THE ‘GODSPELL’ ACCORDING TO CAROL
BOOK REVIEW: The Godspell Experience: Inside a Transformative Musical
By Carol De Giere. 370 pages. Scene 1 Publishing. $24.95.
BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO
Like children brought into the world, all musicals have a history, creators and a family. Yet for many musicals the details of these elements are often lost to the times or in the rip tide of the Great White Way—whose currents churns out new musicals like a factory in search of the next big thing. For shows like Godspell this is where Carol de Giere steps in. The former librarian, turned Stephen Schwartz aficionado, historian and advocate for new musicals, has recently released her second book entitled: The Godspell Experience: Inside a Transformative Musical.
(L-R) Robin Lamont (original Godspell cast), Carol de Giere, and Stephen Schwartz.
Following the success of her first book, Defying Gravity: the Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, from Godspell to Wicked, De Giere’s new book provides a fascinating history and song-by-song details for the musical Godspell. The book also features interviews with original cast members, creators and producers and even a foreword by Stephen Schwartz.
The two elements that are immediately striking about The Godspell Experience are the amount of captivating information and the facile organization of her book. De Giere has woven history from primary and secondary sources in such a way that provides readers with a precious Godspell diary unearthed generations later. And to some extent that’s what this book represents. After all, how many people today who have performed, produced or viewed Godspell know anything about the times and circumstances in which it was written?
Carol de Giere.
Godspell was Stephen Schwartz’s New York musical debut at a time when he was twenty-three and unemployed. As we discover in The Godspell Experience, the musical was also a direct product of 1960s-1970s theatrical sensibilities, brought on by creator and director John-Michael Tebelak. It was Tebelak who conceived the first production The Godspell (original title) from sketches and improvisations by actors in fulfillment of his master’s thesis requirements for Carnegie Mellon University. Later he decided continue developing the show, which led to the creation of the finished product with Stephen Schwartz that landed on Broadway in 1976.
Abounding with rich history that includes commentary from original cast members such as Peggy Gordon, Robin Lamont, Steven Nathan, Gilmer McCormick and creators, the book is neatly organized for casual reader to theater historian. Neatly divided into four parts, which are then divided into significantly shorter sub-chapters ranging from 5-10 pages, getting around this book couldn’t be easier. Although the material is arranged chronologically, readers need not read sequentially, the book makes it easy to skip around and read what interest you most.
The Godspell Experience: Inside a Transformative Musical is a perfect book for musical theater lovers and anyone who is a fan of Stephen Schwartz. Additionally, for anyone planning on participating in a production of Godspell, from actors, directors, to producers, this is an invaluable resource that will undoubtedly illuminate anyone about the journey and importance of this legendary musical.
