MANSFIELD — Matthew Nowak stood at the foot of the stage, looking up at the band of teenage thespians.
They’d just finished rehearsing a number from the spring musical. The sound system had glitched, temporarily cutting off the rehearsal track mid-song.
Nowak, the assistant band director at Mansfield Senior High, used it as an opportunity to reinforce a core theater principle.
“What happens if the sound goes out?” he asked. “What happens if someone misses a line? What happens if anything happens?”
With each question, the cast of Godspell Jr. chanted back, “Keep going!”
The show must go on, after all.
After years of dormancy, the theater program at Mansfield Senior High School is being resurrected this spring with a production of Godspell Jr.
The show presents the parables of Jesus Christ through an eclectic mix of song, dance and sometimes humorous re-enactments.
The show premiered Off-Broadway in 1971 and earned a Tony nomination for best original score six years later. The music and lyrics were penned by Stephen Schwartz, who would go on to write the smash hit musical Wicked.
Cast members described Godspell Jr. as a humorous, sometimes chaotic show. Jesus’ followers act less like first century disciples and more like a improv theater troupe.
“It’s comedic, joyful, but it does follow to the point of Jesus’s crucifixion, so scene 10 is the most sad scene, but that’s pretty much it,” said freshman and stage manager Garret Skeen. “Everything else is upbeat and energetic.”
In spite of a lighthearted tone, students said the themes of justice, forgiveness and community are evident throughout the show.
“This story is essentially about Jesus and his friends sharing wonderful stories about different experiences of compassion, love, friendship and unity,” Nowak said.
Olivia Swicegood is Mansfield City’s middle and high school choir director and Nowak’s co-director. She said the team chose Godspell in part for practical reasons.
The two young educators have been tasked with rebuilding a theater program from the ground up. Godspell Jr. is a fairly minimalistic show that doesn’t require costly or complicated costumes and sets.
“We’ve tried to take it step by step, start very small, and do something that’s achievable and doable and then really build it to its full potential,” Swicegood said.
Bringing Tyger pride back to the stage
Over the past few years, Mansfield Senior has had a few variety show-style events. Students have performed a series of smaller, vignette-style performances or songs from different musicals.
But Principal Kris Beasley said it’s been about a decade since the high school has put on a full-scale spring musical.
“Prior to that, the school had a strong and respected tradition of high-level student performances, back to even when I was a student in the 90s,” Beasley said.
“Spring musicals were once a vibrant part of the Tyger experience, showcasing student talent and drawing strong community support and collaboration.”
Beasley said staffing changes lead to the spring musical being “overlooked” for several years. But that changed this year, when Nowak and Swicegood agreed to team up and make their own directorial debuts.
Nowak is a second year teacher. Swicegood is wrapping up her first year in education
“These two young teachers answered my call to take on a very daunting task and have done amazing,” Beasley said.
“I am so very proud of the tenacity, drive, and dedication that they have shown to gather a cast, do fundraising, conduct rehearsals, do publicity – all on top of doing spring shows for their own programs and teaching their own classes,” he added.
Student said they’re excited to see the theater program return.
“When we were originally going to do a musical, like two years ago, we ended up just doing parts of musicals, which was fun, but I think it’s more fun doing a whole musical,” said senior Jillian Fogle.
Sydney Bond was part of several theater productions at Discovery School, but the freshman said she’s making her musical debut at Senior High.
“The fact that they’re bringing back the theater department, the fact that they’re bringing back drama club and all of that, and the fact that they’re bringing back the annual spring musical is just really exciting,” she said.
“It’s a very good place to meet people and socialize more,” Bond said. “I also feel that it is a great opportunity for some of the more shy, more introverted kids to come out of their shell.”
Sophomore Lana Brinker said she’s made new friends since joining the Godspell cast.
“I don’t talk to half people in the cast during a normal school day because we just don’t connect during the school day,” she said. “But when we’re rehearsing, it’s like we’re all just a big group and it’s really fun.”
Freshman Ayden Blake leads the cast
Mansfield Senior’s production of Godspell features a cast of 11 students, including a few middle schoolers.
The cast is led by Ayden Blake, a freshman making his onstage debut.
“I was going to be in one show previously for my other school, but we didn’t actually get to do it because we moved here,” Blake said.
Blake was elated, then intimidated, after being cast in the lead role of Jesus Christ.
“I was happy when I first got the part … then I saw all the words, and I was like, ‘Wow, I’m gonna have a horrible time,'” he said. “Then I ended up having a wonderful time.”
“It’s a really good opportunity just to hang out with people and just have fun.”
Nowak and Swicegood said Blake has emerged as leader in the cast. After returning from spring break, it was clear he’d been working on memorizing his lines.
“That energy that Ayden brought that first rehearsal back … The rest of the cast was just like a sponge,” Swicegood said. “They all wanted to take that step.”
School staff say theater teaches teamwork, responsibility
Beasley said one reason he was eager to revive the performing arts at Mansfield Senior High was to offer students a place to develop soft skills like discipline, teamwork and responsibility.
“Theater builds confidence, communication skills, and collaboration. It creates a sense of belonging for students who may not find their niche in athletics or other extracurriculars,” Beasley said.
“For Mansfield Senior High, it’s also about restoring pride and giving students the opportunity to be part of something meaningful and memorable.”
Beasley said he hopes Godspell is only the beginning for an onstage renaissance at Senior High.
“I would like to see the spring theater grow into a sustainable, high-quality opportunity for students that once again becomes a point of pride for Mansfield Senior High,” he said.
“With the right structure, support, and vision, we can reestablish a thriving theater program that reflects the talent and pride of our Tygers.”
Godspell Jr. will be performed at the Mansfield Senior High School Auditorium at 124 North Linden Road. Shows will be on Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. Tickets are $10 and are available for purchase online or at the door.
The full cast list includes Ayden Blake, Jay’Veonta Johnson, Violet Ames, Alycia Blake, Sahar Bond, Destiny Harris, SeMeah Levins, Michael Studer, Jillian Fogle, Lana Brinker and Sydney Bond.
