'Jesus' Lessons Relevant for All Faiths'

[Editor's Note: Crystal Springs Players of Crystal Springs UMC in San Mateo will premier Godspell by Stephen Schwartz on Friday, March 23. See "Happenings" page. This article is by the director of this production.]

By Adena DeMonte

San Mateo -- March 22, 2007

A few weeks ago, the cast of Godspell was invited to perform a selection from the show at the Crystal Springs UMC Sunday service. During this service, Pastor Paul Sweet asked the congregation, "When was the last time you saw God?" As a guest of the church and a person of Jewish faith, at the time I refrained from raising my hand with my answer. The question has been on my mind the past few weeks as I spent hours at the church, working with the Godspell cast and crew to put together this show.

After spending rehearsal after rehearsal setting the blocking, fixing light cues, and designing sets, the end result when the lights fade is nothing short of divine. I want to express my thanks to my cast, band, and crew, and the Crystal Springs Players staff, for all their hard work on this show. The spirit of volunteerism, the great collaboration required to put on a play, is precisely where I experience God.

Whether you are watching this play from the perspective of a person of Christian faith, or are viewing it in a different context, it is unquestionable that the lessons taught in the parables of the Gospel of St. Matthew are relevant for persons of all faiths. Godspell shows us Jesus as a human being. The play is about his life and his teachings. Jesus as man is an idealist, an innocent who sees the good in the world. He is a man who is fed up with hypocrisy and war, jealousy and hate. Putting Jesus in a modern context compared to the times of the Gospel of St. Matthew, it is clear that the lessons are still relevant today. Love your brother, but also love your enemy. Do not let your happiness be defined by wealth and material possessions. Be a "good Samaritan" by helping strangers of all faiths and races who are in need. Remember, actions speak louder than words.

With that said, I invite you to come see the Crystal Springs Players production of Godspell. The show opens March 23 and runs until April 7. Tickets cost $16 for adults, $14 for students and seniors ($18 on opening for our special champagne gala.) Performances are Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 7 p.m. There will be an additional performance on Thursday, April 5 at 8 p.m.

If you would like to discuss my thoughts on the play further, I welcome you to e-mail me at adenasf@yahoo.com or meet with me after the show.

Sincerely,
Adena DeMonte