This special show, retelling the parables of Matthew and Luke with vaudevillian humor and acoustic rock music, was my first show with First Presbyterian Theater, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the means of Beloved and I meeting and "falling in love."
It was her first involvement in musical theater and my...umpteenth.
With performances May 12-21, 1978, it was just a few years after Godspell had been a hit on Broadway and only five years after the far-less-successful movie. A couple hundred people auditioned, but only 14 were cast (and also a couple mimes that mostly stayed on the sidelines...don't really remember WHAT they did). Because the show was originally written for a cast of 10, we played around with the parts and solos. I mostly did Jeffery's lines and had his solo, "We Beseech Thee".
Once the initial herd was whittled into a more-manageable 30 or so, the audition process, in addition to singing a song, was mostly a series of theater improvisational games, which I loved. Once cast, there was a high level of actor input for our costuming and clown makeup design. (It's not in the couple of early promo photos below, but I ended up wearing a colorful Walt Disney World hat that I borrowed from my "baby" sister.
This was, without a doubt, my favorite theatrical involvement of all time. Between the subject matter and the sheer FUN of it all, there is no competition.
Fun Fact: Opening night featured the opportunity for dinner and the show if you were willing to shell out $7.50 a ticket!
"Debbie Ann Brewer, with her doll-face makeup and outfit, is outstanding on what I think is the show's most beautiful song, 'By My Side'." - Roxanne T. Mueller, Journal Gazette
"Dew-Dew! It isn't difficult to allow freedom to an actor as disciplined as you. Your talent, your warmth and especially your supportive attitude carried me through several rough times in Godspell's life. I sincerely look forward to working with you again. Your head's in a grand place, Mr. Roth. You witness well! Love, JT" [Director]
"My special thanks. You do the nicest things in the nicest way! Love, Debbie [Given when she wasn't sure if we would ever see each other after the play was done.]
