Abbey Players present ‘Godspell JR.’ with ‘Words of Wisdom’ prelude
It will be a day at the beach for visitors to the newly renovated Pope Benedict Center at St. Benedict the Abbot Church.
That’s three days, actually. From June 14-16, the Abbey Players, the Peters Township church’s youth performance group, is transforming the center into a beach scene for “Words of Wisdom.”
Cast members include, front, from left, Mary Waigand and Sarah Suchko; back, Caroline Mountain, Nicholas Traficante and Jaydon Whisker. Jaydon plays the dual role of John the Baptist and Judas in “Godspell JR.”
Some 50 cast members will re-create the atmosphere of surf and sand while reflecting about peace, love and God in word and song, as the audience enters to surround the performance area in a three-quarter-round configuration.
“Words of Wisdom” serves as a prelude to the main event: “Godspell JR.,” a modified version of the Stephen Schwartz-composed musical that debuted on Broadway in 1971, with the book written by the late John-Michael Tebelak.
Playing the lead in both portions of the show, as a lifeguard in “Words of Wisdom” and Jesus Christ in “Godspell JR.,” is Nicholas Traficante, who will be a senior at Peters Township high School.
“I’ve been doing Abbey Players since seventh grade. I was one of the very few middle schoolers who did it,” he recalled. “And I’ve always stuck with it. I just love the direction and the people here, and it’s a really great way to get involved in the community.”
He has experience in the top role as Albert Peterson in the high school’s March production of “Bye Bye Birdie,” the part played by Dick Van Dyke in the 1963 feature film.
“I usually enjoy more serious shows,” he said, “but doing a comedy was a lot of fun.”
Another Peters Township High School student entering her senior year, Angela Le will play a disciple in “Godspell JR.” and sing the musical’s best-known song: “Day By Day,” as performed by the original Broadway cast, spent 14 weeks on the Billboard singles chart in 1972. She also will perform “Bless the Lord” as a duet with cast member Sarah Suchko.
“I’ve been here since I was in eighth grade,” Angela said about her longevity with the Abbey Players. “It offers more opportunity for theater. It’s really hard to find somewhere that’s not too far away from this area and also affordable.”
The group is open to students in seventh through 12th grades, in Peters Township and beyond, with a first-time membership fee of $50 and for returning members, $25. Abbey Players also conducts a master class for the group and sponsors trips to see other productions.
Proceeds from shows’ concessions support Relay for Life and other causes.
“Abbey Players is performance, prayer and charity,” co-founder Lorra Brannen explained. “Not only are we a youth theater group, but some of our proceeds go to support charities.”
A gift basket raffle during performances of “Godspell JR.” and “Words of Wisdom” – at 7:30 p.m. June 14, 15 and 16, and also at 2 p.m. June 16 – benefits Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where a former Abbey Players member who since has passed away received treatment.
For more information about the Abbey Players, visit www.sbapeters.org/Abbey-Players.