked attendees with the high level of energy and the shocking caliber of talent. The story presents an interesting take on Jesus’s life and the symbol of hope that He represented to His community of followers. Though the show ends with a dark conclusion, the tone and mood from the very start remains upbeat with quirky features like bubbles, confetti, colorful costumes, and comedic punchlines.

Godspell sparked emotions beyond ‘just a show’ all around. Both believers and non-believers were encouraged to leave with something to take from this show with a story-line based on events in the Bible. The show’s director, Professor Joe Hernandez, opened the performances Friday and Saturday with a few words about taking a message of hope and love from the show to the world suffering from hate. The production also meant something even more valuable than lines and actions to the cast themselves. “One of the most pivotal parts of production of the play occurred during the rehearsal of Judas’s song “On the Willows,”” Hernandez tells. “There was a moment where something struck within the cast, and I saw them start to weep in intense sorrow over the betrayal of Jesus. The emotion was so thick and palpable that we had to take a break before rehearsal continued.”

The excess of talent, with singing, dancing, and acting, on the stage at any given time was another highlight of the performance. Director Hernandez picks “Beautiful City,” sung by freshman Jacob Hammill playing Jesus as his favorite song from the play. “The song itself is just beautiful, and I think it has the message that affects me the most.” He also pinned Jesus as the most complex character in the play. “Jacob had a real challenge. He had to portray someone that everyone likes, even loves, and fears at the same time. It got easier for him as the cast bonded through rehearsals, but it took a lot of hard work.”

One other unique aspect about the show was the inclusion of the audience. Attendees received a wristband upon entry, and these wristbands were shown as a part of the story at the beginning of the performance. Hernandez comments that, “I wanted the audience to identify that they, like the cast members, had a piece of Jesus with them. This image transitioned to show that you don’t need a physical representation of His presence for Him to be there.” Also, there were seats in the audience that were reserved by the show so that cast members could sit with the viewers. This gave the musical parts of the performance the feel of surround-sound while maintaining the constant attention of the audience during active dialogue.

Though the Catawba showings of Godspell are over, the performance has left students, faculty, family, and members of the surrounding community with resounding feelings of faith, hope, and love that transcend a normal student theatre performance.