Godspell (1973)

Lynne Thigpen: Lynne

Photos 

Quotes 

• Lynne : Master...

  [Lynne climbs down from a stage and rushes to Jesus. Gilmer, Robin, Joanne, Jeffrey, Merrell, Jerry and Katie follow] 

  Lynne : Master! Blessed are the poor in Spirit...

  Jesus : For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

  Gilmer : Blessed are they who mourn...

  Jesus : For they shall be comforted.

  Robin : Blessed are the meek...

  Jesus : For they shall inherit the Earth.

  Joanne : Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice...

  Jesus : For they shall be filled.

  Jeffrey : Blessed are the merciful...

  Jesus : For they shall have mercy.

  Merrell : Blessed are the pure in heart...

  Jesus : For they shall see God.

  Jerry : Blessed are the peace-makers...

  Jesus : For they shall be called the children of God.

  Katie : Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake...

  Jesus : For theirs is the Kingdom of *heaven*!

  [the others applaud] 

  Judas : [shouting from the distant stage]  Blessed are ye... When men shall persecute you and revile you... and say all manner of evil against you...

  [pauses then calms down] 

  Judas : falsely.

• Merrell : There once was a king...

  Everyone : Yeah, yeah.

  Merrell : ...who decided to settle accounts with the men who served him.

  Everyone : Yeah, yeah, yeah.

  Merrell : Well, at the outset, there appeared before the master a man whose debt ran into the millions!

  Everyone : What?

  Merrell : I said the millions!

  Everyone : Whoa!

  Merrell : Since the man had no means of paying the money, the master ordered him to be sold to meet the debt with his wife.

  Everyone : Whoa!

  Merrell : And his child.

  Everyone : Whoa!

  Merrell : And everything he had. Well, the man threw himself down at the master's feet and went...

  Everyone : Doo bop a loom boom!

  Jeffrey : Oh, be patient with me.

  Merrell : He said.

  Jeffrey : And I shall pay you full.

  Merrell : And so moved with pity was the master, that he decided to free the man and remit the debt! And let's hear it for the master!

  Everyone : [imitating cheerleaders]  Give me an M, give me an A-S-T-E-R. Yay, master!

  Judas : Wait a minute. But no sooner had the man been released, then he met a fellow servant who owed him a few dollars. Well, he gripped him by the throat and said...

  Jeffrey : Pay me! I says pay me what you owes me!

  Judas : Whoa, the man fell at his fellow servant's feet and begged him, saying...

  Jerry : Please, please. Be patient with me. I shall pay you.

  Lynne : But he refused, saying...

  Jeffrey : Look!

  Jerry : What?

  Lynne : And had him jailed until he should pay the debt.

  Gilmer : [in a southern accent]  Well, the other servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened. Are you sitting down? They ran and told their master the whole story, mm-hmm.

  Robin : DAAAAH!

  Gilmer : Accordingly he sent for the man.

  Robin : You scoundrel!

  Gilmer : He said to him!

  Robin : I remitted the whole of your debt when you appealed unto me. Were you not bound to show your fellow servant the same pity I showed to you?

  Jerry : And so angry was the master that he condemned the man to torture, until he could pay the debt in full.

  [everyone pretends to torture Jefferey] 

  Jesus : And that is how my Heavenly Father will deal with you, unless you forgive your brothers from you hearts.

• Lynne : Gather 'round. Brothers, sisters, gather 'round. Because two men-- I said two!-- went off to the temple to pray. One, a Pharisee...

  [everybody cheers] 

  Lynne : ... and the other, a tax-gatherer.

  [everyone boos] 

  Lynne : While the Pharisee, he just stood right on up and prayed thus...

  Katie : I thank Thee, O God, that I'm not like other men.

  Everyone : Yeah.

  Katie : Greedy!

  Everyone : Yeah!

  Katie : Dishonest!

  Everyone : Yeah!

  Katie : Adulterous!

  Everyone : Yeah!

  Katie : Or for that matter, like that tax-gatherer. I pray twice a week. Get that? Twice a week! And pay taxes on all that I get!

  Lynne : But the other kept his distance, and would not even raise his eyes to the good Lord in Heaven. I said the good Lord in Heaven, child!

  Everyone : Amen!

  Lynne : But beat upon his breast, saying...

  Jeffrey : Oh, God, have mercy on me, sinner that I am.

  Jesus : And it was this man I tell you...

  Everyone : What?

  Katie : You gotta be kidding.

  Jesus : And not the other who went off and quitted of his sins. For every man who exalts himself... shall be humble. But every man who humbles himself...

  Everyone : Shall... be... exalted!