A Note From Godspell Director Bob Herried
Randall Downward (The Theaters Namesake) favorite musical was indeed Godspell and the songs from Godspell were played at his Memorial Service. To that end, I am truly honored to direct Godspell and to have the faith of Robin and his family to lead this ensemble cast and crew from pre-production to opening.
My inspiration and concept for Godspell came, in part, from a production of Mother Courage that I saw in the Bowmer Theatre about 35 years ago starring Peggy Rubens. It was done in classic "Brechtian" theatre. Bertold Brecht’s theories were different from contemporary theatre. One of the biggest differences is that Brecht wanted the audience member to have an intellectual experience. Brecht wanted to evoke reasoning from the audience but not feelings. Unfortunately, Brecht failed to achieve the emotional void he so desired, so my goal was to take the best of Brecht and to let the emotional response happen whether it was visceral, vis–à–vis catharsis or not at all. In the Brectian style, we do not pretend that we are anywhere else other than where we are, which is onstage at the Randall Theatre in Medford, Oregon. The cast are who they are and I’ve asked them to bring themselves to the stage. Stage hands, house staff and even the audience are a part of the show.
Most of us have heard these parables; we know what is going to happen to Jesus. WE KNOW THE STORY, so why even bother? Perhaps to renew our faith in ourselves and, in our humanity; to realize that while we are here, there might be something greater than ourselves.
My goal is not to preach religion or doctrine, rather to bring about an experience of joy and hope through kindness, forgiveness and sacrifice. This is not a recreation of the life and times of Jesus; rather it’s a vehicle for learning about self-discovery, human intimacy and personal sacrifice. Maybe there is something greater than ourselves.
When you leave the theatre today, you can chose to “pay it forward” give of yourself, selflessly; I think you will be surprised to see what you are given back. I have learned that getting out of “self” and helping others, is the true reward. The gift is not in the getting, but in the giving.
A Note of Thanks from Randall Artistic Director - Robin Downward
Thank you all for sharing this time with us. This production has been a true labor of love for so many. I cannot think of a better musical that pays tribute to what my brother stood for - sacrifice, strength in humility, showing goodness without announcing it. All these lessons and more are within this production.
What's great about this experience is that everyone in the cast and crew have sacrificed for this show. Long tech hours (longer than normal!), long hours creating music, dance, rehearsals away from family culminating in a production that touches not just our hearts, but our souls as well. We hope you feel it as much as we have enjoyed creating it for you.
I hope that this production will remind you about the right way to live. It's not about religion or spirituality. It's about love, respect and humility. The relationship you have with your God is yours and yours alone. That said, how we treat one another, that is something we can help to teach others by example. That is what was special about my brother. It's interesting that even after he has been gone, his goodness is still helping to teach us the right way to live through this theater and the hearts of those involved with it and the patrons that come to experience productions at the Randall.
Thank you for all you do for us. Enjoy!
