Showing posts with label Theatre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theatre. Show all posts

Saturday, November 19, 2011

God Put a Spell On Me



In one simple word, I would describe Godspell as awesome.

It was hilarious. It was spontaneous. It was moving. And it brought me to tears. Godspell is probably one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
For those who don’t know, Godspell is essentially the parables, the last supper, and the crucifixion in two and a half hours. It’s a primarily comedic musical with improv thrown in throughout the show.


Theatre-in-the-round
Top 10 reasons I loved Godspell and you should see it on Broadway:

1. It's performed in a theatre-in-the-round (aka arena theatre), making the retrieval of props interesting. (Actors opened up doors in the stage floor to pull out all sorts of props throughout the show.

2. Baptismal water fell from the ceiling and into a baptismal tank in (yes, in) the stage.

3. Ancient philosophers were baptized and jumped up and down with joy, as if they were worshipping the God they just accepted. It was so powerful it gave me goosebumps.

4. Parables were creatively presented through pictionary, skits, and charades. Audience members close to the stage were pulled on stage to help the actors a couple of times.

Confetti by my feet
5. It was improvisational and current, with references to Occupy Wall Street ("Occupy 50th Street! Occupy 50th Street!") and the quality of understudy ("You're just an understudy, what do you know?").

6. Confetti and props were thrown into the audience a few times, and the actors were constantly wandering the aisles and interacting with the audience.

"Wine" on stage
7. At intermission, Jesus invited the audience to "have some wine" on stage. Several actors stayed on stage and chatted with the audience.

8. The Last Supper, Judas's betrayal of Jesus, and the crucifixion were powerful and moving scenes.

9. Overall acting and singing was good...although, let's be honest, some had better, stronger voices than others.

10. It was hilarious, interactive, and engaging, but it did a great job of introducing the Gospel to anyone in the audience who had no idea what was in the Bible.



Tickets provided as a courtesy

Intermission. Audience on stage with actors.

Post-Intermission, Pre-Act 2. A few actors singing and having fun on stage.
One actor  sat at the piano that's in (yes, in) the stage.



Wednesday, May 11, 2011

On Beauty

What is beauty? 
Artist in Times Square
Is it the girl every guy chases or the guy every girl wants? The perfectly blossomed rose in the midst of flowers still blooming? The toddler in a pink dress twirling for her daddy? I don’t have an answer for you.

What makes something beautiful?
Is it the brilliant color that emanates from something? The interesting pattern and unique texture? The perfect harmony of musical notes? I don’t have an answer for you.

Who decides what beauty is?
Is it the popular crowd at work or school? The magazine editor of a beauty magazine? The fashion designer with a new clothing line? This I have an answer for: YOU.
Phantom Pit

The cliche “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” may be overused, but it’s pure truth. You define what beauty is. You decide what makes something beautiful. You. No one can deny you the right to your definition of beauty.
I used to want so badly to find beauty in the sky, the cactus, the Grand Canyon because everyone else seemed to. These were God’s creations, but I couldn’t see the beauty. 
I’ve realized, though, that I find beauty in other creations: the green trees and forests, flowers with just the right mix of colors, the contrast of something beautiful against something harsh, a city skyline...

Panorama of Times Square
I find beauty in certain songs and in certain lyrics, in musicals or ballet performances, in the Resurrection Dance, in books and movies with strong story lines...

Theatre where Phantom is performed
Today, I found beauty on the stage of Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre. Philip and I bought tickets at TKTS in Times Square, and the tickets turned out to be on the front row, off to the side. The pit was just below us, and the actors were just a few feet in front of us. The story, acting, and singing were beautiful, and they moved me to tears.

That’s how I know something is beautiful. It moves me. Somehow or another (often through tears), it moves me.  Seeing beauty in the world around us is so important, but we have to know how to recognize it. 

Can you recognize your brand of beauty?