The People’s Church, Franklin, Tennessee, is presenting a production of Godspell, Thursday March 18, Friday March 19 and Saturday March 20, with performances at 7pm each evening and a matinee on March 20 at 2pm.
“If there was ever a time that the world could use some Godspell, and old English word for good news, it’s now,” says director Joel Mayes. Godspell is a musical written by John-Michael Tebelak as his thesis for his Master of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie Mellon University. It was written based of the gospel according to Saint Matthew. Godspell has been performed more than 2,600 times on and off Broadway since its creation and success in the 1970’s. The original score for the production was composed by Stephen Schwartz, but The People’s Church production, with their cast of 10, will feature the modern musical arrangement by Alex Lacamoire.
Kelly Garner, a Commercial Vocal faculty member of Belmont University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts and a worship leader/artist herself, is the musical director for the production. “The People’s Church wants to reach out to the community,” says Garner, “and what better way than through music.”
Jason Barton, who plays the role of Jesus, grew up performing in such musicals as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, where he played Joseph and West Side Story, where he played Tony. He moved to Nashville, from Louisiana six years ago to pursue a career in music. Jason has worked as a studio musician, been a member of Essential Records’ TRUEvibe, toured with Destiny’s Child, been on MTV’s Makin’ the Video, and received a Grammy award nomination. Jason and his wife Jennifer, Godspell’s choreographer, are expecting their first child this summer.
Nathan Gaddis is from Campbellsville, Kentucky and is playing the role of John the Baptist/Judas. He has held lead roles in productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Into the Woods, Music Man, and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. He moved to Nashville in 1997 to attend Belmont University and to pursue his dream of being a professional musician. He is a former member of the Grammy nominated Christian vocal group, TRUEvibe, where he toured with likes of Destiny’s Child and had songs on the Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and On the Line movie soundtracks. Currently Nathan is a member of and touring with a new band called Sojourn Fare.
Tickets are $10 for reserved seating for each performance and can be purchased by calling 615-261-2028. For information on The People’s Church, call 615-794-2812 or visit www.thepeopleschurch.org.
