The Benedictine Theater Department has been hard at work on their production of “Godspell,” a musical comedy starring Noah Steenbergen and Braden Magistro.
The show will open Thursday, March 27 in the Mabee Theater. The process to open “Godspell” started back in December and will not finish until the end of the play’s run. The production has a lot of necessary roles to it, and each role is doing more than an audience member might expect, from cast-member to stage manager. Every person offers whatever skills they can to the production. This translates to a lot of work from each member of the play.
Stage manager Delaney Williams is involved with the entirety of the performance.
She says, “I probably spend 20-25 hours a week on average working on the show…If you know how to juggle everything it is really fulfilling to get so much work done.”
Ciera Loran is the assistant director of “Godspell,” working alongside director Dr. Nathan Bowman and a sophomore criminology and theater major. She is also the House Manager and works as the production’s head of marketing. Her favorite part of the experience is watching it all come together.
“Whether I’m on the stage or watching from the booth, just finally getting to have an audience, it’s so gratifying and serene.”
“Godspell” is a musical comedy. The actors have worked hard to master their performances so that the best show can be put on. This includes perfecting their singing, dancing, acting and comedic delivery.
The members of the show join because of their love for performing and the theater art, as well as the impact they can have on an audience.
Williams says, “I think that art is critical to society because it is an opportunity for expression, understanding, and connection. People, both onstage and off, can feel validated and seen through theatrical performances and that is something that is so worth investing in.”
The full lineup of plays for the season are decided the year before by the theater faculty. This year’s plays have included “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play ,”adapted by Joe Landry and “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams.
Tickets to “Godspell” can be bought at the door or online.
