Godspell
Southside Community Theatre
South Church
Hartford
October 18, 2026
There’s more than one way to spread the word of God, such as an entertaining and thought-provoking musical performance.
That’s how the Southside Community Theatre got me to visit South Church in Hartford for the first time, to see their production of the long-running musical Godspell. The play tells the story of Jesus by putting his parables to song and dance numbers. The first half of the play contains some of the most famous stories Jesus told to his disciples, including the tales of the Good Samaritan and of Lazarus and the Prodigal Son. The second half deals more directly with The Passion and the end of Jesus’s life.
I enjoyed seeing stories that I haven’t heard since I was a kid played out on stage; the members of the Southside Community Theatre brought those tales to life in a way I haven’t seen before. The show used the entire space of the theater, as the performers bounded across the stage and through the aisles. The performers also got the crowd involved, choosing people at random to join the production. Lazarus himself was played by an audience member, and it was fun to see how the show incorporated regular people.
Melanie Serkosky’s turn as Judas was most memorable. She has an incredible voice and stage presence, and really managed to capture the duality of the man who followed Jesus yet later betrayed him.
The Southside Community Theatre is relatively new, entering its second season of production. Founded by Lauren Sepko, the theatre group both facilitates the artistic expression of the church members, and presents the gospel in a way that may connect with people who can’t sit still for a sermon. She makes the point clear in her introduction to the production in the program:
“Whether you believe that Jesus is the Son of God or not, I think we can all agree that the message He teaches – ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ --is one we need now more than ever,” Sepko wrote
I feel that Sepko is speaking directly to me with that statement. I have to admit I don’t take as much of an interest in the people around me as I should. I live in a tough neighborhood only about half a mile from South Church, and it’s difficult to find the empathy to be concerned about my actual neighbors. They’re going through some rough shit, to put it mildly. It’s not that I don’t care, but it’s hard to maintain oneself while getting invested in such daunting personal challenges.
I think the message that Jesus was trying to share is that being a neighbor is not only alleviating suffering, as in the case of the good Samaritan, but also accepting it on behalf of others. Jesus not only accepted crucifixion for the benefit of people he’d never met before, but also took on the guilt and shame of Judas in a deeply personal act between, if not friends, then comrades. Being a good neighbor requires sharing the pain of others, especially when it hurts you too.
Considering the exchange between Judas and Jesus, it struck me as almost Buddhist in nature. (Forgive me if I mischaracterize Buddhism, I’m no expert but I did get my hands on a copy of The Idiot’s Guide to Buddhism earlier this year.) I don’t mean to take the story out of the Christian tradition; instead it’s reassuring to hear the same message about the necessity of suffering from such different traditions.
Seeing the stories played out helped my understanding of their import as well, which explains why the Southside Community Theatre is a ministry. If the players of SCT can help a heathen like me better understand my place in the world, then they are truly doing God’s work.
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Jamil continues his Sunday church tour with a concert by Hartt School of Music students.
