The play with its singing, dancing, pantomime, and sketches is loosely based on the teaching of Jesus Christ from the parables and stories found in the Gospel of St. Matthew and St. Luke.
There will be five evening performances and two Sunday matinees in the Shen Little Theater. The evening performances start at 8 p.m. April 17, April 18, April 23, April 24, and April 25. The curtain goes up on the matinees at 2 p.m. on April 19 and April 26. All performances in the 150-seat theater are free.
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After the play was first performed in college the musical opened off-Broadway in 1971 and later moved to Broadway. It spawned several hit songs, plenty of touring companies, and many familiar faces in the entertainment industry.
Clifton Park acting troupe the Not So Common Players has also drawn in new faces to bring this version to the stage. One of those is the play's director Michael C. Mensching. "I think every director should do Godspell," he said. "It's a classic yet it's not an old war horse. It can be updated. The author expects you to do that."
When first produced Godspell took place in a battered playground with actors dressed in late 1960s hippie clothing. The play is a slice of life with people meeting for the first time and receiving lessons from a Jesus figure much like the original disciples.
Mensching has updated the play and placed its two hour time frame in a New York City subway car. The lead character is Jesus-like city fireman Thomas Foley. The fireman character is based on an actual West Nyack fireman named Thomas Foley who was killed in the 9/11 terrorist attack.
"Someone comes into these people's lives much like Jesus and he teaches them through the Bible parables," Mensching said. "Only now it's the 21st century and it's in a subway car."
The cast has 10 performers and a live band, two keyboards, a drummer and a bass player. The original off-Broadway cast made hit songs of the play's vocal numbers "Day By Day" and "By My Side".
Mensching said the idea of staging Godspell came up during his interview with the Not So Common Players' board of directors to direct a play for the group.
"I mentioned it in passing and they liked the idea," he said. Though this will be his first time directing with the Clifton Park players Mensching has been directing for 22 years. He has staged plays for the Schenectady Light Opera Company, the Spotlight Players and the South Colonie High School theater program where he is a language teacher.
"The script gives you suggestions," he said. "It allows a director a lot of choices. This will be a Godspell people have not seen before and I recommend they come out and see it."
