Broken Promises. Empty Dreams. The 12 Review

The cast of the new musical “The 12” in rehearsal. The new work, about the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, is at the Goodspeed Opera House Sept. 8 through Oct. 29. Photo by Diane Sobolewski

The tenets of a widespread faith hinged on the death and resurrection of a man whose principles were exemplified in his work but whose claim to a divine throne has sent ripples of dissent through the core of our world since the time of Roman Emperor Tiberius. The 12, a musical directed by John Doyle, takes us from the tunic-wearing distance of a time only history books can verify to the grunge crevices of our modern world all in the elegant and cozy house of the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut.

Post-crucifixion, the 12 are unraveled and searching for meaning in their present minus the presence of the teacher whose existence they had come to base their entire lives on. This story, often told with the teacher as the point of focus, shifts the lens to consider the stories of those whose lives were changed by his. What happened to the disciples when Jesus was taken from them? The 12, illustrates the fall from grace when the followers and helpers of the teacher have unceremoniously gone from heroes to fugitives hiding not only from those who might want to harm them but also hiding from the truths of their new reality.

Just as with the biblical story of Jesus and his disciples, there are those of the 12 who served more prominent roles. Simon, Pete, John, Mags, and Tom played respectively by Gregory Greco, Akron Lanier Watson, Kyle Scatliffe, Adrienne Walker, and Wesley Taylor shouldered the bulk of the emotional weight of the story’s unfolding. That takes nothing away from the layers of emotions added by Jimmy, Phil, Matt, Tee, Andrew, James, Bart, and Mother Mary, played by Etai Benson, Brandon J. Ellis, F. Michael Hayne, Mel Johnson Jr., Wonza Johnson, Kelvin Moon Loh, Rob Morrison, and Rema Webb— with an assist from the unseen and un-cast, but notorious centerfold, Judas.

The weight of the disciples' fear and pain carries and translates in every outburst and musical note sung by the company. Notably, Watson’s portrayal of Pete, also known as Peter the original Rock, serves as the reconciliation of the events and the spark of hope against all odds.

Pete shines, especially when set against Tom, the doubter of the bunch who serves Aaron Burr levels of opposition with an Uncle Scar kind of menacing in the Give Up number. Even with the resounding uncertainty of the 12, it’s doubting Tom’s voice that balances the scales against the seemingly unwarranted hope of the rest. If we think about this in the context of God knows, and Tom being chosen as one of the 12 anyway, it might help us make the assertion that even in faith, there’s room for our doubt.

Every element of the production builds on top of the rest, from the single source of light that sometimes shone through the window as an indicator of the night passing, to the draped darkness that let us know that resurrection was one day closer. The well-timed shifts in Japhy Weidman’s lighting design against scenic designer, John Doyle’s backdrop of graffiti-stained aluminum siding and steel beams that look to have fallen in the shape of a slanted cross, delivers a post-apocalyptic feel that alludes to the end of their lives as they knew it. The beauty of what life with the teacher was like before the moments the audience witness makes costume designer, Ann Hould-Ward’s choice of clothing for the disciples stand out in our minds. Is their physical presence a testament to come-as-you-are, or is it indicative of a proverbial riches-to- rags decline?

The team responsible for the sometimes snappy, sometimes melancholy, but always heartfelt musical numbers and sound quality includes Jay Hilton, sound designer; Neil Berg, musician and lyricist; Robert Schenkkan, playwright and lyricist; Adam Souza, music director; Ben Covello, associate music director; and Greg Jarrett, music supervisor and orchestrator. Together, the operators behind the scenes and the full company delivered a sound comparable to the weight of the story itself.

Furthermore, the team of directors, producers, and managers—Endla Burrows, director of production; Chris Zaccardi, production stage manager; Stephen Agosto, line producer; and Gretchen Wright, general manager—are just some of the unsung heroes who give us a well-oiled musical machine, enabling us to contemplate some of the important questions in our lives with the help of a majestic production.

The story of Jesus is a tale-as-old-as-time and it’s easy to lose the message of the cross and to relegate it to religion and or historical politics. The 12, ultimately refocuses that crucifixion story in a way that reminds us all what the purpose of the sacrifice was from the start —us.

You can catch The 12 at Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT through October 29th.