The Oak Bluffs School drama department presents the musical 1970 musical Godspell Jr. by John-Michael Tebelak with music by Stephen Schwartz next weekend. The cast and crew have been working hard since September to put together this rock musical inspired by the Gospel of Matthew. The show includes colorful costumes, story theatre and the famous songs including the hit Day by Day. The show is part of Musical Theater International’s Broadway Jr. series, which adapts famous Broadway musicals and makes them accessible to young performers and audiences.

The structure of the musical is a series of parables taken primarily interspersed with a variety of modern music set primarily to lyrics from traditional hymns, with the passion of Christ treated briefly near the end of performance. It started as a college project performed by students at Carnegie Mellon University and moved to La Mama in Greenwich Village. It was then re-scored by Stephen Schwartz for an off-Broadway production that was a long-running success.

The show is directed and choreographed by Donna Swift with musical direction by Brian Weiland. An ensemble show is led by Aaron Wilson as Jesus and Stowe Counsel as John the Baptist and Judas. The cast and crew includes about 30 talented students in grades five through eight.

It opens on Friday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m. and plays again on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. The admission price is $8 for adults and $6 for kids, with a family cap of $25.