It's hard to describe Godspell to someone who hasn't seen it. It's not so big on plot and it's not so big on characters. I'd tell you in-depth what Godspell is actually about in these awesome director's notes, but it's kind of complicated, so watch the show. Or read below, where I kind of tell you what it's about.

Godspell was written during the same era and in the same spirit as Jesus Christ Superstar (the other Jesus rock-musical). Christianity was being revamped to incorporate liberal values and an increasing number of progressives (hippies) were finding the ideals they believed in and fought for encapsulated in the New Testament. They may have been alienated by the strictures and authoritativeness of the contemporary Catholic Church, but if one alters one's consciousness just a bit and looks back to the Gospels, you'll see that Christianity is about things like brotherhood, friendship, going against the status quo, hope, sharing, acceptance, standing up for yourself and growing as a community. It was this spirit that John-Michael Tabelek was trying to recapture when he set the Gospel of Matthew in modern times - he meant to explore these themes and how they could be represented in today's world. 

Godspell is about community: its formation around a single individual, its growth, its tribulations, its discoveries and, ultimately, what happens when its leader is taken away. According to the script, with the exception of Jesus and John the Baptist/Judas, all the actors are referred to by their own name. The off-stage community is thus combined with the on-stage; there is no distinct line between the members of the cast and the characters that they become. 

What you are about to see is a show that portrays life in a certain way - full of friendship, possibility, tolerance, spontaneous dance and attractive first-years. It portrays the world as perhaps it should be. It uses the stories from the Gospels, because they are as relevant today as they were back when they were written two million years ago.

I'd like to thank the cast, a-staff, pit, prod-staff, tech crew and everyone else involved in First Year Players for helping to bring this massive undertaking together. It has been incredible and I will never forget this experience. Thank you, fellow Whethermen, who have equally enriched my time at UVA, honed my comedy and put up with many missed rehearsals. Very special thanks to Dad and Jan, who have done nothing but encourage my love of theater and improvisation since grade school and who have worked hard so that I can play director in college.

That's as heartfelt as it gets. In advance, I apologize to all grandmothers present for the choreography in Turn Back, O Man. Enjoy the show! Seriously.

- Eric Eyerman