Scriptural Musicals?

[J.D3]

Howdy all!

I recently assisted in a big Easter musical called The Road that was produced by my church over Easter. Basically, it was the story of Jesus except told in a contemporary setting through the various people around Him (interestingly, Jesus had no speaking parts at all!)

So, with that in mind, I wanted to ask folks on CAA this: "What story or events in the Bible would you like to see made into a musical?"

[Atria35]

I'm already fond of 'Jesus Christ: Superstar'. I can't imagine anything topping that.

[Warrior4Christ]

Balaam and his donkey.

(My church did a non-modern-day Easter musical production thing too!)

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Revelation. That would be one dark spectacle. The story of Creation would also be pretty awesome.

[R86]

This is an interesting topic to me, since I participate in musical theatre regularly as a pit orchestra member. Recently I played for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which is probably another show that should be mentioned in this genre.

My gut reaction to the idea of "Christian musicals" is that there aren't that many, and those that exist are mainly smaller, less well-known shows like the OP mentions. But just as with watching anime, when things will jump out at you whether or not the creator was specifically Christian, the same will be true of many musicals. (And just as with anime, there will be a lot of trash in musicals, and some that for the individual Christian will be over the line of what one is comfortable watching.) For instance, while the content of Joseph is very watered-down, there is a song near the end of Act I called "Close Every Door" in which Joseph is lamenting in prison after the episode with Potiphar. In one line he expresses his faith that he and his fellow Israelites have been promised "a land of our own." That sends chills down my spine every time.

Not sure if this answer is anything other than too long, but hopefully it is at least somewhat helpful.

[K. Ayato]

Godspell

[fermy6]

The destruction of the whore of babylon

[Furen]

Godspell

I'm already fond of 'Jesus Christ: Superstar'. I can't imagine anything topping that.

Those were the two that popped in my head, I've never seen them, but I've heard they are amazing

I would like to see Exodus acted out.

[Atria35]

Those were the two that popped in my head, I've never seen them, but I've heard they are amazing

*le gasp* WHY?! Okay, my recommendation for JC: Superstar is the 1973 version with Ted Neely. Best version of them all, IMHO.

The funny thing is, when it came out a lot of Christians were offended by JC: Superstar when it came out. My aunt worked at a radio station, and the manager had fits whenever they had to play it. The staff sangs songs from it just to tick him off (he wasn't a good manager anyway).

[Scarecrow]

I've always heard it was offensive but I've never seen it myself. What do people usually find objectionable about it?

[K. Ayato]

It's essentially the romance the musical tries to develop between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. I like Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as well, but what saddens me is they don't give God the credit for giving Joseph the talent of dream interpretation. Oh well. That's musicals.

[mechana2015]

I like Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. Go Donny Osmond!

[Atria35]

I've always heard it was offensive but I've never seen it myself. What do people usually find objectionable about it?

There's some romance between Jesus and Mary depicted. Well, it's pretty one-sided on Mary's part. Judas is also a more sympathetic character than a lot of people are comfortable with- instead of being an evil betrayer, he's someone who isn't happy with how Jesus is leading the disciples.

[rocklobster]

I'm already fond of 'Jesus Christ: Superstar'. I can't imagine anything topping that.

I'm not sure that counts. Isn't there a lyric that pretty much curses Jesus?

[Atria35]

I'm not sure that counts. Isn't there a lyric that pretty much curses Jesus?

Don't know/remember, but since it's probably said by the bad guys? Yeah. Bad guys. Bad guys tend to do that.

EDIT: Found the mention of that. Basically, Judas thinks that Jesus is leading the disciples in the wrong way, and feels that it's going against the Torah, so he tells Jesus that he thinks Jesus is damned and going to hell. And says it. It's one line.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I found the most offensive bit of that musical, to be the fact that Jesus doesn't rise again from the dead. It's implied he was a great man, not God. Enjoyable musical but not all that hopeful (or biblically-sound).

[Atria35]

I found the most offensive bit of that musical, to be the fact that Jesus doesn't rise again from the dead. It's implied he was a great man, not God. Enjoyable musical but not all that hopeful (or biblically-sound).

Me being the wierd person I am, I actually felt that it was perhaps more powerful that way- his resurrection gives hope, but it was his death that paid for our sins.

[spoiler] I contemplated how it would feel with the addition of the ressurection, but I felt it would feel unnecessary, since during the Crucifiction, Judah is questioning Him, asking why He came down to earth like that and did what he did. Those questions are very powerful ones, and still relevant. And they wouldn't really be answered when He rose if they added that scene in, which would make the effect of that song less powerful, IMO.[/spoiler]

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

You make some good points. Hmm... I don't know. I'm weird too. I didn't have many issues with the speculative movie that is The Last Temptation of Christ.

[J.D3]

Godspell

Ah, Godspell! My church did that one last year. Was kind of interesting seeing Aussies playing quasi-American-style characters! The death/Resurrection scene had songs that still send chills down my spine!

Revelation. That would be one dark spectacle. The story of Creation would also be pretty awesome.

Yeah, that would be cool to do (I love Revelation!) Insanely tricky, but cool! I reckon Creation would be interesting as well, as you already have the vocal aspect to it ]This is an interesting topic to me, since I participate in musical theatre regularly as a pit orchestra member. Recently I played for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which is probably another show that should be mentioned in this genre.

My gut reaction to the idea of "Christian musicals" is that there aren't that many, and those that exist are mainly smaller, less well-known shows like the OP mentions. But just as with watching anime, when things will jump out at you whether or not the creator was specifically Christian, the same will be true of many musicals. (And just as with anime, there will be a lot of trash in musicals, and some that for the individual Christian will be over the line of what one is comfortable watching.) For instance, while the content of Joseph is very watered-down, there is a song near the end of Act I called "Close Every Door" in which Joseph is lamenting in prison after the episode with Potiphar. In one line he expresses his faith that he and his fellow Israelites have been promised "a land of our own." That sends chills down my spine every time.

Not sure if this answer is anything other than too long, but hopefully it is at least somewhat helpful. [/QUOTE]

Yeah, I know what you mean. With musicals, and any production for that matter, you're always gonna run the risk of having someone's own views & ideas portrayed that may not be Biblically accurate.
I suppose a couple of film examples of that would be 10 Comandments & The Prince of Egypt, although POE actually displays at the start that it's not strictly Biblical.