We beseech thee, hear us

Watching the first few moments of Theatre Workshop of Nantucket's adaptation of "Godspell," you might think to yourself: "How did they get Bill Pullman to play Jesus?"

Closer inspection reveals that it is not Bill Pullman, but Mark Bruce, pastor of First Congregational Church. Not to insult anyone else who's tried out for the part of Jesus, but Bruce is kind of a ringer, insofar as the musical is a contemporized re-telling of the book of Matthew and draws much of its dialogue right from the Bible.

"Throughout the audition process, Mark was delighted to take any role, just so he could be able to perform in this show, because he loves 'Godspell' so much," said Gordon McGregor, the show's director. "But serendipity had it that he stood out as the most logical and appropriate person to fill the role. When he walked in, he sang the role beautifully. And when he read the part, he offered such a sense of calm and confidence. It became obvious he was meant to have the role of Jesus."

The show has been a long time coming for McGregor, who first came to Nantucket in 2004 to assist Susan McGinnis and Seaside Shakespeare in staging "Godspell." For casting reasons, the show didn't happen that summer. McGregor stayed on island though; he took a job with the Nantucket AIDS Network as well as a board position with the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket. TWN slated "Godspell" for the fall of its 2006 season, but the show was again postponed, this time due to TWN management restructuring.

Top: Pastor of First Congregational Church, Rev. Mark Bruce, stars as "Jesus" in Godspell. He sits alongside Lia Newman, who plays Robin. Bottom left: Nantucket High School student Beyer Gritzke, as Jeffrey. Bottom Right: Rachel Dowling (left) is Judas Iscariot, and Janeen Manghin is Joanne. Still in possession of the rights to hold the show, McGregor pitched the show as a joint-production between Theatre Workshop Nantucket and Nantucket High School. The pitch stuck, and now "Godspell" is the first show TWN has ever done in concert with Nantucket High School. Currently the youngest member of the cast is 14, and the oldest is "however old Mark is," McGregor said. "At first it felt a little overwhelming and daunting, but the adults were so willing and happy to be a part of the show. They didn't want to show division and were quick to honor the students - who they are and what they bring to the experience. Now, they all feel like they're one company."

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent In order to get even more of the community involved and to "to enhance the experience," McGregor created a community chorus, consisting of 20 members, who will be singing under the direction of Robert Behrman.

John-Michael Tebelak wrote "Godspell" to be his graduate thesis at Carnegie Mellon in 1970, shortly after "Jesus Christ Superstar" had originally been released as a rock opera album. After a run off-Broadway from 1971 to 1976, "Godspell" had a year-run on Broadway. Since then, the show has been staged nationwide with varying styles.

"Godspell is really an ensemble show, and there are only two historic characters in 'Godspell,' Jesus and Judas, which are much more lightly created," McGregor explained. "But what's wonderful about 'Godspell' is that you can interpret it and perform it in so many ways." McGregor even surfed YouTube to sample how other versions of "Godspell" have been performed all over the country.

To focus on "the core of the words of both the script and the music," the cast in McGregor's staging will be unified by wearing white T-shirts, each emblazoned with a single word, like "truth," "hope," or "joy." Members of the chorus will be wearing shirts that read "sing"; members of the band, "play"; and members of the crew, "crew."

In McGregor's staging of "Godspell," the cast will also have scripts onstage, for practical and symbolic reasons.

"We decided to present this show as a musical celebration, using the concept of a staged reading as a foundation," McGregor said. "So Jesus is handing their scripts to them at the top of the show, as if he's handing them the book of wisdom and letting them learn it while he's alive. And then he takes their scripts back from them at the end of the show, as if to say that they've received and learned the wisdom and are able to share it with the world."

But how many times has a minister played "Jesus" in versions of the musical? McGregor isn't sure.

Separated at birth? Left: Rev Mark Bruce of First Congregational Church. Right: Actor Bill Pullman. His credits include "Spaceballs," "Independence Day," "A League of Their Own" and "Sleepless in Seattle." "I would have been perfectly happy to sweep the floors at the end of the production, just to be a part of it," said pastor Mark Bruce, who added that he felt comfortable with the script from the onset because it so closely mirrors language he's used in the pulpit.

"The lessons that we're utilizing in this show, lessons from the Gospel of Matthew, are consistent with what I think are the universal themes of scripture,

so that was a very easy thing to translate," said Bruce, who believes that the musical appeals to a broad audience, because every audience member doesn't have to agree that Christ is the Messiah in order to appreciate the message and the story. "They can believe in the character and quality of Christ, even if they don't believe the Messianic qualities of Christ."

Likewise, "Godspell" has an inclusive message upon which all Christian denominations - and even non-believers - can agree. "They may not agree with everything the Church does and says, but what they can hold onto is that they are loved. And that they are loved by something greater than themselves. And that all we're asked to do is love one another," Bruce said. "That transcends times and societies. It's an all- inclusive

message."

But this spiritual reinvigoration works both ways - and that's particularly useful for a cast member if he happens to be a man of the Cloth. So what was it like for Bruce to play Christ?

"It didn't hit me until this past Thursday, when we blocked the Crucifixion scene, and I found myself hanging from the proverbial cross," Bruce said. "There's a brief song as I'm hanging, when I, in the character of Christ, come to these profound realizations and sing, 'Oh, God, I'm bleeding …' and then 'Oh God, I'm dying …' It helped me to realize the magnitude of the human Jesus. I was brought back to the human characteristics of who Christ was. The way I felt then transcends

the word 'humble.'" I
  When: Friday and Saturday,
      March 23 and 24, 7:30 p.m.;
      Sunday, March 25, 2 p.m.
Where: Mary Walker Auditorium,
      Nantucket High School, Surfside Road
Cost: $12 (adults), $10 (students
      and seniors); purchasable at the door or
      at Nantucket Gourmet
For more information, please call 228-4305.
                  "GODSPELL"