by Marshall Gibbs - June 6, 2022
Marshall Logan Gibbs, Founder and Executive Director of Truest Ethos Theatre Company recently held a developmental workshop of an original musical, "He Has Risen!" This workshop production was made possible by the generous support of the Community College of Baltimore County and their outstanding theatre faculty. A cast of fourteen learned and rehearsed this brand new musical in just two weeks, before performing to a public audience of approx. 50 people.
"He Has Risen!" is a pop-rock musical about a small-town Pastor who introduces a supposed miracle to his congregation... that strongly resembles the zombies of classic horror. It is up to the teens of the church to defy their parents, take a stand against the miracle, and save the town from its bloodthirst. With a script and score reminiscent of dark comedy shows such as "Bat Boy," "Reefer Madness," and "Heathers: The Musical," this exciting new musical is sure to leave your thoughts provoked and with earworms for days.
Directly following the performance, there was a talk-back with the audience to receive feedback to aid in further development of the show. Highlights from the production, as stated by the audience, include: "The phenomenal solo by The Pastor's Son (as portrayed by Eric Akador)," the "dominating presence of Maxwell Wolf as The Pastor," and the "Mind-Boggling Twist Ending of Act One." Audiences also recognized themes of processing grief, corruption in organized religion, generational gap and trauma, and the fine line bordering reality and illusion. Overall, this workshop was a success and sets the stage for a future premiere of the show - exclusive to Truest Ethos Theatre Company.
If you are interested in learning more about "He Has Risen!" please contact us at: truestethostheatrecompany@gmail.com