“Godspell”

I got to catch the final show of “Godspell” Saturday night at the First United Methodist Church in Huntington, and it was a lot of fun. If you’ve never seen it, it’s a free-spirited presentation of the book of Matthew (in other words, it’s basically the hippie version) - but the songs and dialogue are very true to the familiar Bible stories.

Through parables and songs, the teachings of Jesus unfold. It’s the ideal show for a community group to perform, because it requires very little in the way of sets, props or costumes - but you do need about a dozen talented performers.

They had that more than covered, as the show featured quite a few experienced actors, including Sam Yates as Jesus. For such a young guy - he’s a senior in High School - Sam has appeared in quite a few shows, and he just keeps getting better with each performance. He did a great job in this show, and his strong voice added a lot to the performance.

As Judas (and John the Baptist), Michael Niday provided the counterpoint to Jesus, and did so with lots of authority. The roles of the disciples were played by actors with a variety of experience: theatre veterans Jane Morse, Loretta Hetzer, Leann Haines and Ashleigh Bills (who also provided the choreography); the relatively-new-to-the-stage-but-quite-talented Stephen Vance, Kathy Morris and Jeanette Bills; and the young and talented performers Zach Davis, Alyssa Morris and Sara Morris. Kudos to all for a great job!

There are lots of reasons to like “Godspell” - I think I enjoy it for its energy, for its great songs and for the way it captures the timeless message of peace and love.

Of course, lots of credit also goes to the Music Director, Eddie Harbert, and fellow accompanist Rachel Noe, and a special tip o’ the hat to veteran director (and all around great guy) Jerry Morse, who made it all happen.

If you missed this one, you not only missed a fun show - you missed a great meal before it! Mark your calendars for next year - you’ll be glad you did!