By Jordan Thompson and Grace Wanner, Alvernia University Community News Lab
Images: Alvernia University
Alvernia Theater Program’s Godspell Musical opens on April 10. Godspell, written by Stephen Schwartz, is a high-energy show featuring beautiful, lively music and playful humor. The show depicts a series of parables through song, dance, and laughter before a transformative and emotional recreation of the passion of Christ based on the Gospel According to Saint Matthew.
Theater companies of all sizes have embraced this musical because of its simple technical design and minimal casting demands. These factors also allow for a variety of adaptations to the original work. Part of the beauty of Godspell is that it is different every time it is on a stage. In a 2012 interview with VEVO, Stephen Shwartz said, “One of the things that I like about Godspell is that it’s recreated each time somebody puts it on.” “I’ve seen it in a circus, I’ve seen it in a post-nuclear wasteland,” he said, “One of the most interesting productions that I’ve seen recently…was set in like a junkyard of thrown away television monitors and computer screens and the whole set was all these screens that had been sort of discarded, but, of course, things could be projected on them”.
The show is being directed by two talented Broadway veterans, Timothy Shew and Jane Brockman. Shew and Brockman have a impressive track record of appearances in many famous shows and TV shows throughout their careers, including The Music Man, Wicked, Hello Dolly, and Les Misérables, among others. Both are Hershey natives who recently returned to enrich the community of student artists in Pennsylvania. While directing the show, the pair are teaching at Alvernia while Alvernia’s theater program director, Dr. Nathan Thomas, is on sabbatical.
Headshots of Broadway Veteran Directors Timothy Shew (left) and Jane Brockman (right). Brockman and Shew have traveled the world teaching and performing and are now teaching at Alvernia University while directing the musical “Godspell”. Photos from Alvernia University website.
Under the direction of Shew and Brockman, along with music directed by Dr. Genevieve Karki, the Alvernia Theater Program is ready to premiere its own adaptation of the popular musical. Dr. Karki expressed excitement about the upcoming show. “It is an exciting collaboration between the community and us,” Dr. Karki said. “There are a lot of talented people, and I’m very excited about the music I’ve heard them make. We have our wonderful Broadway directors who are a huge benefit to the community and us.” Dr. Karki will be playing live music from the “pit” for the production alongside Alvernia’s Paul Colombo on guitar. “It’s a high-energy, fun musical with a great message. It’s about Jesus and the disciples, but it’s a rock musical,” Dr. Karki said.
Junior Literature major, Alvernia Theater Program member, and advocate for the arts, Charlotte Baumgard, shared a sneak peek into Alvernia’s Godspell: “Something that I love about our production of Godspell is that we have a larger ensemble than is often used in this show,” Baumgard said, “a larger ensemble allows everyone to have their own moment in the spotlight while simultaneously strengthening the show’s message regarding community.”
There are numerous incredible musicals that Alvernia could have chosen for its very first musical production. One has to wonder, why Godspell now? Baumgard shared some insight, saying that it “is a particularly timely musical because of its emphasis on the importance of love. I often feel that our modern world is averse to love and empathy; social media has a way of making the entire world appear bitterly apathetic, abrasive, and afraid of sincerity. Love, kindness, and togetherness are some of the most powerful tools we can have to counteract this phenomenon, and I believe Godspell says that beautifully in its own way.”
In addition to the guest directors, the production extended auditions to members of the Berks community. “The show is about community, and we are in a unique position where we are using a university community and the community of Berks County together,” Brockman said. The mixture of students and community members creates a rich, representative cast that truly embodies the spirit of the show. Musical theater returns to Alvernia with the opening of Godspell on April 10. “It’s a very supportive group of people behind the table, and it’s just going to be fun,” Brockman said.
With its 2026 musical production, the Alvernia Theater Program hopes to breathe new life into the department. In America today, the arts and humanities seem to always be navigating political, ideological, and budget challenges. Many students and patrons of the arts find this heartbreaking. “It absolutely breaks my heart that the arts are often underfunded,” Baumgard said, “art is what gives life substance, and it’s so sad to see that many people and institutions deem it frivolous and meaningless.” Theater companies and artists need our support now more than ever. We should all take a page out of the Godspell script and strive to support our community.
Continuing with the spirit of community, support for the show was provided by the Hawley and Myrtle Quier Fund of the Berks County Community Foundation and the Reading Musical Foundation. Tickets are available now for all performances. The show runs from April 10 through 12 and April 16 through 19.
For Alvernia University students and staff, tickets are free, but reservations must be made. To reserve your tickets, email brandon.kegerize@alvernia.edu with the performance you are interested in attending. Students must bring their Alvernia ID with them. All other interested attendees can find ticket information on Alvernia University’s website or Eventbrite.
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