Broadway returned to Worcester in February when Assumption presented two sold-out performances of the student-run production of the 2012 Broadway revival of Godspell.
“Godspell was first staged in 1971 by a group of creative students studying at Carnegie Mellon University,” said Joe Kwiatkowski, campus minister and director of liturgical music, who directed the production. “Staying true to that concept, with the exception of my involvement, everything was done by the students: lighting design, sound design, choreography, and set design. The goal of this production was to make it as much of a student-driven presentation as possible.”
The musical’s minimal set requirements were a perfect ft for the state-of-the- art Jeanne Y. Curtis Performance Hall, which was built, in part, to showcase the vocal talent of Assumption students. “The single-set production gave us room for comedic improvisation and audience participation,” said Kwiatkowski. “There’s a great deal of talent at Assumption.”
This was the second musical theater production performed in the Curtis Performance Hall; two years ago, students performed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and last year’s spring concert celebrated some of theater’s memorable songs across the decades. Prior to the construction of the Curtis Performance Hall, Assumption staged its musical productions at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in downtown Worcester for several years.
A significant amount of the show’s proceeds were donated to the family of Lily Vartanian ’20, who was injured in a car accident with three of her classmates on February 8.
