Review: GODSPELL at Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre

There is not a more perfect show to see at the Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre than Godspell. 

The building, fittingly, used to be a church. Though it has been repurposed to house the CLOG, it retains many elements of a house of worship. Instead of your average seating arrangement, the audience members fill rows and rows of pews.  

And I can say for certain that we all had a religious experience seeing this show.  

Godspell, which first debuted in 1971, is a musical based upon the Gospel of Matthew, retelling parables and the story of Jesus through songs and comedy. With a book by John-Michael Tebelak and music and lyrics by the legendary Stephen Schwartz (also known for Wicked and Pippin), this is an intimate show with a small cast and little need for a big set, which are more reasons why it is a perfect fit for the Charleston Light Opera Guild.  

The cast consists of ten people, each person with their own unique set of comedic skills and talents. This is a show whose cast members infamously included legends such as Martin Short, Gilda Radner, and Eugene Levy, but that did not seem to intimidate this cast. The cast ranges in age and experience, and I found each person to be charming and fun to watch. They have great chemistry with each other, perfectly embodying the “troupe” of disciples in the show.  

Performances which stood out to me were Austin Muncy, who almost resembles a young John Goodman and does a surprisingly great Godfather impersonation, and Tim Walker, who portrays the fiendish but nuanced Judas. There were nice vocal performances throughout, with highlights from Chelyan “Carly” Smith, Sidney Apanowicz and Bethany Garris.  

One thing that is crucial for a performance of Godspell is having a mix of good vocals and good comedy, which this cast does seamlessly. They nailed their funny voices and impressions, physical performances, and pantomiming. Even the imperfect moments, whether intentional or not, were still funny. Together, this cast is a comedic Jack-of-all-trades.  

This production was very enjoyable. The upbeat energy of the show and cast was infectious. It had modern twists and cheeky political references. It had its own unique touches, one of my favorites being John the Baptist giving sponge baths to the characters at the beginning. The costumes were fun (I loved the red cowboy boots). I also loved that the visible band in the back was like a character on its own.  

What was truly special about this show is that the audience was part of it. Members of the audience were brought up on stage to play Pictionary and Charades with the characters, and we even all got to partake in a “communion” during intermission, where we could go on stage and get some “wine” (which was actually family friendly grape juice) in reference to the line in the song “Light of the World.”  

By the time Act II came around, we were all engrossed in the show. We were laughing and learning the stories with the characters. But while Act I is all fun and games, Act II is a true gut-punch. Right when you let your guard down, they force you to confront your emotions. People didn’t stop sobbing from “Beautiful City” until the end of the show. To me, it’s a testament to the work of the actors – they successfully got us to care deeply about them and their story.   

I must also note the incredible work of the lighting designers and technicians. It was one of the definite standouts of the show, for me. At one point in Act II, the lights go all red at the perfect moment, providing an eerie but stunning feeling. There was also, coincidentally, a storm outside which almost seemed like it was a part of the show. Thunder clapped during some of the tense moments, cementing this surreal thing we were all feeling.  

The whole ending felt like an out-of-body experience, especially as the ensemble carried the crucified Jesus down the aisle. For the show I saw, the audience (who previously would clap after every song) was dead silent for the last 20 minutes. This couldn’t have been achieved if the cast and crew didn’t put on an amazing show the entire time.  

This is such a fun show to see, and I will definitely be seeing it again next time it comes to town!  

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