“Day by day, day by day, Oh dear Lord three things I pray…” From the composer of Wicked comes the vivacious musical based on the Gospel according to St. Matthew. Godspell is one of Broadway’s biggest successes and features the international hit “Day by Day.” Not to be outdone by brilliant theatrical displays including comedic charades, puzzling pantomimes and various Vaudeville antics, Godspell is billed as “A hit, a big, big hit” by the New York Times and a “rapid fire musical fun house” by Billboard Magazine. This colorful and invigorating musical is not to be missed and is on stage May 21st-June 27th!

Visit the Candlelight Pavillion web site for specific show dates, times, and prices.

Godspell opens May 21 at the Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theater. Tickets are available by calling (909) 626-1254, ext 1. Regular ticket prices range from $48-$68 which includes both dinner and show.  Group rates are available for parties of 10 or more at even lower rates.  Save 10% on season tickets when you book as few as four shows.  The Candlelight Pavilion is proud to announce its flexible payment plans to all Season ticket holders; save as much as 15% when you book 6 performances.   For more information regarding the 2010 season line-up and ticketing, please visit us online at http://www.thecpdt.com. 

David Lamoureux both directs and musically directs Godspell with choreography by Hector Guerrero. The overall production is filled with many vignettes. Connected by the theme of human decency and understanding, the vignettes are set to the parables told within the Gospel. The production is more than just its biblical themes. It takes off and explores morality and virtues in everyone, explaining the importance of treating others with respect and worrying about today and not tomorrow. The Gospel is transported forward in time and presented in a modern, urban setting to deal with modern issues. Lamoureux comments on the relevance of Godspell to everyday life, “Godspell is, ultimately, a show about community; establishing a community, developing a community, and eventually being able to depend on a community for support, guidance, and assistance,” he continues, “By pulling together people from all walks and stages of life, the show becomes more readily accessible and relevant.  It’s a deceptively simple piece of theater, as it carries a much deeper and more heartfelt meaning.”

The show originated as a master’s thesis project for John-Michael Tebelak in 1970. Later, after a two-week production of the show in New York, Godspell was picked up by producers Edgar Lansbury and Joseph Burns. The show was set to be produced off-Broadway when the producers sought Stephen Schwartz, who later composed Wicked, to create a new score, and thus the vignette style of the current production was created. Godspell would run off-Broadway from 1971 to 1976 before moving to Broadway and finally closing in 1977. It was then revived multiple times both on Broadway and off, including a tour in the United Kingdom in 2007.

With every production comes another opportunity. Each director of Godspell can present the musical in whichever way he or she chooses. Past productions of Godspell have characters dressed as normal everyday people or even clowns. The productions have been set in museums, classrooms and even in a McDonald’s restaurant. The setting can be practically anywhere using minimal props or extravagant sets. For instance the 1973 film of the same name was set in a then modern New York.

The Candlelight Pavilion production is set in modern times using modern technology and references such as an iPod and television sets displaying current events. The set takes a backseat to the story. Set in a relatively simple waiting room, all of the characters and components come together to form a unique and surprising experience. The Pavilion’s production features an amazing cast of eleven including: Huck Walton (Jesus), Trance Thompson (John/Judas), Jackie Lorenzo Cox, Kim Dalton, Nicci Claspell, Amy Gillette, Diane David, Adam Trent, Loren Smith, Jason Webb and Neil Dale.