{"id":276,"date":"2020-11-23T16:14:42","date_gmt":"2020-11-23T21:14:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/performingartslegacy.org\/kochbill\/?p=276"},"modified":"2021-01-02T18:16:25","modified_gmt":"2021-01-02T23:16:25","slug":"playing-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/performingartslegacy.org\/kochbill\/playing-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Playing God"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Thank you letter re “EVERYMAN”<\/p><\/div>\n

EVERYMAN is a British Medieval Mystery play; it\u2019s not a who-dunnit, but these plays were about spiritual mysteries (always with comic relief characters).  EVERYMAN is probably the most famous, and still-powerful, play of this type, aptly portraying aspects of the human condition on Earth.<\/p>\n

This production was performed by professionals in the beautiful sanctuary of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Manhattan.  It was an exciting challenge to be cast in the role of \u201cGod.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stage left on the chancel was a 15-foot-high platform where \u201cGod\u201d resided.  As always, I love the evolving rehearsal process as well as the performances. This was a fun, hard-working cast and director and our efforts were well-received.<\/p>\n

Rehearsing at home one day, I suddenly realized \u201cI\u2019m God. When we\u2019re onstage, I am God. Whatever I say goes. The other characters have to do whatever I command.\u201d<\/em> I remember a devilish grin coming on as I thought \u201cIn a performance, I could say (from my tower)<\/em> \u2018Death! I\u2019ve changed my mind! I don\u2019t want you to go and bring back Everyman\u2014let him live for a while!\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I called another actor friend to tell him this amazing discovery! After I explained my newfound possibility, he said calmly, \u201cBill.  In this production, \u2018God\u2019 is a supporting character.  You\u2019re not the lead character, \u2018Everyman\u2019 is.\u201d <\/em> So my \u201cGod\u201d had humbleberry pie for supper.<\/p>\n

Also, this experience helped me realize, and still can remind me, that I, as a human being, am \u201cone of the players,\u201d not the Playwright or Director of this Great World Theater.  My role in Life, as it is in Theatre, is to do my part as honestly and faithfully and with humor as I can\u2014which includes asking for and accepting help when I need it, and being of service to others. Thus in Theatre I may get to play \u201cGod,\u201d which will be fun and sharing as long as I don\u2019t \u201cplay God!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

EVERYMAN is a British Medieval Mystery play; it\u2019s not a who-dunnit, but these plays were about spiritual mysteries (always with comic relief characters).  EVERYMAN is probably the most famous, and still-powerful, play of this type, aptly portraying aspects of the human condition on Earth. This production was performed by professionals in the beautiful sanctuary of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":227,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-highlight"],"metadata":{"_edit_last":["227"],"_wpac_members_redirect_to":[""],"_wpac_show_in_search":["0"],"_wpac_show_excerpt_in_search":["0"],"_wpac_nonmembers_redirect_to":[""],"ase_chapter_enable_timeline":["off"],"ase_map_component_start_point":["a:2:{s:3:\"lat\";d:29.76;s:3:\"lng\";d:-95.38;}"]},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPlaying God - Bill Koch<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/performingartslegacy.org\/kochbill\/playing-god\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Playing God - Bill Koch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"EVERYMAN is a British Medieval Mystery play; it\u2019s not a who-dunnit, but these plays were about spiritual mysteries (always with comic relief characters).  EVERYMAN is probably the most famous, and still-powerful, play of this type, aptly portraying aspects of the human condition on Earth. 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Favorite roles: Will Parker & Kagekiyo, The Blind Samurai. >>>Stage Director, Choreographer, Soundtracker, Theatre Teacher & Workshop Leader: >OVERVIEW-50+ years: 220 Productions of 161 Scripts\\\/Librettos\\\/Scenarios\\\/Scores. Including 10 company residencies, 12 guest artist positions (including 12 years as Faculty Guest Director at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts). Favorite directed drama: \u201cJohnny Belinda\u201d. >Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein's \\\"ALLEGRO\\\"-(Stage Director\\\/Choreographer): (First\u2014and only\u2014fully staged New York Revival\u2014at Equity Library Theatre\u20141979) \\\"Dear Mr. Koch, I enjoyed your work in 'Allegro' so much that I hope we can get together on some future effort. Meanwhile, let me congratulate you and thank you. Yours sincerely, Richard Rodgers\\\" aka WILLIAM HENRY KOCH, JR. >>>Poet, Playwright, Composer, Lyricist >OVERVIEW-50+ years: 13 full length plays (6 produced); 28 one-act plays (20 produced); 1 short produced screenplay; 8 produced adaptations; countless number of songs in and out of collections, many performed. Favorite poetry collection: \u201cSonnets From The Tower of London\u201d. Unpublished Autobiography in Poetry\u201438 Volumes: 1956 to Present. 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Favorite roles: Will Parker & Kagekiyo, The Blind Samurai. >>>Stage Director, Choreographer, Soundtracker, Theatre Teacher & Workshop Leader: >OVERVIEW-50+ years: 220 Productions of 161 Scripts\/Librettos\/Scenarios\/Scores. Including 10 company residencies, 12 guest artist positions (including 12 years as Faculty Guest Director at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts). Favorite directed drama: \u201cJohnny Belinda\u201d. >Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein's \"ALLEGRO\"-(Stage Director\/Choreographer): (First\u2014and only\u2014fully staged New York Revival\u2014at Equity Library Theatre\u20141979) \"Dear Mr. Koch, I enjoyed your work in 'Allegro' so much that I hope we can get together on some future effort. Meanwhile, let me congratulate you and thank you. 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