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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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A Perfect Fusion -- A Path to Joy
The old joke for a bad musical used to be "you leave humming the sets." The reverse, the absolute opposite, has to be, "you leave humming your soul." This unlikely mix of classical Greek theater and Pentacostal spiritual tradition brings home searing messages about redemption, forgiveness and family, and rocks your world.
I first saw this transformative play in its Los Angeles out-of-town outing in the mid-80's. Within 10 minutes, I jumped up on my chair and swayed from side to side, along with my date, and, once I cared to check, most of the audience. I was raised in both of these traditions; the classical theater and gospel informed both sides of my family. I was breathless by intermission and speechless with joy by final curtain. I saw it several times more in LA, and then on PBS Great Performances, weeping and dancing like an idiot in my own living room. A few years later, after Broadway, it came to SF, where I had moved. Of course, I saw it there, dragging more of my quickly convinced friends.
This CD captures enough of the magic of the performance, the spine-tingling vocals (the amazing Jeveretta Steele in Lift Him Up) the collage of spiritual-RB-blues styles (want blues? Lift Me Up, for one), the beautiful lyrics (Numberless Are The Worlds Wonders), the musical flesh that informed the frame of the classical Oedipus myth -- enough to make the purchase more than worthwhile.
But let me add my voice to those who want the full experience! PBS, please release the Great Performance production! For one thing, it preseves an early performance of the great Morgan Freeman, before Hollywood (also in the LA production, and unforgettable), and the visuals of the Pentacostal experience, through which the audience's emotional response is echoed, and cued, just as a Greek chorus but a lot more fun.
I'm a fairly old lady, I've seen and enjoyed a lot of musicals, in LA, SF, and a lot on Broadway over the last ten years. I have NEVER been so affected.
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GOSPEL AT COLONUS
THIS WAS THE MOST MOVING PERFORMANCE I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME. IT IS NO WONDER IT WON THE AWARD IN PHILADELPHIA IN 1985 IN ITS CLASS.
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The Greatest Gospel Play
This one of the greatest gospel plays I have ever seen. I have the video and I will always keep it close to my heart.
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An Exceptionally Great Mixtureof Talent
I first saw this production on PBS in 1985, and was astonished at the arrangement by Bob Telson, whom I met shortly before this performance. He is absoutely great. The vocals by; Javetta Stelle, along with her brothers and sister sung like they have been singing together all of their lives, and of course they have. The Five Blind Boys of Alabama were Magnificent, Clarence Fountain was in rare form. Sam Butler and the Soul Stirrers were brilliant too. It was an evening that I will never forget. I have attended two other great events in my life, hearing the Original Caravans live in concert, and Aretha Franklin at the taping of "Amazing Grace". I am glad that I had the presence of mind to tape it to show to friends, and before I wore it out I made Several copies so that I could enjoy it longer. I would love to have it on DVD. I might have to transfer it to disk and burn my own. This is something I will keep for the rest of my life. La Shante'
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"Gospel at Colonus"
The performance was explosive and the spirit of the music moves you! Great job of turning Greek mythology into an ethnic masterpiece!
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