Sold-out crowds take in a 'Godspell' worthy of praise
Kate Giglio
Issue date: 2/10/05 Section: Entertainment
Stephanie Speranza belted out "Learn Your Lessons Well," and I was happy to see Yzquierdo in her solo, "Bless the Lord." While all the cast demonstrated vocal talent, she stood out, and I would look forward to seeing her in a weightier role in another musical.
Jesus and Judas seemed to charm the majority of the audience with their duet "All For the Best." However, I was somewhat less than impressed with the lack of chemistry the two appeared to have onstage. There was not as much interaction as I thought there should have been between the two of them, and though the program lists Cummings' character as Judas, it didn't seem like there was much of a distinction between the two historically-infamous foils. The only excuse I can think of is that perhaps the complex, "you go up and I'll go down" choreography prohibited the two from making eye contact, lest they break concentration and mess up such key movements. In fact, they looked relieved to finish it successfully.
And though the rest of the cast had long since changed into their "movement clothes," Judas could have used improvement in his costume. His leather pants unsettled me, and I had to wonder if he could have perhaps purchased something a little more practical with those 30 silver pieces.
Ryan Defoe was the last soloist of the first act, coating the audience with his soothing vocals in "All Good Gifts." The whole cast came together again for "Light of the World," at the end of which they invited the entire audience up to the stage for bug juice and cookies. While I would have preferred jumbo shrimp, I had to keep in mind that Jesus only multiplies fish on very special occasions, and that the School of Liberal Arts is on a budget. Plus, it was highly and appropriately nostalgic, as I felt like I was back in Sunday Bible school. Even the discipline hearkened back to my earlier years-my date tried to smuggle a cookie offstage, and was promptly scolded.
The more emotionally-volatile second act opened with "Turn Back, O Man," performed by Lesley Henderson with the rest of the cast. Henderson strutted among the audience, seductively interacting with various theater-goers and demonstrating a great stage-and, for that matter, offstage-presence.
Jesus and Judas seemed to charm the majority of the audience with their duet "All For the Best." However, I was somewhat less than impressed with the lack of chemistry the two appeared to have onstage. There was not as much interaction as I thought there should have been between the two of them, and though the program lists Cummings' character as Judas, it didn't seem like there was much of a distinction between the two historically-infamous foils. The only excuse I can think of is that perhaps the complex, "you go up and I'll go down" choreography prohibited the two from making eye contact, lest they break concentration and mess up such key movements. In fact, they looked relieved to finish it successfully.
And though the rest of the cast had long since changed into their "movement clothes," Judas could have used improvement in his costume. His leather pants unsettled me, and I had to wonder if he could have perhaps purchased something a little more practical with those 30 silver pieces.
Ryan Defoe was the last soloist of the first act, coating the audience with his soothing vocals in "All Good Gifts." The whole cast came together again for "Light of the World," at the end of which they invited the entire audience up to the stage for bug juice and cookies. While I would have preferred jumbo shrimp, I had to keep in mind that Jesus only multiplies fish on very special occasions, and that the School of Liberal Arts is on a budget. Plus, it was highly and appropriately nostalgic, as I felt like I was back in Sunday Bible school. Even the discipline hearkened back to my earlier years-my date tried to smuggle a cookie offstage, and was promptly scolded.
The more emotionally-volatile second act opened with "Turn Back, O Man," performed by Lesley Henderson with the rest of the cast. Henderson strutted among the audience, seductively interacting with various theater-goers and demonstrating a great stage-and, for that matter, offstage-presence.