Bedford Community Players returns to performances with 'Godspell'
TEMPERANCE – Bedford Community Players is hoping for a miracle with “Godspell.”
After more than three years of struggles, the theater group is staging a comeback with an encore performance of its popular show.
“Godspell” will be offered Oct. 7-9 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 1690 W. Sterns Rd. Curtain times are 8 p.m. Oct. 7 and 8 and 3 p.m. Oct. 9. General admission tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, age 55 and older.
“’Godspell’ is parables from the Gospel of Matthew told in a series of vignettes, most times hilarious and sometimes very emotional. It is not a show for very young children, as the concepts are adult in nature,” Theresa Hatcher, show producer, said.
“Godspell” has a cast of 17, nine principals and eight in the ensemble. Adam Carey portrays Jesus. Sammy Gonzalez plays both John the Baptist and Judas. Other cast members are Joel Zmuda, Jenna Rice, Kelly White, Jillian Villa, Ashlee Kluczynski, Kassidy Krimmel and Dan Desmond.
The ensemble includes Monica Gonzalez, Chase McNamara, Angela Bylicki, Laila Villa, Lola Villa, Layne Miller, Mia Bernard and Tessa Bernard.
The show was cast in August.
“(The actors) range from age 10 to 50+,” Hatcher said. “All of the cast has been in other shows, and some are true stage vets with many, many credits. I have more shows under my belt than I can count and have been a BCP board member for more than 17 years.”
Maureen (Moe) Agosti is the show’s director.
“This is her second time directing this show. Moe has directed and appeared in at the same time many, many shows, including ‘Peter Plan,’ “Nunsense,’ ‘Oliver’ and ‘Annie,’” Hatcher said.
As always, the “Godspell” set is sparse, and costumes are modern.
“It’s very minimal, just open space really with a wall and fence in the back on which Jesus is ‘hung,’” Hatcher said. “Costumes are present-day clothes with a variety of pieces and hand props that denote their character.”
The cast will perform “Godspell”'s traditional songs.
“Audiences will immediately recognize the music from this show, with tunes like ‘Day by Day,’ ‘Prepare Ye the Way the Way of the Lord’ and ‘All Good Gifts,’” Hatcher said.
The Bedford Community Players began in 1982. Tragedies have befallen the group since April, 2019.
“Our last performance, ‘Annie,’ was in April of 2019. It was a huge success but had a tragic backstory. During the production, the director’s husband passed away, and the choreographer’s father also passed. The night we closed, the actor playing FDR, Jim Shea, passed in his sleep,” Hatcher said.
The Players hoped to rise from tragedy and planned “Seussical” for the spring of 2020.
“Then COVID shut us and the world down,” Hatcher said. “We have done nothing since. We do not have a theater or space of our own and were locked out of our usual venue, Bedford High School, due to COVID. They allowed no outside groups in any BPS building. They only eased restrictions at the end of last school year. By that time, we had to make plans for a different venue.”
They returned to St. Luke’s Church.
“We chose a small show and a church,” Hatcher said. “We did ‘Gospell’ six years before at St. Luke’s Church as well as two other churches. We also did it in 2005 and once before. It’s a well-loved show of ours.”
She’s hoping “Godspell” also will help area resident learn about the Bedford Community Players.
“To say we are struggling is a huge understatement,” Hatcher said. “We’ve been 40 years in this community, but most of Bedford is unaware we exist.”
For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.bedfordcommunityplayers.com/.
On the Net: Bedford Community Players on Facebook
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Bedford Community Players returns to performances with 'Godspell'
