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“Prepare ye the way of the Lord”…in GODSPELL!
As we prepare GODSPELL for performance over the three coldest months of the year, we are continually warmed by the curiosity and response of questions asked and revelations shared by folks in the sanctuary, workrooms and hallways of the church. So many people have stopped to say, “I don’t remember this show very well, but I sure do remember the music!” Or on the other hand, “I never realized THAT song was from THIS show!”
Often, the song remembered is Day by Day, a gently optimistic song that carries a lesson we all can use in this crazy/challenging life: take it step by step, day by day; grow; continue; keep showing up. The one that often surprises people is Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord, the one we sing during advent when we are focused on opening our hearts and our lives to the presence of Jesus – God Among Us. There are over a dozen songs in GODSPELL, and it’s really tough to pick a favorite!
From the Prologue, which features the worldly wisdom of eight philosophers literally layered into a spectacular musical Tower of Babble, to the haunting song of exile, On the Willows There, the songs run the gamut: vaudeville, hoe-down, honky-tonk, gospel, hymn, prayer, funk; and many will have you humming – or outright singing along – for days (or even longer). GODSPELL is not a rock opera like Jesus Christ Superstar, but rather a musical (more like The Wizard of Oz), and this year for the first time the band will be onstage where you can see Kathy Webb, Alan Husby, Gary Teravskis, Andy Shaffer, and Haralds Bondaris create the soundscape of the show.
There will never be an easier way to invite a friend to church. It’s warm, wonderful, wildly spirit-filled…and it’s got great music!
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