Prepare Ye The Way
As a comedian, I often think of a funny line after the fact. I recently had a seven year delay in a call back. In an attempt to make an audition video, I have been watching the Godspell 2002 Cast performance. There is a cast member, Jared McAdams, who had an outfit that had “Hello Kitty” on its backside. (For those of you from England that would be his bum.) Why? I don’t know, but as I was looking for the parts with me in it, I was watching the video in the fast forward motion, and I didn’t realize how often “the kitty” faced the audience. Naturally this became a source of entertainment for me!
I was suddenly flooded with memories from that first cast, the first New Heights Community Players Production, and remembered that this was not the first time “the kitty” had become a source of entertainment. One of my favorite memories is when we went to the men’s maximum security prison to perform Godspell. We were told that we had to wear all of our costume in. Jared shows up in “the kitty” outfit and make-up. I just remember looking at him trying not to laugh and he looked over at me and said “What?” I responded “you are wearing “the kitty” to a prison. You are so going to get beat up.”
So needless to say the kitty got my attention again as I watched the video. Then it happened. While I was telling the “sower and the seed story” Jared’s part was to fall down on his back, with his legs up in the air. And there it was…”the kitty”... and I thought of the perfect line. As four year old Peggy, I wished I would have looked at Jesus and pointed toward my fallen cast member and said “kitty” in a fashion that would make Boo from the Monster’s Inc movie proud. I just cracked myself up with that.
Why tell this story? I went to see the 2009 cast perform for their finial dress rehearsal. As I watched this year’s cast, I was surprised at the emotions that weld up within me. I looked at some of the ones who where in the original cast with me and realized had it not been for Godspell I would have never gotten to know them the way I do.
Then I had the thought that watching this cast was like remembering your first kiss with the one you love. Like remembering why you feel in love in the first place. As I watched the play, which was excellently done by the way, the Lord ever so gently nudged at my heart. As Jesus was singing “Oh Lord, I’m dying…Oh Lord, I’m dying” I heard that still small voice say, I did that for you. And I remembered these verses Revelation 2:4 “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love” and I John 4:19 “We love because He first loved us.”
Jesus really is my first love. He loved me first! As I watched the play, I was flooded with the memory, the moment when Jesus changed my live forever. Remembering the early days of trying to tell others of him and figuring out who I was in Christ. Remembering my first kiss of the Savior.
That’s the real message of Godspell, to bring us back to our first love or to share the kiss of the Savior with someone who doesn’t know. That’s why my church does these plays. To “prepare ye the way” of getting to know your true first love.
Now, if your mind thinks like mine then, you are wondering about “the kitty” outfit. Will it appear in this years play? You’ll have to come to a show to find out. I will tell you this much Jared’s outfit it is definitely noticeable. I can’t wait to watch that video, in fast forward motion of course.
Kristy Byers
Christian Comedian
www.kristybyers.com
**There were no actually kitties harmed in the 2002 or 2009 productions of Godspell, an alligator or two but no kitties.**
**If you live in the Columbia, SC visit
http://www.newheights.us/ for tickets and show information.**
**If you are from New Heights, remember to invite your friends and introduce them to our one true love.**
