Okay, so I've had my fair share of lucky experiences (incredible seats to shows for incredible prices, meeting Daniel Radcliffe multiple times, meeting Aaron Tveit multiple times, etc.), but never have I ever won a Broadway lottery. Nonetheless, one in which I get to set on a pillow next to the stage and get to hang out with the cast during the intermission. Oh, and I may mention that having Hunter Parrish sing to you while wearing little more than underwear is a plus.
This was a lottery that I had entered no less than 5 times, all of which were for Saturday evening performances. This time, I entered for a Wednesday matinee... And I emerged victorious!
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| The incredible cast of the 2011 Godspell revival |
Godspell. Entertainment at the pinnacle of perfection. It was a thoughtful, hilarious look at what it takes to be a good person. It wasn't about religion, or faith, or any ideology really, but just simple notes of being good to one another in our day to day lives. That may sound corny, but in actuality the subject matter of this wonderful musical is extremely relevant.
What particularly stood out to me in this musical was its "feel". I feel like I can't even describe it as a musical because it was the farthest thing I'd ever experienced from a conventional one, not only in its subject matter, but in its execution as well. The first fascinating thing about how this show was executed was its utilization of the audience. As I mentioned before, us lottery winners sat on pillows on the floor. These pillows were actually props that were used in the show that all of us were asked to hold up. Secondly, members of the audience were actually called to the stage to perform. Okay, so I may have heard that Hunter sometimes sit on your lap, but I really didn't realize how involved in the show I would actually be.
I couldn't tell when the show started and finished. The lines were so incredibly blurry. It began with a song about turning off your cell phones and segued into the opening number. During the intermission, the cast called everyone up onto the stage to have a glass of "wine" (child-friendly grape juice) and just continued to hang out there playing music, going around singing, maybe even getting a bit of candy from little kids. I had the opportunity to talk to two incredible cast members about their performances while they just laid on the stage right next to my seat!
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| Audience up on the stage during intermission |
Another interesting thing was the structure of the show. It felt more like I was watching a comedy show because, to an extent, it was set up like one. It felt much more like a series of short vignettes than a long story line, though it was still thematic. Another reason I describe it as "comedy show-esque" is that there were so many jokes relating to current events. There were references to anything from Occupy Wall Street to Lindsey Lohan, and of course Charlie Sheen's "winning!" In that respect, this show broadened the audience by miles. It's not a young person show or an old person show or a new yorker show or a foreigner show. It's an everyone show, but beyond that, it's an opportunity for across-the-board enjoyment.
And yes, this is the one show where it's sometimes acceptable to sing and clap along!
