Composed by Stephen Schwartz with a book by John-Michael Tebelak, Godspell is a musical based on a series of parables from the Gospel of Matthew.

The parables are interspersed with music primarily using lyrics to traditional hymns with the passion of Christ briefly appearing near the end of the show.

The show features non-biblical characters who act out and sing through the parables, with all of them remaining on stage throughout the entirety of the performance.

It began as a student project at Camagie Mellon University (similar to the way Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat began) before moving to the Off-Off-Broadway theatre La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in Manhattan’s East Village.

It was then re-scored for an Off-Broadway production and became a long-running success.

A shortened version of the musical exists as one-act, designed specifically for performers aged 18 and under, called Godspell Junior.

The show opened Off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre on 17 May 1971 and transferred to the Promenade Theatre three months later, closing on 13 June 1976 after 2124 performances.

Godspell opened as a London production in 1971 at the Roundhouse Theatre in Chalk Farm featuring, among others, David Essex, Jeremy Irons and Marty Webb. It then transferred to the Wyndham’s Theatre in London’s West End in January 1972.

In October 2011, a revival production opened on Broadway and ran until June 2012.

In the interval of the original production, the cast joined the audience for wine and bread!

Many cast albums have been released, with the song ‘Day by Day’ from the original album reaching Number 13 in the summer of 1972 on the Billboard pop singles chart.

Other tracks include ‘Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord’, ‘Save the People’, ‘Learn Your Lessons Well’, ‘Turn Back, O Man’, ‘By My Side’ and ‘We Beseech Thee’.

FACTS:

Music:  Stephen Schwartz

Lyrics:  Stephen Schwartz

Book:  John-Michael Tebelak

Basis:  Gospel of Saint Matthew (primarily)

Theatre: Off-Broadway, Cherry Lane Theatre

Run: 17 May 1971 (for 3 months) 

TONYS:

(1977) (NOMINATED): Best Original Score - Stephen Schwartz.