A cast of 18 students from nine high schools in three counties opened GODSPELL at the Croswell Opera House on Jan. 27.
The show, which takes the 1970s musical and updates it with modern references and settings, is directed by Michael Yuen, a local educator who played John the Baptist and Judas in the 2000-2001 national tour of the show. According to Yuen, updating the show to the time in which it is being performed is in step with how the authors meant for it to evolve.
Get a first look at the production in the photos below!
"People are used to seeing a junkyard or flower children onstage, but then the director is misinterpreting the original intent," Yuen said in an interview in The Daily Telegram.
Much of the work to update the show's references was done by the students: A.J. Howard from Adrian High School as Jesus and Walter Book as John the Baptist and Judas, along with Cole Carrico, Simon Cox, Alexandra June, Mercedes Polley, Ben Popejoy and Lylah Slupe from Adrian High School; Morgan Decker from Bedford Junior High School; Brad Hayes and Pierce Mitchell from Hudson High School; Katelyn Orta from Lenawee Christian School; Rachel Cheng and Brienna Scott from Madison High School; Virginia Rawlings from Onsted High School; Chloe Danley and Olivia Gawron from Tecumseh High School; and Hannah Buck from the Toledo School for the Arts.
GODSPELL will continue Feb. 2-4, with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. The Croswell, which is Michigan's oldest theater, is at 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian. Tickets may be ordered online at croswell.org or by calling 517-264-7469.
Pierce Mitchell, A.J. Howard and Cole Carrico
Rachel Cheng
Morgan Decker, Brienna Scott, Olivia Gawron, Chloe Danley, Hannah Buck, and Cole Carrico.
Olivia Gawron
GODSPELL
Top row: Alexandra June, Hannah Buck, Walter Book, Brad Hayes, and Rachel Cheng; second row, Virginia Rawlings, Chloe Danley, Olivia Gawron, Simon Cox, A.J. Joward, Cole Carrico, Morgan Decker, and Lylah Slupe; third row, Brienna Scott, Ben Popejoy, Mercedes Polley, and Pierce Mitchell.
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