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Show Daily Utah Chronicle May 8, 1374 SLC Page Nine troupe's 'Godspell' show really makes audience feel good by DON GRAVES Chronicle staff I don't believe it! A musical that's not only tuneful, witty and a sheer delight to watch, but one that's joyously affirmative as well, ever without being pedantic. And that's mighty hard to do when you're dealing with a musical version of St. Matthew. Yet "Godspell" is this strange and wonderful critter, and the Salt Lake Acting Company's present production is doing it full justice. After the pseudo-operatiheights of "J.C. Superstar" and the extravagant pretensions of works like "Mass," an attempt to make Jesus "revelant" and upbeat" while retaining a c " simplicity of means is indeed a revelation. The most amazing aspect of "Godspell" is that, for all its humor, put-on- s, slapstick farces and patter songs, it retains that is a persuading religiosity in lack its affectionately honest df the elephantine pomposity of the "King of Kings" type with the blearing trumpets, roaring mobs and heavenly chorus screaming their hearts out. After all. what can one say about a Christ that comes out wearing only a bathing suit, red, white and blue socks and tassled slippers with a heart painted on his forehead? "(JodspeH" is infectious in its good nature, and the SLC Acting Company has caught this nature and turned it into a work of love. Everyone on stage is obviously having a great time and the audience can't help but join in. "God-spellis an interesting work because the first act is a series of parables spoken by Jesus then acted by theCompany. The second is more serious, dealing directly with the life of Christ and ending with the cruxifiction. There is a wide range of possibilities in performing the work, and the Company makes the most of them. There is never a dull moment. Things move with the pace of a Marx Brothers movie. Using a highly abstract and effective set of bare planks against a drop of painted bricks, the action is parables Jesus tells are all those dull old things we've heard since earliest Sunday School days, but when spoken by a guy wearing suspenders over a Superman shirt with a red carnation, and then acted out by a company that looks like it just escaped from a "Marat-Sade- " rehearsal, teaching becomes painless and we can truly appreciate the wisdom and truth of what they Mediums 2164 Highland Drive Salt Lake City, Utah mean. The best thing about his production, though, is the close sense of ensemble. These are not separate actors mouthing their separate lines but a group of people working in a communion of brotherhood all too rare of the stage these days. And the Last Supper scene where the actors are redeemed from their sins by stylized, yet the Company washing off their makeup is one achieves an immense variety, of the most beautiful theater using mime, vaudeville routines, moments I've had, one where the burlesque queens, magic, audience is not merely a passive Kockettes dance routine, onlooker, but in union with the puppets, children's games, and people on stage. imitations of Mae West, W.C. The actors are uniformly good Fields and others. The intimate and necessarily athletic to be able theater offers a vast collage of to put out as much energy as fun with the actors and audience they do for two hours. The interreacting: bombardment that musicians really put it together assaults all of our senses yet as well. A lot more could be said never becomes tiresome. about this show, but all that need be said is simply see it yourself Clothes speak truth Direction and choreography and enjoy that rare feeling of are superb examples of using coming out of a show feeling visual means to emphasize and good. "Godspell" continues May underline spoken ideas. The 9.10,11, 24 and 25 in Eliot Hall of the Unitarian Church, 5G9 S. 13th E. Show time is 7 p.m. for Thursday night, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. for Friday and Saturday. He of music today." champions $2.50 gets you in. Reservations is an active concert pianist, or can be made at recording artist, composer and conductor. He has served as national chairman of the American Society of University Composers from 1970 to the present, as well ASUU Mario Davidovsky's "Synchronisms No. 6" for piano and electronic tape. Beethoven's "Rondo in G Major" and Copland's "Piano Sonata" are also on the program. Burge has been described as "one of the most eloquent Pioneer Memorial Theatre present John Cullum in and THE KING June ay 9 I 1 FREE TICKETS available for U of students Wednesday, U ay 8 8:00 P.M. Burge to tickle the ivory Internationally known pianist and recording artist David Burge will present a concert of contemporary music May 11 at 8 p.m. in the Art and Architecture Auditorium. The free program will include a of recital contemporary compositions including George Crumb's "Makrokosmus" and & Box Office is open from 10:00-6:0- 0 277-376- 9 l -- i. hi - .. .. - ... -I I. ... director and conductor of the Boulder musical as Philharmonic Orchestra for seven years. Burge's performance is the last of the Contemporary Music Festival concert series sponsored by the Department of Music and SLBteooo ASUIT UNIVERSITY OF UTAH INDIAN DAYS n I Sponsored by RASO May "Broken Arrows No More, Once More a United People." 6-- 11 MONDAY: Arts and Crafts Union Building ALL DAY TUESDAY: Arts and Crafts Union Building ALL DAY WEDNESDAY: Arts and Crafts-Un- ion Basketball Tournament Bldg. HPER ALL DAY 3:30 P.M. Miss Indian U. of U. Indian Man and 8:00 P.M Outstanding Woman Award, Dept. Award West Auditorium Union Bldg. THURSDAY: FRIDAY: SATURDAY: Arts and Crafts Union Building Basketball Tournament HPER Floyd Westerman, Sun Downers Union Ballroom. Arts and Crafts-Un- ion Building Basketball Tournament-HPE- R Tom Porter U. of U. Ballroom Foot Race Indian Feast Union Patio, 75 Arts and Crafts-Uni- on cents person Basketball Consolation Basketball Championship POW-WO- HPER Building Relax this summer and let us do the housework. We will supply you with our (1) complete food service, (2) laundry & dry cleaning service, (3) full custodial staff. ALI DAY 3:30 P.M. 7:30 P.M. ALL DAY 3:30 P.M. 1 5 P M 8:30 A.M. 12:00 noon ALL DAY 3:30 P.M. 7:00 P.M. 7:00 P.M. summer surroundings, you can be just minutes away from tennis courts, swimming pools, a golf course, and the greatest indoor physical complex ever! In r (MB? LiMU a |