A Wicked New Production of Godspell Finds It's Home on Broadway

The eagerly awaited revival of Godspell has found a home on Broadway. The Stephen Schwartz/John-Michael Tebelak musical Godspell will play the Barrymore Theatre, replacing David Mamet's comedy November which ended its limited engagement July 13. The first preview date has been announced as September 29th with an official opening October 23rd. Tony Award nominee Gavin Creel will play the Jesus role. Additional casting is expected shortly. Creel has been seen on Broadway in Thoroughly Modern Millie for which he was nominated for a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical and La Cage aux Folles. He was last seen as Bert in Mary Poppins on the West End replacing Gavin Lee who went on to originate the role on Broadway.

Godspell was conceived and directed by 22 year old John-Michael Tebelak as his Masters Thesis project at Carnegie Mellon University in 1970. Tebelak had had thoughts of someday becoming an Episcopal minister and he based the play on the Gospel According to St. Matthew and originally interpolated pop songs and Episcopal hymns set to music written by cast members. Stephen Schwartz was commissioned to write the music and lyrics that we know today when the show which had been very well received at Carnegie Mellon moved to off-off-Broadway theatre Cafe la Mama and was seen by producers who became interested in giving the show a commercial production. It opened at the off-Broadway Cherry Lane Theatre in 1971 and later moved to the larger Promenade Theatre where it became one of the longest-running off-Broadway musicals. It moved to Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre in June 1976 and ended its run in September 1977.

Stephen Schwartz, composer and lyricist wrote some very memorable songs including "Day by Day", "All Good Gifts" and "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord". He had previously written the music and lyrics for Pippin (although it did not open until 1972), and most recently the music for Wicked. A brilliant composer, obviously one of America's best.

Tebelak co-wrote the screenplay for the 1973 movie with David Greene. He wrote and staged liturgical drama for the famed St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in New York City. He sadly died in 1985 of a heart attack at the age of 36.