I had a lovely chat with Jesus today. I can reveal that he’s passionate about live theater, speaks with a standard American accent, and is now living in Miami. He even thanked me for my time.
Oh, but just as the actors of “Grey’s Anatomy’s” aren’t actually doctors, the man I interviewed isn’t actually a biblical figure; he’ll just play one on stage.
Josh Canfield will star as Jesus in the Actors’ Playhouse’s production of “Godspell’, from Oct. 10 – Nov. 4, kicking off the theater’s celebratory 25th anniversary season. Structured around a series of parables, which are inspired by the Gospel of Matthew, Canfield calls the musical “the story of Jesus and the disciples put into a modern time.”
Although “Godspell” is not quite as old as Jesus, this is far from its first time on the theater scene. The original production opened Off-Broadway in 1971, running for more than 2,600 performances, and spawning countless local, international and touring versions. It was even adapted into a 1973 film, and completed a Broadway revival in June 2012.
But, despite its long history, Canfield says that this production managed to craft its own fresh spin. “We’re setting it in a post-apocalyptic time, though it’s also the very near future.” He describes the set as “all disheveled and broken down”, offering a stark contrast to the plot. “It says that the world is trash, the world is done. People are looking for hope. And all of a sudden, hope comes.”
The theater itself was altered to accommodate and enhance the musical’s unique feel. Instead of placing the orchestra in its usual pit in front of the stage, the musicians are behind the actors, allowing Canfield and his co-stars to perform in the very first row, alongside the audience. Some rows of seats, on the far left and right of the stage, were removed, leaving space for platforms to extend out into the fifth row. “It gives us so much more connectivity with the audience, which is great,” says Canfield, “I think this piece really needs that, to feel like the audience is really with us — with this community that we built.”
And, as the audience changes for each performance, so will the show itself. Canfield says that the actors always enjoy improvising, often commenting on particular audience members. Artistic Director David Arisco adds that the cast is encouraged to “bring their own personalities to the characters.”
Canfield also insists that people of all religious and spiritual beliefs can enjoy “Godspell”; you absolutely don’t need to have memorized every bible verse, or even be familiar with a single passage. In fact, the production’s director is an agnostic atheist. Although he laughs at himself immediately afterward, calling it “the cheesy version”, Canfield summarizes the production as, “we’re showing the story of a community coming together and learning to work together to build a better tomorrow.”
Sadly though, playing Jesus hasn’t gifted Canfield with any mystical powers. “I wish I would have been able to use some telepathy to memorize all my lines,” he jokes. Yet, the role does have many comical benefits. Canfield says his dad is having a ton of fun telling people that his son is Jesus. And in rehearsal, if someone were to exclaim, “Jesus Christ!”, he’ll immediately respond. “I’ll be like, ‘yes? You called?’”
“Godspell” will open for previews Oct. 10 and 11. It will official premiere on Oct.12 at 8 p.m. and play through Nov. 4 at the Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Discounted group sales and student rush tickets are available. For more information, visit actorsplayhouse.org or call (305) 444-9293.
