Rosebud Theatre brings Jesus to Cotton Patch Georgia

Times Contributor   

 

Take an age-old story that’s been inspiring people for thousands of years. Add music with the flavour of bluegrass and lyrics that are funny, specific and personal. Roll in a cast of gifted musical actors and you get Rosebud’s summer 2013 production: Cotton Patch Gospel, running May 31 to August 24.

Cotton Patch Gospel is the story of Jesus’ life set in modern-day Georgia, U.S.A. The twelve disciples have names like Rock and Andy, Matt, Jim and Judd. Televangelists and leaders of church denominations have replaced the Pharisees. And the disciples still fish or collect taxes for a living, but a Volkswagon (VW) bus has become their chief mode of transport.

The seven-member Cotton Patch Gospel band tells the story as much through the light, fun bluegrass music as through spoken word, enriching it with banjo, guitar, fiddle, bass, harmonica and ukulele. This music is as creative and well-performed as I’ve come to expect at Rosebud Theatre.

The band includes three young women who are upper-year students at Rosebud School of the Arts – Amy Burk, Alixandra Cowman, Lauren de Graaf – and they all shine here. Bill Hamm, who both performs and directs the music, was inspired to feature them – though that meant they’d play several male roles — when he heard them sing dinner music during previous Rosebud shows. Nathan Schmidt, Ryan Schroeder and Joel Stephanson complete the cast.

I was fascinated by Amy Burk’s convincing transformation into imperious, jealous King Herod, but it took me a while to wrap my head around Jesus played by young, blond Lauren de Graaf. I got over my resistance, though, and the story became very personal, as de Graaf took us through Jesus’ changing emotions – authority, gentleness, fury, love, sorrow and hope.

One of my favourite moments was Burk’s dancing in the aisle – a.k.a.  walking on water — as Jesus’ disciple “Rock” (Simon Peter). I laughed aloud when Tommy and Tanya — Hamm and Burk – sang a duet to lead-in their evangelical radio show. And I was touched when the disciples – Schmidt and Burk – responded to Jesus’ teaching like sheepish siblings, by practicing forgiveness and putting each other first.

I don’t usually like Bible stories transplanted into modern contexts – they usually seem irrelevant and contrived, but I found Cotton Patch meaningful, timely… brand new.

Cotton Patch Gospel tells the story at the center of Christianity, but, regardless of faith  or background, everyone will find enjoyment and inspiration here.

Go to www.rosebudtheatre.com for information and tickets, which includes a delicious buffet dinner that introduces new menu items for every new show. I like to go early and round out my Rosebud experience by checking out the gift shops, wandering down the valley, and visiting an art gallery or two.