‘Godspell’ Takes on National Tour in 2013

Producer Ken Davenport announced yesterday that the current Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz’s “Godspell” will hit the road for a national tour during the 2013-2014 season.

Though no cities, dates or casting has yet been announced, the traveling production will feature Daniel Goldstein as director and Tony Award nominee Christopher Gattelli as choreographer. Both currently perform the same roles for the Broadway production.

Davenport said the tour has been a long time coming.

“When I first announced that I was producing “Godspell” on Broadway, the emails starting pouring in, asking me if I’d be taking it out on the road,” he said in a statement. “And, well, to quote our source material: ‘Ask and ye shall receive.’ The joy in Daniel Goldstein’s production is infectious. And I can’t wait to spread it all around the country starting next year!”

The first production of “Godspell” was at Carnegie Mellon University in 1970, and it first came to Broadway in 1976. The Broadway run ended in September 1977 after 2,600 performances in New York (including Off-Broadway performances), and hasn’t been on Broadway until the current revival opened last year.

Previews for the new production began October 13 of last year at the Circle in the Square Theatre, and the production officially opened November 7. The current cast stars Hunter Parrish as Jesus and Wallace Smith as Judas. The musical is based on a series of parables taken from the Gospel of Matthew. It was previously announced that “High School Musical” star Corbin Bleu will take over the role of Jesus beginning April 17.

Other members of the current cast include Uzo Aduba, Nick Blaemire, Celisse Henderson, Morgan James, Telly Leung, Lindsay Mendez, George Salazar and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle. The scenic design of the current production is by David Korins, and the musical director is Charlie Alterman.