[NEohioPAL]"GODSPELL" delivers. Review/Star Beacon

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Arts center makes 'Godspell' relevant again
STAR BEACON   9/20/02
By ERIC A. JOHNSON
A REVIEW

ASHTABULA - When Ashtabula Arts Center theatre coordinator Darrell Lowe=20
unveiled plans to stage the aging rock musical "Godspell" as G.B. Community=20
Theatre's opening 2002-03 act, he promised to craft a fresh, updated version=
=20
that would make its Biblical message of Christ's love and God's saving grace=
=20
relevant to a new generation and era.
Taking advantage of "Godspell's" inherent latitude for directoral flexibilit=
y=20
and cast creativity, Lowe's refreshing "different spin" was greatly in=20
evidence as he delivered superbly on his vow to remake author John-Michael=20
Tebelak's glaringly-dated 1971 Vietnam-era musical into a "contemporary piec=
e=20
of musical theater."
As "Godspell's" director/music director, Lowe fittingly borrowed a page from=
=20
Tebelak, who had written the rock musical as a master's thesis with the aim=20
of bringing a contemporary, paradigm-shifting version of St. Matthew's Gospe=
l=20
to a nation torn apart by the Vietnam War.
Recognizing that "Godspell" and its late 1960s/early 1970s hippies, tie-dyed=
=20
shirts and "groovy" language were as out-of-date and out-of-touch with 2002=20
America as Richard Nixon, AMC Gremlins, bra-burning and avocado-colored=20
kitchen appliances, Lowe took a 3-pronged "modernize, contemporize and=20
energize" approach to retooling the G.B. Community Theatre production for=20
post-Sept. 11 America.
Working with a solid behind-the-scenes staff including Phil Mullet, Tim=20
Dorman, Steve Sposito and Jorma Hake, Lowe did a superb job on the musical's=
=20
supporting nuts-and-bolts aspects of set design, lighting and sound quality=20
work that richly added to the enjoyment of the GB's inaugural 2002-03 Season=
=20
show.
Eschewing the now-clich=E9 chain-link fences, sawhorses, junkyards, back=20
alleys, clowns and hippies typically common to "Godspell" productions, Lowe=20
totally remade the set and casting in an eclectic but believable modern-day=20
college dorm/apartment/frat house setting complete with computers, bottled=20
water, backward baseball hats, Papa John's Pizza boxes, camcorders, a Bill=20
Clinton mask, the timeless requisite rubber chicken and a CD boombox belting=
=20
out contemporary tunes like the Backstreet Boys' pop hit "As Long as You Lov=
e=20
Me."

Incorporating modern electronics technology into the production, Lowe and hi=
s=20
technical support staff brought an exciting multi-media big screen aspect to=
=20
"Godspell" with background photo montages during several of the show's=20
musical numbers and occasional live-action shots of on-stage action from a=20
hand-held camcorder.
Also setting the updated "Godspell" scene was the show's costuming and=20
make-up which represented a breadth of current styles popular with today's=20
high school- and college-age youth.
Lowe also set himself to the ambitious task of reworking and rewording=20
"Godspell's" dated 1971 script, inserting contemporary language and=20
references.
Seeking a hint of local flavor for "Godspell," Lowe added a variety of=20
touches including a John Rocker Cleveland Indians jersey for costuming and=20
script references to Ashtabula and Lou's Billow Beach, a popular Saybrook=20
Township restaurant.
Lowe's sizable and able young ensemble cast, ranging in age from 14 to 27,=20
brought a vibrancy and energy to the production that was breathtaking to=20
watch.=20
G.B. Community Theatre's "Godspell" cast encompassed a mix of familiar=20
Ashtabula Arts Center acting veterans and welcome talented newcomers,=20
including stage novice Ryan Smith.=20
Other members of the "Godspell" ensemble cast included: Joseph Betz, (Jesus)=
,=20
Kimberly Godfrey, Dan Henning, Jim Hunter (Judas, Jacob Lowe, Eryn Murman,=20
Connie Notter, Therese Scharf, Devon Shriver, Melinda Smith, Joshua Twining=20
and Kristen Wojciechowski.
The two lead ensemble cast members turned in noteworthy performances - G.B.=20
Community Theatre newcomer Best as Jesus and Grand Valley High School studen=
t=20
Hunter, a veteran of three Arts Center productions, as Judas.
As a vibrant musical, dancing by ensemble cast members played an integral=20
role throughout the "Godspell" production - and they certainly didn't=20
disappoint with their seemingly-effortless precision steps during the=20
intensive, exacting and constantly-moving 2-hour production.
Musical coordinator Alexandria Lowe's supporting "Godspell" orchestra -=20
conductor Lowe on piano, Jesse Eastman on guitar, Jim Fuller on synthesizer,=
=20
Jacob Lowe and Joseph Betz on drums and Neil Meloro on keyboard - did an=20
outstanding job supporting the ensemble cast on composer/lyricist Stephen=20
Schwartz's familiar "Godspell" staples including "Day by Day," "Prepare Ye=20
The Way of the Lord" and "We Beseech Thee."
The only criticism I had of the entire production was that the show's=20
energetic and talented orchestra occasionally overpowered the ensemble's=20
excellent group and solo vocalists, most obviously in "Godspell's" opening=20
"Prologue" scene with Hunter and the ensemble cast.
Tickets for "Godspell's" remaining shows, Saturday, Sept. 28 and 29 at 7:30=20
p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. - may be reserved by calling the=20
Ashtabula Arts Center at 964-3396.



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<BR>
<B>Arts center makes 'Godspell' relevant again<BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D3=
 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">STAR BEACON   9/20=
/02</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=
=3D5 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D2=
 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">By ERIC A. JOHNSON<BR>
<I>A REVIEW</B></I><BR>
<BR>
ASHTABULA - When Ashtabula Arts Center theatre coordinator Darrell Lowe unve=
iled plans to stage the aging rock musical "Godspell" as G.B. Community Thea=
tre's opening 2002-03 act, he promised to craft a fresh, updated version tha=
t would make its Biblical message of Christ's love and God's saving grace re=
levant to a new generation and era.<BR>
Taking advantage of "Godspell's" inherent latitude for directoral flexibilit=
y and cast creativity, Lowe's refreshing "different spin" was greatly in evi=
dence as he delivered superbly on his vow to remake author John-Michael Tebe=
lak's glaringly-dated 1971 Vietnam-era musical into a "contemporary piece of=
 musical theater."<BR>
As "Godspell's" director/music director, Lowe fittingly borrowed a page from=
 Tebelak, who had written the rock musical as a master's thesis with the aim=
 of bringing a contemporary, paradigm-shifting version of St. Matthew's Gosp=
el to a nation torn apart by the Vietnam War.<BR>
Recognizing that "Godspell" and its late 1960s/early 1970s hippies, tie-dyed=
 shirts and "groovy" language were as out-of-date and out-of-touch with 2002=
 America as Richard Nixon, AMC Gremlins, bra-burning and avocado-colored kit=
chen appliances, Lowe took a 3-pronged "modernize, contemporize and energize=
" approach to retooling the G.B. Community Theatre production for post-Sept.=
 11 America.<BR>
Working with a solid behind-the-scenes staff including Phil Mullet, Tim Dorm=
an, Steve Sposito and Jorma Hake, Lowe did a superb job on the musical's sup=
porting nuts-and-bolts aspects of set design, lighting and sound quality wor=
k that richly added to the enjoyment of the GB's inaugural 2002-03 Season sh=
ow.<BR>
Eschewing the now-clich=E9 chain-link fences, sawhorses, junkyards, back all=
eys, clowns and hippies typically common to "Godspell" productions, Lowe tot=
ally remade the set and casting in an eclectic but believable modern-day col=
lege dorm/apartment/frat house setting complete with computers, bottled wate=
r, backward baseball hats, Papa John's Pizza boxes, camcorders, a Bill Clint=
on mask, the timeless requisite rubber chicken and a CD boombox belting out=20=
contemporary tunes like the Backstreet Boys' pop hit "As Long as You Love Me=
."<BR>
<BR>
Incorporating modern electronics technology into the production, Lowe and hi=
s technical support staff brought an exciting multi-media big screen aspect=20=
to "Godspell" with background photo montages during several of the show's mu=
sical numbers and occasional live-action shots of on-stage action from a han=
d-held camcorder.<BR>
Also setting the updated "Godspell" scene was the show's costuming and make-=
up which represented a breadth of current styles popular with today's high s=
chool- and college-age youth.<BR>
Lowe also set himself to the ambitious task of reworking and rewording "Gods=
pell's" dated 1971 script, inserting contemporary language and references.<B=
R>
Seeking a hint of local flavor for "Godspell," Lowe added a variety of touch=
es including a John Rocker Cleveland Indians jersey for costuming and script=
 references to Ashtabula and Lou's Billow Beach, a popular Saybrook Township=
 restaurant.<BR>
Lowe's sizable and able young ensemble cast, ranging in age from 14 to 27, b=
rought a <I>vibrancy</I> and <I>energy</I> to the production that was breath=
taking to watch. <BR>
G.B. Community Theatre's "Godspell" cast encompassed a mix of familiar Ashta=
bula Arts Center acting veterans and welcome talented newcomers, including s=
tage novice Ryan Smith. <BR>
Other members of the "Godspell" ensemble cast included: Joseph Betz, (Jesus)=
, Kimberly Godfrey, Dan Henning, Jim Hunter (Judas, Jacob Lowe, Eryn Murman,=
 Connie Notter, Therese Scharf, Devon Shriver, Melinda Smith, Joshua Twining=
 and Kristen Wojciechowski.<BR>
The two lead ensemble cast members turned in noteworthy performances - G.B.=20=
Community Theatre newcomer Best as Jesus and Grand Valley High School studen=
t Hunter, a veteran of three Arts Center productions, as Judas.<BR>
As a vibrant musical, dancing by ensemble cast members played an integral ro=
le throughout the "Godspell" production - and they certainly didn't disappoi=
nt with their seemingly-effortless precision steps during the intensive, exa=
cting and constantly-moving 2-hour production.<BR>
Musical coordinator Alexandria Lowe's supporting "Godspell" orchestra - cond=
uctor Lowe on piano, Jesse Eastman on guitar, Jim Fuller on synthesizer, Jac=
ob Lowe and Joseph Betz on drums and Neil Meloro on keyboard - did an outsta=
nding job supporting the ensemble cast on composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz=
's familiar "Godspell" staples including "Day by Day," "Prepare Ye The Way o=
f the Lord" and "We Beseech Thee."<BR>
The only criticism I had of the entire production was that the show's energe=
tic and talented orchestra occasionally overpowered the ensemble's excellent=
 group and solo vocalists, most obviously in "Godspell's" opening "Prologue"=
 scene with Hunter and the ensemble cast.<BR>
Tickets for "Godspell's" remaining shows, Saturday, Sept. 28 and 29 at 7:30=20=
p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. - may be reserved by calling the Ash=
tabula Arts Center at 964-3396.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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