Godspell is the first major musical theater hit from three-time Grammy and Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, and Children of Eden). Loosely based around the Gospel of St. Matthew, the show follows a company of characters who unite to become a community through teachings of love, kindness, and acceptance.
Led by the international hit, “Day by Day,” Godspell features a parade of beloved songs, including, “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord,” “Learn Your Lessons Well,” “All for the Best,” “All Good Gifts,” “Turn Back, O Man” and “By My Side.”
Let us help lift your spirits! GODSPELL at the Ivoryton Playhouse is a fast paced, uplifting, hilarious and ultimately heartwarming musical retelling of the parables of St. Matthew with a little contemporary twist! Tickets on sale now – runs through June 16.
Saturday matinees added: Saturday, June 1st and June 15th.
Jerica Exum Ivoryton Playhouse Debut. Regional: Sister Act (Deloris U/S, Michelle), Big Fish (the Witch), International: Hong Kong Disneyland (Festival of the Lion King), Universal Studios Japan, Norwegian Cruise Line (Vegas! The Show, Paradis), Carnival Cruise Line. Jerica is represented by Lily’s Talent Agency.
Kedrick Faulk is excited to be making his Ivoryton debut in one of his dream shows. He was last seen in The Wiz (Scarecrow), Hairspray (Seaweed), and National Tour of Wizard of Oz. He would like to thank his friends and Ivoryton playhouse. Instagram @Kfaulk94
Sam Given* is thrilled to perform at Ivoryton Playhouse again after playing Bobby in A Chorus Line and Jerome in I Hate Musicals. He’s also excited to bring his newest cabaret show, Millie Grams: Make Your Own Kind Of Music (A Tribute To The 60’s) to the Ivoryton Playhouse stage on June 10th. Upcoming credits include a run of Rebel Rebel: The Many Lives of David Bowie in Concert, and a turn as Emcee in Cabaret here in August. Much love to Jacqui, Todd, Michael and Nick.@samgivensing
Kaileah Hankerson is so excited to be apart of such a powerful piece. Upon graduating from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) Kaileah focused on TV and film work, starring in the NYU film Belonging and working as a featured background in the Netflix series Orange is the New Black and BrainChild. She is currently working with Feld Entertainment in their NY based Trolls Experience. Her most recent musical was with La Comedia, as Chiffon, in their production of Little Shop of Horrors. Kaileah is thrilled to work on Godspell and would like to thank the entire cast and everyone involved in the production! You guys rock!
Carson Higgins* (Judas) is beyond thrilled to be back at Ivoryton for his third time! Born and raised in Malibu CA, Carson has been seen on tour in Green Day’s American Idiot (St. Jimmy) and most recently on the sea in For the Record: The Brat Pack (Rebel). You may have seen him here in Memphis the Musical (Huey Calhoun – Broadwayworld award for best lead actor), and Little Shop of Horrors (Orin). Other credits include Love Actually Live (LA), Syncing Ink (Alley Theater), and Ludo’s Broken Bride (NYMF). Television credits include Raising Hope (FOX) and season 10 of American Idol (FOX). Instagram: @carsonhiggins
Morgan Morse is a CT native currently living in Brooklyn who is happy to be back at Ivoryton, having been here before in such shows as Stand By Your Man (Euple Byrd) and Once (Andrej). Other credits include: Ring of Fire at Stages Repertory Theatre in Texas and Vienna’s English Theatre in Vienna, Austria (Jack Cash), Southern Comfort at the Public Theater in NYC (Storyteller). You can check out his original music online at https://soundcloud.com/morgan-morse!
Gabriella Saramago is humbled to be cast in such a wonderful company! Selected: opening group number at Madison Square Garden, Winter Park Playhouse, Sterling Renaissance Festival, Slow Burn, George Street Playhouse, NJPAC. Whenever you visit NYC, come see her at Ellen’s Stardust Diner as a singing waitress or an expedition crew mate in Pip’s Island! Te amo e agradeço, mamãe e papai ✞ Philippians 4:6 ♥︎ @gabigabbles
Sam Sherwood* (Jesus) is thrilled to return to the historic Ivoryton Playhouse. Previously at Ivoryton: The Guy in Once; also The Road: My Life With John Denver and Stand By Your Man. Off-Broadway: Woody Sez (Irish Repertory Theatre); Fancy: A Country Musical (Dev. Lab). Other recent credits include the European premiere of Ring of Fire at Vienna’s English Theatre; Million Dollar Quartet (Geva); …Forum; (Flat Rock Playhouse); Titanic and The Music Man (National Tours). Look up Sam’s band The Playbillies—Broadway’s Bluegrass Band.
Lilly Tobin* is delighted to return to sweet Ivoryton! Some credits include How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Madison Square Garden, Deirdre in The Cottage at Engeman, Suzy in Marvelous Wonderettes at Flat Rock Playhouse, Chava in Fiddler at Ogunquit Playhouse, Roxie Hart in Chicago at GVT and Frenchy in Grease at a bunch of theaters. TV: Michael & Michael Have Issues (Comedy Central). Graduate of Wagner College & LAMDA. Instagram: @lillytobin Love & Light!
Josh Walker* is thrilled to make his Ivoryton Playhouse debut! Broadway / New York credits : Side Show (Broadway), Cosi Fan Tutte (Metropolitan Opera), La Campana Sommersa (New York City Opera), Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Radio City Music Hall). Regional credits: Beauty and the Beast (Theatre by the Sea), Side Show (Kennedy Center–Helen Hayes Award), Radio City Christmas Spectacular (National Tour), Toulouse: A New Musical (Athenaeum Theater). Chicago Music Directing credits: A Little Night Music, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Les Miserables, Ragtime, Drowsy Chaperone, Hairspray, Legally Blonde (Circle Theatre), Next to Normal (Concordia Theatre), Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Peter Pan (Metropolis Theatre). Thank you to the Godspell creative team for bringing aboard this project! Much love to Peter, Mom, friends and family! www.joshwalkerofficialwebsite.com
Director: Jacqueline Hubbard
Choreographer: Todd Underwood
Musical Director: Mike Morris
Stage Manager: James Joseph Clark*
Scenic Designer: Martin Marchitto
Lighting Designer: Marcus Abbott
Sound Designer: Tate R. Burmeister
Costume Designer: Cully Long
* member of Actors Equity
Check back here for press releases, photos and video clips!
PRESS RELEASE
“Godspell” returns to the Ivoryton Playhouse
Book by John Michael Tebelak, Music & New Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Ivoryton, CT: Opening on Wednesday, May 22 and running through June 16, Ivoryton Playhouse presents the beautiful and uplifting musical, GODSPELL. GODSPELL began as John Michael Tebelak’s master thesis at Carnegie Mellon University with lyrics taken directly from the Episcopal Hymnal. Stephen Schwartz, also from Carnegie Mellon, was hired to write a new score, adding original songs to the modernized hymns.
The show opened off-Broadway in 1971 where it ran for 2,214 performances. After transferring to Broadway in 1976, GODSPELL continued its run for an additional 527 performances and became a popular movie in 1973.
Carson Higgins
GODSPELL is an important show in the history of the Ivoryton Playhouse. It was first performed here in 1974 starring Bruce Connelly as Jesus. Bruce has remained a dear member of the playhouse family and can currently be seen in GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER which runs through May 12.
Larry Thelen directed a beautiful production of GODSPELL in 2009 and ten years later we are proud to include it in our summer season. This production is based on the 2012 Broadway revival – a masterful retelling of the original sensation, injected with contemporary references and dazzling new arrangements.
Loosely based on the Gospel of St. Matthew, GODSPELL is a delightful romp, full of humor and love and glorious music, with several classics (“Day by Day” was actually a Billboard hit in 1972). This upbeat retelling of biblical parables is punctuated and amplified by a simple, melodic score by Stephen Schwartz. Director Jacqui Hubbard said, “It is one of the most significant off- Broadway musicals written by one of the most significant writers of musical theatre today. The themes are timeless and the piece is as relevant, if not more relevant today as it was 47 years ago. Because of its energy and broad appeal it crosses generational lines and children both young and old love the music and the story. It is a big part of the Playhouse mission to be a theatre for all people and GODSPELL helps spread the word”
Sam Sherwood
The cast features Playhouse alums Sam Sherwood* (ONCE; THE ROAD – JOHN DENVER) as Jesus, Carson Higgins* (MEMPHIS; LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS) as Judas, Sam Given* (I HATE MUSICALS; CHORUS LINE), Morgan Morse (ONCE) adn Lilly Tobin* (STAND BY YOUR MAN), with Jerica Exum, Kedrick Falk, Kaileah Hankerson, Gabriella Saramago, and Josh Walker*.
The play is directed by Playhouse Artistic Director, Jacqui Hubbard, musical directed by Michael M. Morris, choreographed by Todd L. Underwood, set design by Martin Marchitto, costumes by Cully Long and lighting design by Marcus Abbott.
GODSPELL opens on May 22 and runs thru June 16 for 4 weeks. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm. There will be one Thursday matinee on May 23rd and two Saturday matinees on June 1st and June 15th.
Tickets are $55 adult / $50 senior / $25 student / $20 children 12 and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org (Group rates and subscriptions are available by calling the box office for information.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.
*denotes member of Actors Equity
Photos courtesy of Anne Hudson.
Looking for something to do? Ivoryton Playhouse has been voted best place to see live theatre by readers of The Shoreline Times for three years in a row. Come to Essex and visit our historic, professional theatre – a Connecticut treasure!