GODSPELL
By: Stephen Schwartz & John-Michael Tebelak
Paper Mill Playhouse
Sets: David Korins
Lights: Ben Stanton
Costumes: Miranda Hoffman
“Daniel Goldstein has stripped away the detritus of flower children in clown make-up. This intelligent approach makes a timeless musical out of one which, when presented in its original staging, had become very dated. Goldstein does his best work in his direction of the parables. His work and act one rise to a crescendo in the parable of The Prodigal Son. Performed in cowboy style, the son goes off for gambling and women to sinful Las Vegas. One actor is enrobed in a cloth mural which serves as a moving highway to Sin City as it is rolled off his turning body and onto the body of another turning actor across the stage about ten feet away. For all those interested in seeing Godspell, the Paper Mill Playhouse and director Daniel Goldstein have provided a Godspell definitely worth their time and attention.”
More Press
Godspell is the playground of musical theater. Actors, directors, and other interpretive artists love it because of the freedom it allows them in terms of production style, musical approach, and comic ad-libbing. Of course, such license can lead to an unwatchable show in the wrong hands. Fortunately, the new Paper Mill Playhouse staging, by Daniel Goldstein is among the best of the best I've ever seen of the beloved Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak musical.
-Michael Portantiere, Theater Mania