Jesus in Musicals

Cotton Patch Gospel is one of many popular musicals that uses the Gospels as source material. Each reimagines how the story could be staged and leads to a deeper understanding of "the greatest story ever told." Cotton Patch Gospel built upon this tradition and created a show that incorporated elements of each of them. Below are some facts on each of the most well known four Gospel inspired musicals. They are interesting in their own right and also give some illuminating perspective into Cotton Patch Gospel.

1961 - Black Nativity
By Langston Hughes
Music Traditional

Genesis: Langston Hughes is best known as the most famous poet of the Harlem Renaissance. However, he was also a well regarded playright having written over 20 plays primarily about the African American experience.
Productions: Black Nativity opened on Broadway on December 11, 1961. After a couple of decades of relative absence, African American Theater companies started picking it up and it is now performed all over the U.S. during the Christmas season.
Musical Style: Gospel renditions of traditional Christmas Carols
Hit Songs: "Go Tell It On the Mountain" and "Joy to the World"
Based On: The birth of Jesus as portrayed in the Gospel of Luke
Famous Actors: Marion Williams of the Ward Singers and Professor Alex Brafford who sold more than a million records with "I'm Too Close to Heaven" both were in the touring cast of Black Nativity.
Innovation: Brought the joy, enthusiasm and feel of Christmas African American church services to a mainstream audience.
Interesting Fact: Dancers Alvin Ailey and Carmen de Lavallade left the show before it opened in protest of changing the title to include the word "Black."



1971 - Jesus Christ Superstar
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber (Evita, Phantom of the Opera, and Cats)
Lyrics by Tim Rice (Evita, Chess, and The Lion King)

Genesis: Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice had already written Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat together, but that had been for a school production and they were unknowns at the time. They first released Superstar as a concept album in 1970 and it's quick rise to #1 paved the way for two lengthy careers in musical theatre.
Productions: The original Broadway production opened on October 12, 1971 and ran for 18 months. A film version, filmed in Israel, was made in 1973. It has since been produced all over the world and seen many U.S. tours.
Musical Style: Rock Opera
Hit Songs: Murray Head released a single version of "Superstar" in 1971 which reached #14 in the U.S. The same year Helen Reddy recorded a version of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" which reached #12 in the U.S. Yvonne Elliman also had a chart reaching single with "Everything's Alright".
Based On: The Gospel of John from Jesus entering Jerusalem to his crucifixion.
Famous Actors: Yvonne Elliman, who later had a #1 hit with "If I Can't Have You" from Saturday Night Fever, had her career take off with the role of Mary Magdelene, which she played on the concept album, in the original Broadway cast and in the 1973 film. The concept album's Judas, Murray Head most famous for his recording of "One Night in Bangkok" from Chess, and the original Broadway Judas, Ben Vareen most famous for later starring in the musical Pippin and the filmAll That Jazz, also saw their careers take off after their involvement.
Innovation: Jesus Christ Superstar portrayed Judas as a main character. Rather than the villain, he was portrayed sympathetically as a tragic hero trying to prevent Jesus from inciting the Romans to destroy the Jewish people.
Interesting Fact: After the concept album was produced productions of the show began popping up without the authors' consent. They sued and the subsequent ruling is one of the foundations of theatrical copyright law.



1971 - Godspell
Music by Stephen Schwartz (Pippin, Pocahontas and Wicked)
Lyrics primarily from the Episcopal Hymnal
Book by John-Michael Tebelak

Genesis: The show was originally John-Michael Tebelak's thesis project at Carnegie Mellon University. After a two week run at La MaMa in New York Stephen Schwartz was brought in to rewrite the music.
Productions: Godspell opened Off-Broadway at the Promenade Theatre on August 10, 1971. It moved to Broadway in 1976 and spawned a film adaptation in 1973. Since then it has become a community theater mainstay, seeing wildly different interpretations of it's simply set tale.
Musical Style: An eclectic mix of musical theater styles.
Hit Songs: "Day By Day," which reached #13 in the U.S. Other popular songs include "By My Side" and "All for the Best."
Based On: The parables in the Gospel of Matthew.
Famous Actors: The film adaptation of Godspell was the film debut of Victor Garber who had been in the Original Broadway Cast of Sweeney Todd and later would be in the film Titanic. In the ensemble of both the original cast and the film was Lynne Thigpen, known to a later generation as the chief in PBS' Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego.
Innovation: Inspired by Dr. Harvey Cox's "Christ the Harlequin," Godspell focused on the festivity, playfullness and delight in the Jesus story.
Interesting Fact: Stephen Schwartz has said Godspell is realy about the building of a community. His song "Beautiful City" was written for the film and emphasizes that idea. While not in the script of the musical, the rights allow productions to insert the song into the show wherever they think it fits.



1981 - Cotton Patch Gospel
Music and Lyrics by Harry Chapin ("Taxi", "W*O*L*D", and "Cat's in the Cradle")
Book by Tom Key and Russell Treyz

Genesis: Actor Tom Key was looking to write a play transporting Jesus and his story to the present day South. Someone told him about Clarence Jordan's The Cotton Patch Versions of Matthew and John which already did just that. Inspired by Jordan's work, Tom Key and Russell Treyz created a one man show. They asked Harry Chapin to write a couple of songs to start and end the show and he was so excited by it he turned the show into a musical.
Productions: Cotton Patch Gospel opened Off-Broadway on October 21, 1981 and ran for 193 performances. It was filmed in 1988 and has since become a staple musical in the South still performed by dozens of companies each year.
Musical Style: Bluegrass
Hit Songs: "Somethin's Brewin' in Gainesville", "Jubilation", and "I Wonder What Would Happen to This World".
Based On: The Gospel of Matthew
Famous Actors: Adapter Tom Key stared in the original production and continues to perform the show to this day.
Innovation: Cotton Patch Gospel puts Jesus in our own time, effectively exploring how we'd react if he came today.
Interesting Fact: Original Matthew and author Tom Key's life was threatened by the Ku Klux Klan because in the show they are implicated in the murder of Jesus.

Further Reading:
The SF Chronicle's Review of Lorraine Hansbury Theatre's current production of Black Nativity: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/16/DDDV1B47OG.DTL

Wikipedia's article on Jesus Christ Superstar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Christ_Superstar

Musicalschwartz.com's Godspell page: http://www.musicalschwartz.com/godspell.htm

Loren Collins' Cotton Patch Gospel Website: http://www.lorencollins.net/cottonpatchgospel

The full text of Clarence Jordan's Cotton Patch Gospels: http://rockhay.tripod.com/cottonpatch/

*All photos from www.amazon.com except "Cotton Patch Gospel" which is from http://www.lorencollins.net/cottonpatchgospel/ and "Jesus Christ Superstar" which is from www.wikipedia.com