65°
"Godspell," the 1970s musical, is a rock interpretation of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. With music by composer Steven Schwartz ("Wicked," "Pippin") its characters include Jesus, John the Baptist, Judas and some other pretty recognizable figures. Sounds like a mind-your-ps-and-qs, right out of Sunday school kind of show, right? It's not. It's loose, high-charged and shot through with terrific music. In its current production, Playhouse on the Green raises the fun quotient because this time, "Godspell" takes place in Las Vegas, the "City of Sin," where Jesus and his lieutenants work overtime to bring a collection of nightlife lowlifes into the fold.
Though it feels very current, the original production of "Godspell" opened in 1971 off-Broadway in New York, where it ended up as one of the longest-running shows ever. When it transitioned to a larger, legitimate Broadway theater in 1976, its appeal kept it going for 2600 performances. It didn't hurt that a hit song from the show, "Day by Day," reached number 13 on the Billboard chart.
Come see if Jesus can turn the Las Vegas strip into something, well, heavenly. Performed by the Park City Players, "Godspell" runs from September 16-19. Tickets are $15 and $20. For more information, visit the Playhouse's website.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
