I’m so appreciating so many of these comments! In the early ‘70’s, I had just become a “baby” Christian and in the little church group I attended, I met a friend who knew S. Schwartz from college , who had just written Godspell ! Now my grandchildren are loving the music! It’s timeless!
I can't believe I'm seeing the original cast here. I remember the Cherry Lane Theater and the thrill of seeing my first New York play. My brother took me and we fell head over heels over Godspell. We sang All For The Best at our sisters wedding and my dream came true when I got to perform the show as John/Judas in the City Lights Theater in Perth Amboy New Jersey in the late 70's.Godspell has always been part of my heart. Thank you so much for posting these. God bless you all for a great memory.
That's me, Peggy Gordon. It was a lot of fun when we were creating this show originally because there was no script; it was the original ten of us improvising to create scenes out of Biblical text John Michael chose to explore; so, this was a very organic process and, needless to say, lots of fun!
Wow, really? Godspell is one of my favorite miracles, and its so cool to think about it in it's early state, and how it is now! By the way, I think that you're amazing!
Peggy Gordon, this has always bugged me. At the end of the crucifixion scene, the cast sings "O God, you're dead" and then sings something an octave higher. I can never make it out. What are you singing?
I am 56 years old and the first time I saw Godspell My Mom took me to see it where we lived at the time in Fort Lauderdale when I was 12 years old in 1972. I fell in love with it instantly. HBO had just started around that time and when the movie came out my friends and I were thrilled to see it on there!!!!! Then my parents got me the album and I played it incessantly until I knew every single word to every song, and my best friend Cookie Shenkman and I used to act out the movie as best we could. Fast forward 5 or 6 years to when my family moved to San Diego, CA and all of a sudden my life was surrounded by Godspell in many ways. My best friend was playing guitar in the band of a production of Godspell - so I was there watching the play almost every night - YAY!!!! Then when I met my husband I convinced him to go see the play with me at Lamb's Player's Theater here in Coronado - he loved it. We then saw it at least once a year here in San Diego. And when we had our 4 kids - once they hit high school it seemed like their school did it as well - and we took our kids to see it a Lamb's Players or the San Diego Civic Center every chance we could. This play was the soundtrack of my life - of my kids' lives. We have 4 children - a 32 year old daughter, 24 year old son - as I am typing this, my 22 year old daughter and 18 year old son are in the den watching the movie and singing in their perfectly beautiful harmony (our 4 can sing barbershop) to the songs all of them have all known all their lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing such beautiful music that has meant more than everything to me in my youth and adulthood and to my family as well. You have been such a blessing in our lives and we will always be grateful. Sincerely, Mrs. Meggie Ulrich, San Diego, CA
@ProdigyStepper When we were originally improvising the show, Steve asked me if I knew what the seed is and the only thing my innocent clown could comprehend was that it was a baby! We did the show together at La Mama through Cherry Lane and uptown to Broadway for a year and a half. It had been nine years since we'd all done the show. When he asked the question and I gave the answer I always did Steve said, "Ten years later and you still don't know what the seed is?" I couldn't stop laughing!
Have loved watching these.. this was the first play I had seen and remember it.. it’s been great getting to watch and relive it again… these songs are some of my very favorite songs
@rcktmanil We've been able to upload a few clips from the entire DVD. Hopefully, we'll be able to add more as time and Actors' Equity allows. Thank you for your sweet words. Hard to believe a song I wrote at age 18 would have such an international and enduring impact. This is especially meaningful to me because this is the original group of people, Gilmer, Jeffrey and Steve Nathan who worked with me to create this moment in the show!
Thanks for sharing, Peggy. I have always thought of Godspell as children lost and abandoned in a dark world, brought together, taught and saved by Jesus. Your description of a blighted, abandoned playground fits my perception perfectly. What a uniquely wonderful masterpiece the original material represents. Getting to watch it in your videos, from the 10 year reunion to the stuff on the Today show just months after it opened, is like getting a peek at an original DaVinci.
Jeff and I were friends from the age of 17 until his untimely death. For all the Jeff Mylett fans out there, I will be able to upload his amazing version of We Beseech Thee this year. David Greene cut it from the movie, sadly, but Steve Schwartz wrote it for Jeff and you'll see why!!! He was joy personified!
Hello Peggy! I am enjoying all of the snippets that you've been posting. Falling in love with Godspell all over again. Does the film, that was cut from the movie, still exist? it would be wonderful to see it in a director's cut, if that is even possible. I wish I could have see Godspell in it's infancy...
@@Tarotlynx He thought they were too "high energy." I said, have you ever seen the films of Bye Bye Birdie or West Side Story? Jeffrey and Gilly were crushed. Those two songs were their solos and they were brilliant in both.
I adore the good engery this play has! never fails to make me feel great again after a tough day! I love the way Jeff sings! again so neat to see Gilmer, Jeff, David do this on stage where it all began.
This is wonderful. Thanks so much for loading these. This brings back so many memories. I was in a production 27 years ago. Our "Peggy" was almost 8 months pregnant. So when she said the line "a baby" and gently rubbed her belly she always got a huge reaction. Then I got to sing "All Good Gifts." It is hard to believe that baby who (sort of) appeared on stage with Karen is not grown with a family of her own. Thank you for being a part of this amazing show. All the best......
It’s like watching the original production from 1971. Peggy this is amazing and your voice is beautiful. I discovered that the show ten years ago and it still means somethig to me now. It is helpful for me because I have autism and it gave me a sense of community. Hope to perform in the show someday
Thank you so much for posting this! im playing peggy in our high school production of godspell, and i didnt know exactly how i was supposed to do this act. Thank you so much!
@Tom6093 I wasn't in the movie. I got a wicked case of Tonsillitis that had me out of commission all summer; but, Katie Hanley (who covered Robin the show) and Gilly McCormick divided up what I did in the show and did a great job in the movie. And, yes, we're all still in contact, all the time!
Oh thank you so much! I am a huge fan of Jeffrey so it would be a dream come true to see that clip. You’re very kind to be sharing your memories with us like this. ^_^
OMG ... Peggy ... it's hysterical!! " ... grow ... grow ... BLOSSOM!" OMG, too much. In 1974 I worked on the stage crew at the United States Air Force Academy and watched their production of Godspell practice, practice, practice. Learned it note for note and fell in love with the music. Of course, that production was all male and not nearly as fun as you!! Bravo! :)
@Tom6093 When we were creating the show at La Mama, the prologue was spoken, not sung! When we began the cacophony at the end, each speaking over the other, we didn't strip, that's not accurate; but, we did tear off articles of clothing to emphasize the chaos! You might be thinking of Hair, where members of the cast did strip at the end of Act I!
@Tom6093 The "hippie thing," was a misinterpretation of our original costumes (see the youtube on my channel from The Today Show). Our "world," was supposed to be a blighted, empty, abandoned, urban child's playground. In that world were thrust 10 adolescent "poor," clowns. If you look at some of the images of famous clowns like Emmet Kelly's hobo, you'll see where the original costume designer Susie Tsu drew inspiration. So, we were never hippies, always "poor," clowns.
I had read somewhere that during the production of the Godspell movie, Jeffrey and Gilmer McCormick were opposed to the direction that the film's director, David Greene, was taking the movie, and out of spite, the Greene cut "We Beseech Thee" and "Learn Your Lessons Well" -- Jeffrey's and Gilmer's songs -- from the film. But if "We Beseech Thee" was indeed filmed, I sincerely hope that it turns up one day. It's such a gift that we at least have this video clip of Jeffrey's vibrant rendition. Thank you so much, Peggy Gordon, for making this possible.
That's half true. David Greene, the director, was more than 30 years older than our late teens, early 20s cast. But, it wasn't just a generational conflict, he'd never directed a musical of any kind before. How he got the job I'm not sure. Gilly wasn't happy with his choices. That's true. But, David cut We Beseech Thee and Learn Your Lessons Well because he thought they were too high energy for film. I guess he'd never seen West Side Story or Bye Bye Birdie!!!! It was bizarre. But, that was actually why he cut those numbers. I'm going to eventually upload Gilly's version of Learn Your Lessons Well because it's hilarious!
Thanks, Peggy. Yes, there is a three-part documentary on the making of the film on UA-cam. David Greene is interviewed. He seems like such an austere, humorless man for this material. In my opinion, he did make some good choices for the film, though, like choosing Victor Garber to play Jesus, and Lynn Thigpen for "Bless the Lord". I saw Godspell back in 1974 when I was kid at the Cherry Lane Theater. It was magical. I assume you were part of that cast. In 1982, I later directed a stage production of Godspell at S.U.N.Y. Purchase. "We Beseech Thee" was our show stopper.
Yes, I was in the original cast and the composer of By My Side. You can see the entire original cast in my upload of our Today Show appearance on my youtube channel. Lynn was Joanne's understudy and Katie was Robin's. Lynn came with us to LA when we opened the show there, then returned to New York with us to resume being Joanne's understudy. Joanne was amazing in her part; but, the film director preferred Lynn. He also preferred Katie; but, Robin's voice sold a million copies of Day by Day! When Sonia couldn't do the film due to her shooting schedule for Sesame Street and I got a wicked case of tonsillitis that took me out of filming, the director moved Joanne to Sonia's role and Katie to mine. That's when he began to shuffle things around because as Gilly always groused, how was the chemistry supposed to work when we basically had two Robin clowns and two Joanne clowns. Don't get me wrong, Katie and Joanne soldiered on, but it was more food for tension between David and cast members. He wasn't a bad guy, just, yes, humorless and so lost when it came to what made the show the success it was.
My compliments on By My Side, Peggy. It's is such a compelling and heart-pounding song. All the women in my cast wanted to be the lead singer of it. I was hard-pressed to choose one over my girlfriend who was also in the cast (she played Gilmer and broke up with me afterwards). Peggy, I am so grateful to you for sharing all your thoughts and the video clips. You've brought back many warm memories. - Tony Laudati
I love this song so much, I did not know that there were 2 different monolouges that Jesus gives during this song until I found this video, you ought to post some more stuff from this performance!
@RandomNoveltyItem I do! I'm carefully uploading a few clips at a time just in case Actors Equity has an issue. We're allowed to upload a certain number for promotional purposes; so, I'm hoping to include Jeff's simply incredibly version of We Beseech Thee, the song Steve Schwartz literally wrote FOR him!
@JustJessieNYC123 There is, but it's just for our archival purposes, not for sale. All the cast members have a copy and we've been able to upload a few clips, hopefully more as time and AEA allows!
@larkluster Were you in the movie too ? You guys were the best !!! Alot of todays GodSpell preductions need to watch these old clips. You guys had the best sense of humors. You showed more then just a preforming production . With your cast. We got to know your characters and how much they loved Jesus. Sorry for the loss of so many original cast members. Hope you guys get together every once in a while.
@CharlieMount This was shot in LA. Yes, Robin, Marley and Lamar worked with Bobby. He did Jeffrey's role because Jeff had moved to LA by then, I think! He was a sweet, talented soul!
That first "seed" was played by Marley Sims, who was filling in for Joanne Jonas, the original actor in that part (you see Joanne filling in for Sonia Manzano in her role in the movie because Sonia's Sesame Street commitment created a scheduling conflict with the movie). Joanne was in New York and this video shoot was in LA. Marley had been an understudy in the original production in New York and covered several of the girl's roles.
So true! He was an impossible act to follow, still is! He was working in New York and unable to come to LA to do this shoot; but, check out his gorgeous rendition of All Good Gifts on our Today Show performance! It's on my youtube channel!
Hold it Hold it! I know that Jesus! It looks like Don Scardino to me--not Stephen Nathan---Don directed us in the 10th anniversary production at the Lamb's Theatre in 1987-88 and from what I hear -we hewed very close to the original intent. Such amazing memories---I was Jeffrey
It's the original, Steve Nathan. And, your production wasn't the 10th anniversary production at the Lambs, since we opened in 1971. THIS is the 10th anniversary reunion production with largely the original cast assembled in LA by Sony.
Oh, Peggy---so many mistakes I made---sorry!! So --if you notice--I did look again and realize that it wasn't Don but--boy there is a vitality and energy that is similar ----maybe its my eyes and the quality of the video----and yes you are right about the 10 year anniversary but again---I wrote fast and inaccurately---we always had in our head that we were the first Off-Broadway Production since the show closed about 10 years previously---not the same as what I wrote!!!. Anyway--we met so many of your cast and I really wish I could have met you---By My Side is truly one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever!!!!
@larkluster It's a treat to be talking to you. What do you think of some of these new versions of , Day, by Day and the gospel version of " We beseech thee" . I have mixed feelings about it. The ho down thing was fun and catchy, but the new version , is also up to date , but for some reason , in my opinion lacks what you and the rest of the cast put into it. I do like , " Tower of Babble " Steven, should have written that from the beginning.
This makes a great worship song. For the life of me, I don't understand why Some Christians think this play mocks Jesus. Jesus , though being God ,was mortal when this all happened.
@SapphireWine66 I totally understand. This show's music is truly inspiring, although a lot of people underrate it. I has always been a source of encouragement for me in difficult moments. I remember when, right after 9/11, I printed the lyrics of "A Beeautiful City" from the movie version and posted it in the offfice in which I worked in NYC (which happened to be a counseling agency) at the time.
@larkluster Agreed !!!!Lol. I feel like I'm interviewing you . Sorry if I'm coming out that way. It's great to see the original cast up on U tube. I was to young to go see the original but I have the original soundtrack and love this play to death. It helped me become the Christian I am. I wish these anti -thiests could see the love for one another that comes from the decyples in this play. It paints a beautiful picture on how Jesus brought it out of them.
@SapphireWine66 Well, you'll be happy to know that the director of the Broadway revival wants to do just that. Both STeve Schwartz and I have been helping him and I feel confident this revival will be one fans will love!
Hi, Peggy. I'm Corey, and I subscribed to your Chanel last night. Is there a DVD of this performance laying around some where like on Amazon? The reason why I'm asking is because I'm in to live shows like the one you put on with your group. Corey Hansen. P.s.i love the song your group recorded back in the early 70s, day by day.
Hi Corey, there is a full DVD of this 10th anniversary reunion performance that we shot for Sony; but, it's not available for purchase. I plan to upload the entire thing at some point. So stay tuned!
That's amazing! I really love the music and lyrics! That is the reason I started collecting CDs and LP from all over the world. The song is the same as wonderfull in other languages (spanish, german, hungarian, dutch and even korean!)
Gosh I love these clips! Thanks for uploading them! :) I'm not sure if I've asked before, but do you have the part where Jeffrey sings "We beseech the"? I would love to see him sing it
@Tom6093 It's very subjective. I guess I feel as long as the love comes through, whatever version, then it's still Godspell... if it doesn't, it isn't!
Hi Peggy! Thank you so much for Godspell and for sharing with your posts. Lamar's version of All Good Gifts is the one I grew up with and love the most, it is so strong and moving, especially with his deeper voice. This voice sounds a bit higher? I would love any insight or stories about Lamar. Thanks, K
@larkluster Yeah, Thats what I figured. Again, I think the play, with it's rock music at that time, along with the whole hippie clown thing scared the fundies. Rumours get started. Lame !!!! It's an honer to talk with an original. I have seen GodSpell ( 11 different productions) and love it to death. My church is having a talent show and a friend of mine and I are doing , " All for the best "
I’m so appreciating so many of these comments! In the early ‘70’s, I had just become a “baby” Christian and in the little church group I attended, I met a friend who knew S. Schwartz from college , who had just written Godspell ! Now my grandchildren are loving the music! It’s timeless!
I can't believe I'm seeing the original cast here. I remember the Cherry Lane Theater and the thrill of seeing my first New York play. My brother took me and we fell head over heels over Godspell. We sang All For The Best at our sisters wedding and my dream came true when I got to perform the show as John/Judas in the City Lights Theater in Perth Amboy New Jersey in the late 70's.Godspell has always been part of my heart. Thank you so much for posting these. God bless you all for a great memory.
That's me, Peggy Gordon. It was a lot of fun when we were creating this show originally because there was no script; it was the original ten of us improvising to create scenes out of Biblical text John Michael chose to explore; so, this was a very organic process and, needless to say, lots of fun!
Wow, really? Godspell is one of my favorite miracles, and its so cool to think about it in it's early state, and how it is now! By the way, I think that you're amazing!
Thank you. Godspell has always been one of my favorites, even though I always cry.
Peggy Gordon Thank You 💜
I to am fan of original recording godspell.right from the beginging became my favorite by my side.thankbyou
Peggy Gordon, this has always bugged me. At the end of the crucifixion scene, the cast sings "O God, you're dead" and then sings something an octave higher. I can never make it out. What are you singing?
I am 56 years old and the first time I saw Godspell My Mom took me to see it where we lived at the time in Fort Lauderdale when I was 12 years old in 1972. I fell in love with it instantly. HBO had just started around that time and when the movie came out my friends and I were thrilled to see it on there!!!!! Then my parents got me the album and I played it incessantly until I knew every single word to every song, and my best friend Cookie Shenkman and I used to act out the movie as best we could. Fast forward 5 or 6 years to when my family moved to San Diego, CA and all of a sudden my life was surrounded by Godspell in many ways. My best friend was playing guitar in the band of a production of Godspell - so I was there watching the play almost every night - YAY!!!! Then when I met my husband I convinced him to go see the play with me at Lamb's Player's Theater here in Coronado - he loved it. We then saw it at least once a year here in San Diego. And when we had our 4 kids - once they hit high school it seemed like their school did it as well - and we took our kids to see it a Lamb's Players or the San Diego Civic Center every chance we could. This play was the soundtrack of my life - of my kids' lives. We have 4 children - a 32 year old daughter, 24 year old son - as I am typing this, my 22 year old daughter and 18 year old son are in the den watching the movie and singing in their perfectly beautiful harmony (our 4 can sing barbershop) to the songs all of them have all known all their lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing such beautiful music that has meant more than everything to me in my youth and adulthood and to my family as well. You have been such a blessing in our lives and we will always be grateful. Sincerely, Mrs. Meggie Ulrich, San Diego, CA
Lamar was so great, but comparing the two performers is "apples and oranges" to me. This man's voice is so beautiful as well.
@ProdigyStepper When we were originally improvising the show, Steve asked me if I knew what the seed is and the only thing my innocent clown could comprehend was that it was a baby! We did the show together at La Mama through Cherry Lane and uptown to Broadway for a year and a half. It had been nine years since we'd all done the show. When he asked the question and I gave the answer I always did Steve said, "Ten years later and you still don't know what the seed is?" I couldn't stop laughing!
Have loved watching these.. this was the first play I had seen and remember it.. it’s been great getting to watch and relive it again… these songs are some of my very favorite songs
I saw you guys at the Cherry Street theatre when I was a junior in high school. Before the curtain fell, a new baby theatre kid was born.
Steve literally said, "It's ten years later and she still doesn't know what the seed is?" I couldn't stop laughing.
@rcktmanil We've been able to upload a few clips from the entire DVD. Hopefully, we'll be able to add more as time and Actors' Equity allows. Thank you for your sweet words. Hard to believe a song I wrote at age 18 would have such an international and enduring impact. This is especially meaningful to me because this is the original group of people, Gilmer, Jeffrey and Steve Nathan who worked with me to create this moment in the show!
I was lucky enough to see this show a few times when it was off Broadway in New York...many warm fond memories.
Thanks for sharing, Peggy. I have always thought of Godspell as children lost and abandoned in a dark world, brought together, taught and saved by Jesus. Your description of a blighted, abandoned playground fits my perception perfectly. What a uniquely wonderful masterpiece the original material represents. Getting to watch it in your videos, from the 10 year reunion to the stuff on the Today show just months after it opened, is like getting a peek at an original DaVinci.
Best musical ever. Totally influenced my life in every way. Just saw the 2013 US tour of Godspell and Jake Stern was just amazing as Jesus.
Jeff and I were friends from the age of 17 until his untimely death. For all the Jeff Mylett fans out there, I will be able to upload his amazing version of We Beseech Thee this year. David Greene cut it from the movie, sadly, but Steve Schwartz wrote it for Jeff and you'll see why!!! He was joy personified!
Hello Peggy! I am enjoying all of the snippets that you've been posting. Falling in love with Godspell all over again. Does the film, that was cut from the movie, still exist? it would be wonderful to see it in a director's cut, if that is even possible. I wish I could have see Godspell in it's infancy...
I never did like that We Beseech Thee and Learn your Lessons Well didn't appear in the movie. Did Mr. Greene say why?
@@Tarotlynx He thought they were too "high energy." I said, have you ever seen the films of Bye Bye Birdie or West Side Story? Jeffrey and Gilly were crushed. Those two songs were their solos and they were brilliant in both.
@@larkluster That's terrible. I feel bad for those two actors.
Thank you Peggy for co writing such a beautiful song !!!!!
I adore the good engery this play has! never fails to make me feel great again after a tough day! I love the way Jeff sings! again so neat to see Gilmer, Jeff, David do this on stage where it all began.
I saw the play as a teenager and have the album. It has stuck in my heart and soul. Thank you. Aho.
This is wonderful. Thanks so much for loading these. This brings back so many memories. I was in a production 27 years ago. Our "Peggy" was almost 8 months pregnant. So when she said the line "a baby" and gently rubbed her belly she always got a huge reaction. Then I got to sing "All Good Gifts." It is hard to believe that baby who (sort of) appeared on stage with Karen is not grown with a family of her own. Thank you for being a part of this amazing show. All the best......
It’s like watching the original production from 1971. Peggy this is amazing and your voice is beautiful. I discovered that the show ten years ago and it still means somethig to me now. It is helpful for me because I have autism and it gave me a sense of community. Hope to perform in the show someday
This video continues to be my favorite of all I’ve seen on UA-cam! ❤️
Thank you so much for posting this! im playing peggy in our high school production of godspell, and i didnt know exactly how i was supposed to do this act. Thank you so much!
@Tom6093 I wasn't in the movie. I got a wicked case of Tonsillitis that had me out of commission all summer; but, Katie Hanley (who covered Robin the show) and Gilly McCormick divided up what I did in the show and did a great job in the movie. And, yes, we're all still in contact, all the time!
What a treat - thank you so much for taking the time to share this little bit of stage history, it is amazing!
Oh thank you so much! I am a huge fan of Jeffrey so it would be a dream come true to see that clip. You’re very kind to be sharing your memories with us like this. ^_^
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
This was one of my favorites! I'd love to see it. :)
❤❤❤ thank you 😊
OMG ... Peggy ... it's hysterical!! " ... grow ... grow ... BLOSSOM!" OMG, too much. In 1974 I worked on the stage crew at the United States Air Force Academy and watched their production of Godspell practice, practice, practice. Learned it note for note and fell in love with the music. Of course, that production was all male and not nearly as fun as you!! Bravo! :)
@Tom6093 When we were creating the show at La Mama, the prologue was spoken, not sung! When we began the cacophony at the end, each speaking over the other, we didn't strip, that's not accurate; but, we did tear off articles of clothing to emphasize the chaos! You might be thinking of Hair, where members of the cast did strip at the end of Act I!
@Tom6093 The "hippie thing," was a misinterpretation of our original costumes (see the youtube on my channel from The Today Show). Our "world," was supposed to be a blighted, empty, abandoned, urban child's playground. In that world were thrust 10 adolescent "poor," clowns. If you look at some of the images of famous clowns like Emmet Kelly's hobo, you'll see where the original costume designer Susie Tsu drew inspiration. So, we were never hippies, always "poor," clowns.
I had read somewhere that during the production of the Godspell movie, Jeffrey and Gilmer McCormick were opposed to the direction that the film's director, David Greene, was taking the movie, and out of spite, the Greene cut "We Beseech Thee" and "Learn Your Lessons Well" -- Jeffrey's and Gilmer's songs -- from the film. But if "We Beseech Thee" was indeed filmed, I sincerely hope that it turns up one day. It's such a gift that we at least have this video clip of Jeffrey's vibrant rendition. Thank you so much, Peggy Gordon, for making this possible.
That's half true. David Greene, the director, was more than 30 years older than our late teens, early 20s cast. But, it wasn't just a generational conflict, he'd never directed a musical of any kind before. How he got the job I'm not sure. Gilly wasn't happy with his choices. That's true. But, David cut We Beseech Thee and Learn Your Lessons Well because he thought they were too high energy for film. I guess he'd never seen West Side Story or Bye Bye Birdie!!!! It was bizarre. But, that was actually why he cut those numbers. I'm going to eventually upload Gilly's version of Learn Your Lessons Well because it's hilarious!
Thanks, Peggy. Yes, there is a three-part documentary on the making of the film on UA-cam. David Greene is interviewed. He seems like such an austere, humorless man for this material. In my opinion, he did make some good choices for the film, though, like choosing Victor Garber to play Jesus, and Lynn Thigpen for "Bless the Lord". I saw Godspell back in 1974 when I was kid at the Cherry Lane Theater. It was magical. I assume you were part of that cast. In 1982, I later directed a stage production of Godspell at S.U.N.Y. Purchase. "We Beseech Thee" was our show stopper.
Yes, I was in the original cast and the composer of By My Side. You can see the entire original cast in my upload of our Today Show appearance on my youtube channel. Lynn was Joanne's understudy and Katie was Robin's. Lynn came with us to LA when we opened the show there, then returned to New York with us to resume being Joanne's understudy. Joanne was amazing in her part; but, the film director preferred Lynn. He also preferred Katie; but, Robin's voice sold a million copies of Day by Day! When Sonia couldn't do the film due to her shooting schedule for Sesame Street and I got a wicked case of tonsillitis that took me out of filming, the director moved Joanne to Sonia's role and Katie to mine. That's when he began to shuffle things around because as Gilly always groused, how was the chemistry supposed to work when we basically had two Robin clowns and two Joanne clowns. Don't get me wrong, Katie and Joanne soldiered on, but it was more food for tension between David and cast members. He wasn't a bad guy, just, yes, humorless and so lost when it came to what made the show the success it was.
My compliments on By My Side, Peggy. It's is such a compelling and heart-pounding song. All the women in my cast wanted to be the lead singer of it. I was hard-pressed to choose one over my girlfriend who was also in the cast (she played Gilmer and broke up with me afterwards). Peggy, I am so grateful to you for sharing all your thoughts and the video clips. You've brought back many warm memories. - Tony Laudati
Thanks so much for sharing this!
What a time we had!
Wow, that is really fantastic!!!!
I love this song so much, I did not know that there were 2 different monolouges that Jesus gives during this song until I found this video, you ought to post some more stuff from this performance!
@RandomNoveltyItem I do! I'm carefully uploading a few clips at a time just in case Actors Equity has an issue. We're allowed to upload a certain number for promotional purposes; so, I'm hoping to include Jeff's simply incredibly version of We Beseech Thee, the song Steve Schwartz literally wrote FOR him!
@JustJessieNYC123 There is, but it's just for our archival purposes, not for sale. All the cast members have a copy and we've been able to upload a few clips, hopefully more as time and AEA allows!
This is too cute! I actually love Gil when she was laughing and David and Jeff choked her!
Thank you!
PLEASE DO UPLOAD WE BESEECH THEE, IT IS LITERALLY THE BEST NUMBER....
@larkluster Were you in the movie too ? You guys were the best !!! Alot of todays GodSpell preductions need to watch these old clips. You guys had the best sense of humors. You showed more then just a preforming production . With your cast. We got to know your characters and how much they loved Jesus.
Sorry for the loss of so many original cast members. Hope you guys get together every once in a while.
@CharlieMount This was shot in LA. Yes, Robin, Marley and Lamar worked with Bobby. He did Jeffrey's role because Jeff had moved to LA by then, I think! He was a sweet, talented soul!
That first "seed" was played by Marley Sims, who was filling in for Joanne Jonas, the original actor in that part (you see Joanne filling in for Sonia Manzano in her role in the movie because Sonia's Sesame Street commitment created a scheduling conflict with the movie). Joanne was in New York and this video shoot was in LA. Marley had been an understudy in the original production in New York and covered several of the girl's roles.
So true! He was an impossible act to follow, still is! He was working in New York and unable to come to LA to do this shoot; but, check out his gorgeous rendition of All Good Gifts on our Today Show performance! It's on my youtube channel!
Hold it Hold it! I know that Jesus! It looks like Don Scardino to me--not Stephen Nathan---Don directed us in the 10th anniversary production at the Lamb's Theatre in 1987-88 and from what I hear -we hewed very close to the original intent.
Such amazing memories---I was Jeffrey
It's the original, Steve Nathan. And, your production wasn't the 10th anniversary production at the Lambs, since we opened in 1971. THIS is the 10th anniversary reunion production with largely the original cast assembled in LA by Sony.
Oh, Peggy---so many mistakes I made---sorry!! So --if you notice--I did look again and realize that it wasn't Don but--boy there is a vitality and energy that is similar ----maybe its my eyes and the quality of the video----and yes you are right about the 10 year anniversary but again---I wrote fast and inaccurately---we always had in our head that we were the first Off-Broadway Production since the show closed about 10 years previously---not the same as what I wrote!!!. Anyway--we met so many of your cast and I really wish I could have met you---By My Side is truly one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever!!!!
Yes, you're right about By My Side.
@larkluster It's a treat to be talking to you. What do you think of some of these new versions of , Day, by Day and the gospel version of " We beseech thee" . I have mixed feelings about it. The ho down thing was fun and catchy, but the new version , is also up to date , but for some reason , in my opinion lacks what you and the rest of the cast put into it. I do like , " Tower of Babble " Steven, should have written that from the beginning.
Welllll---yeah maybe it is Steven Nathan
This was a ten year anniversary reunion production in 1981.
This makes a great worship song. For the life of me, I don't understand why Some Christians think this play mocks Jesus. Jesus , though being God ,was mortal when this all happened.
@SapphireWine66 I totally understand. This show's music is truly inspiring, although a lot of people underrate it. I has always been a source of encouragement for me in difficult moments. I remember when, right after 9/11, I printed the lyrics of "A Beeautiful City" from the movie version and posted it in the offfice in which I worked in NYC (which happened to be a counseling agency) at the time.
I could tell he said "it's ten years later.." but then I couldn't understand,I wouldn't be able to contain myself lol!
@larkluster Agreed !!!!Lol. I feel like I'm interviewing you . Sorry if I'm coming out that way. It's great to see the original cast up on U tube. I was to young to go see the original but I have the original soundtrack and love this play to death. It helped me become the Christian I am. I wish these anti -thiests could see the love for one another that comes from the decyples in this play. It paints a beautiful picture on how Jesus brought it out of them.
@larkluster Wait a minute--theres a DVD?? :O
@SapphireWine66 Well, you'll be happy to know that the director of the Broadway revival wants to do just that. Both STeve Schwartz and I have been helping him and I feel confident this revival will be one fans will love!
Hi, Peggy. I'm Corey, and I subscribed to your Chanel last night. Is there a DVD of this performance laying around some where like on Amazon? The reason why I'm asking is because I'm in to live shows like the one you put on with your group. Corey Hansen. P.s.i love the song your group recorded back in the early 70s, day by day.
Hi Corey, there is a full DVD of this 10th anniversary reunion performance that we shot for Sony; but, it's not available for purchase. I plan to upload the entire thing at some point. So stay tuned!
Who is the actress speaking of seeds in this video? She's darling!!
So, did you wrote All Good Gifts??? That's probably my best musical song ever :)
The lyrics are a traditional hymnal and Steve Schwartz wrote the music. Yes, it's such a gorgeous song.
That's amazing! I really love the music and lyrics! That is the reason I started collecting CDs and LP from all over the world. The song is the same as wonderfull in other languages (spanish, german, hungarian, dutch and even korean!)
The expression on Peggy's face when the first seed falls is priceless! But who is the "Awesome" seed?
Gosh I love these clips! Thanks for uploading them! :)
I'm not sure if I've asked before, but do you have the part where Jeffrey sings "We beseech the"? I would love to see him sing it
@ProdigyStepper talents
@larkluster At one point, wasn't there a cast member that came out Naked ? I heard something like that.
@Tom6093 It's very subjective. I guess I feel as long as the love comes through, whatever version, then it's still Godspell... if it doesn't, it isn't!
Amazing vocal arrangement! It rivals the OCA's, as much as I adore the OCA.
Peggy is that Lamar Alford singing?
Yes! That's our darling loved one, Lamar. And, yes, NO ONE sings like Lamar -- so much soul!
Hi Peggy! Thank you so much for Godspell and for sharing with your posts. Lamar's version of All Good Gifts is the one I grew up with and love the most, it is so strong and moving, especially with his deeper voice. This voice sounds a bit higher?
I would love any insight or stories about Lamar. Thanks, K
What does Jesus say after she says "a baby!" ?
@ProdigyStepper "Ten years later and you don't know what a baby is?"
What year was this?
It's me, Carter
"ok do you know what hte seed is?'
" babies?'
"ten years later your..." what didi he say?
@Tom6093 Because, at the time, the concept of the clown show felt sacrilegious to a lot of fundamentalists!
@larkluster Yeah, Thats what I figured. Again, I think the play, with it's rock music at that time, along with the whole hippie clown thing scared the fundies. Rumours get started. Lame !!!! It's an honer to talk with an original. I have seen GodSpell ( 11 different productions) and love it to death. My church is having a talent show and a friend of mine and I are doing , " All for the best "