“And I’ve never really had the opportunity to play Jesus before, so it’s a full circle show for me, I’m really excited about it.”
He said playing the role of Jesus has been “awesome” and “it has not let me down,” and he’s backed by an “amazing and talented cast.” It is Miller’s first production with Fairfield Footlighters.
“With the role of Jesus Christ, there’s obviously a lot of pressure there. A lot of people have very passionate opinions about Jesus, and it holds a strong place in their hearts, so it’s definitely something I try extremely hard to live up to for those people in the audience for whom it really is an impactful thing,” Miller said.
As part of the role, he said he enjoys the singing most. The song “All for the Best,” is one example of a “cool, upbeat number from the show that’s a lot of fun.”
“Also, I was raised in the church, so I do have quite a bit of background with the source material being the Bible,” said Miller. “The plot of ‘Godspell’ is the book of Matthew from the Bible, and that is a lot of sermons, so a lot of Jesus’ lines are essentially sermons, or parables.”
While the original message of Jesus and His teachings stay the same in this classic musical, he said “Godspell” has this flexibility that it can be set anywhere, and Anna Schindler Brown, the show’s director, has a great concept of where this show is set, and where these events are happening, keeping the show relevant for modern times.
“We are setting it in a soup kitchen. I felt as a director that it is a place that exists now, and it existed all the way back, from the Great Depression. You had those food lines, and you’d find all sorts of people there. You have volunteers and visitors. We have someone playing a social worker for a young teen who has been displaced,” said Schindler Brown.
She said the setting of a soup kitchen is something a lot of people can connect to.
“It’s different than the typical junk yard that people are used to seeing with ‘Godspell, and the typical 1970s vibe. So, we’ve updated it, and made it relatable for audiences,” Schindler Brown said.
She said audiences continue to be drawn to the show because of its hopeful message.
“It’s the positive message about Jesus’ life, and finding your people, because that’s what it really comes down to. You have this group of people seemingly not connected, and this man, Jesus, comes in, and he connects people, and shares hope, and hope is still something that people need every day,” Schindler Brown said.
How to go
What: Fairfield Footlighters presents “Godspell”
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Drive, Fairfield
Admission: $17
Tickets: (513) 867-5348, fairfieldfootlighters.org
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