By: Ava Abbate, Clearview Regional High School
GALLOWAY, N.J. — “Rejoice for the world is in chaos, the thieves are thieving, the poor are begging, and the rich are greedy; however we have reason, what else is there to the world?” Absegami High School takes a stand on this question in their performance of Godspell the musical which ran Feb. 20 – 22.
Godspell first made its Broadway debut at the Broadhurst Theatre in 1996 with songs and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz; however, he eventually revived the music in 2012. The musical’s plot resembles the Book of Matthew from the Bible and tells the story of how one man, Jesus, changed a group of misfits into a community. Sadly, not every story has a happy ending for the hero; however, this musical shows how death does not destroy but instead it motivates others to act.
Absegami High School’s cast of Godspell brought vigorous energy to the audience through captivating spirit and prodigious voices. Its striking costumes and technical features reinforced the 24-person cast’s talent and truly anchored the show. While conveying the complex script of an emotionally wrenching musical is difficult, the Company set about the stage to enthrall its audience.
The musical Godspell has one male lead, Jesus, who was played by Mason Kane, a sophomore at Absegami High School. His riveting performance candidly enhanced the story line and beguiled the audience. His facial expressions and voice deflections helped differentiate between emotions in the script. Aside from this, Mason brilliantly understood when it was important to blend in with the ensemble or to stand out and take the lead in a scene. Although each actor/actress had a strong voice, Mason stood out with excellent demonstrations of range and sentiment in his solo song, “Alas For You.”
On the whole, the entire cast of Godspell displayed astonishing individuality, emotion, and interaction with the crowd. However, there were a few cast members that stood out due to their character portrayal, such as Brett Jerue who played Hubbard/Brett and Grace Young in the roles of Hegel/Grace. These two performers provided comedic moments to the show whether by lines or actions. Another actress who performed exceptionally well was Rehoboth Gbadebo as Socrates/Rehoboth. Her voice flourished throughout the whole show; although her song “By My Side” exemplified a colorful display of range and tone. Finally, Mary Kate Devenny, a featured dancer, in the Godspell ensemble coruscated on stage with her radiant facials enamoring the audience.
In addition to the talent of the cast, the costumes truly enhanced the essence of the show. Absegami’s costume crew designed their costumes based on the SteamPunk era, incorporating a plethora of colors in order to add variety on stage. Two notable costumes, worn by Grace Young and Mary Kate Devenny, consisted of bright colors, a great use of layering, and ranging styles from this time period. Aside from costumes, the company’s makeup was outstanding and served to further enhance costuming. The varying colors and degrees of eyeshadow increased the individuality of each character and accompanied the SteamPunk theme.
The audience definitely paid attention and built their comprehension of the good Lord’s rules when the cast of Godspell delivered a sensational performance at Absegami High School.
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