Fall musical to feature new faces in new roles

A group of thespians form a circle in the Rose Theatre after school.

“Zip!” says one of the actors.

This actor passes the action to the person next to him. The next actor “zips” to the next person, continuing the action around the circle. The anxiety throughout the circle builds.

“Bang!” says an actor pointing his finger across the circle.

“Boing!” says the actor who was “shot.”

The rest of the group starts to laugh and tell the “boing” actor he is out.

This is an example of an improv game the actors of “Godspell” perform to warm-up for play practice.

The theatre program will perform the musical “Godspell” as their fall production, opening Nov. 2.

The show features senior Damian Malnar as Jesus, and junior Zach Stollman as John the Baptist and Judas. Twelve other actors and actresses make up the rest of the cast, acting as everyday people.

“The cast has brought a lot of energy and excitement since we started practicing,” Mrs. Annie Barney, director of “Godspell,” said.

The musical will be set in a salvage yard on the edge of a city similar to the original “Godspell” play but modern for the 21st century. The Theatre Tech class and Mr. Bill Murphy are building the set for the play.

Practices for “Godspell” include improv and team-building exercises such as an imitating mirror game and Zip-Boing-Bang, which are used as a “warm-up” for play practice.

“I feel like the team-building exercises have brought all the actors together and helped strengthen my self-confidence,” Malnar said.

The process of selecting plays begins months before auditions start with Mrs. Barney and Mr. Murphy, Theatre advisor, brainstorming for the next play. Mrs. Barney will bounce ideas off Mr. Murphy to make sure the potential play’s set can be built.

“I remember being at home grading papers and listening to the soundtrack of Godspell. When one of the songs started to play I, started to cry,” Mrs. Barney said. “I felt like something was telling me that Rockhurst needed this show right now.”

Mrs. Barney decided to choose “Godspell” because of its Jesuit themes and increased popularity of the improv club.

“A lot of the staging for ‘Godspell’ is improvised and that will play into the strengths of the actors,” Mrs. Barney said. “Godspell’s social justice and religious themes are similar to the Jesuit and Rockhurst ideals.”