Cotton patch gospel is the full length, offbroadway musical hit that the new york times called. Jul 01, 2019 kuhn performed the gospel of luke and acts of the apostles and conducted a workshop on memorising and storytelling at the church of the immaculate conception here recently. Jonathan aragon, first baptist church, duncanville, texas cotton patch gospel was the best play i have ever directed. Bruce kuhn discusses his role as a storyteller for the gospel of. Bruce kuhn performing the gospel of luke philpott church.
A musical, cotton patch gospel 1982, written by atlantabased actor tom key and stage director russell treyz, was based on jordans version of the gospels of matthew and john. Former broadway actor bruce kuhn fascinates penang audience. This production now has added four performers, forming a small gospel choir. Listen to your favorite songs from cotton patch gospel by harry chapin now. In running this workshop, sjc enabled individuals from various churches to learn, and be enriched in their. Music and lyrics are by grammy award winner harry chapin cats in the cradle. Former broadway actor bruce kuhn fascinates penang. Mar 04, 2009 cotton patch gospel will close on saturday, april 25. Cotton patch gospel study the cotton patch gospels of. Parish priest reverend father jude miranda said kuhns reputation as an actor, on and off broadway, precedes him. Cotton patch gospel christmas story clarence jordan.
Cotton patch gospel is the full length, offbroadway musical hit that the new york times called, a toetapping country jamboree. Gainesville, selma, birmingham, atlanta, washington, d. Cotton patch translations of the bible, and census bureau documents. Bruce almighty the spirit of things abc radio national. Even without the video, these songs by harry chapin tell the cotton patch gospel story well. A filmed stageplay recounting the story of jesus as set in modern day georgia with music and reverent humor added. Both a biblical scholar and a prophetic man of action, clarence jordan lived out the new testament in the soil of rural georgia. He now tours his oneman shows to universities and churches throughout north america and europe. Bruce kuhn played on broadway in les miserables, going on for javert the police inspector and thenardier master of the house. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of paul and peter into the language and culture of the mid20th century south. Kuhn is also a cofounder of word by heart a threemonth school that teaches people the art of storytelling. What is unique about the cotton patch gospel is that it brings the language, setting, time and place into the midst of the racial tension developing in the south in the 1950s and 1960s.
In a questionandanswer session after the performance, mr. Bruce, a topflight scholar who had already in those early years. Bruce kuhns performance brings home to the viewer the full. More than a decade later, these writings provided the inspiration for the cotton patch gospel, a musical by tom key and russell treyz with music and lyrics by harry chapin, that is a mainstay in community theatres across the country. He has also taught storytelling at regent college and oxford university.
Bruce kuhn regularly tours his solo performances of the gospel of luke, acts, tales of tolstoy and cotton patch gospel to universities and churches across north america and europe. He also starred in the national tour of harry chapins oneman offbroadway hit, the cotton patch gospel, and performed in the national tour of chess directed by trevor nunn. Cotton patch gospel has been highly acclaimed by criticsand public alike. Master storyteller bruce kuhn brings the gospel of luke to life at asf. A filmed stageplay recounting the story of jesus as set in modern day georgia. Whatever criticisms i have of that book are at the same time. The popular music songwriter harry chapin collaborated with key and treyz on the adaptation, which they completed in june 1981. Mar 26, 2009 a clip of broadway actor bruce kuhn in his oneman version of cotton patch gospel. Bruce kuhn was on broadway in les miserables as montparnasse until he joined the national tour of the broadway musical chess. Kuhn notes that the show is an edited version of luke, since presenting the full gospel would take three hours. In nearly three seasons at actors theatre of louisville, he played puck in a midsummer nights. Actor bruce kuhn conducted a storytelling workshop at st james church sjc, on 8 september 2012.
Clarence jordan died suddenly of a heart attack in 1969. As a member of the resident company of the actors theatre of louisville he appeared in roles as diverse as dartagnan in the three musketeers and puck. What tickles as much as chapins hoedown ballads, however is the remarkable oneman performance by the shows star, bruce kuhn, a wholesomelooking camp director type who is onstage for more than two hours in some 30 speaking roles, from jesus to pontius pilate. Three seasons at actors theatre of louisville saw him in roles as diverse as dartagnan in the three muskateers, and puck in a midsummer nights dream. Former broadway actor bruce kuhn will breath life into the written words from the gospel of luke in a special eastertime show at the gloucester stage companys gortons theatre in. Guests bruce kuhn is a broadway actor who has played in les miserables, chess and cotton patch gospel. Oct 21, 2018 come see actor bruce kuhn performing the gospel of luke at pmc. Kuhn notes that the show is an edited version of luke, since presenting the rill gospel would take three hours. Come see actor bruce kuhn performing the gospel of luke at pmc. A clip of broadway actor bruce kuhn in his oneman version of cotton patch gospel. It ran offbroadway at the lambs theatre for 193 performances beginning in october 21, 1981.
If so, or if youre willing to look at two of the gospels through a different lens, please join our lenten virtual community on the cotton patch gospel. While many are familiar with the gospel stories and message, few sit down to read an entire book in one go. Broadway actor bruce kuhn in cotton patch gospel youtube. Cotton patch gospel by harry chapin on amazon music unlimited. Apr 30, 2014 alone on stage, broadway actor bruce kuhn weaves the tale of the christ without props or sets, dressed in modern, casual clothing. A visionary during the struggle for the civil rights of all gods children, he founded an interracial community called koinonia. As this gospel begins, they sing that somethins abrewin in gainesville. The hargrett rare book and manuscript library at the university of georgia. He also toured with the offbroadway hit, the cotton patch gospel, chapins oneman musical. Cotton patch gospel is a musical by tom key and russell treyz with music and lyrics written by harry chapin and produced by philip m.
Bruce kuhns performance brings home to the viewer the full sweep. Lukes gospel to life with contagious enthusiasmand makes of it a riveting dramatic experience. The cotton patch approach to the new testament is to allow the same sense of participation in them which the early christians must have had. Now for the first time collected in a single, hardcover volume, this edition comes complete with a new introduction by president jimmy carter, a foreword by will d. Clarence jordan july 29, 1912 october 29, 1969, a farmer and new testament greek scholar, was the founder of koinonia farm, a small but influential religious community in southwest georgia and the author of the cotton patch paraphrase of the new testament. The book of daniel and the maccabean thesis, arthur j. The gospel of luke tales of tolstoy the acts of the apostles cotton patch gospel.
Discounts for students, seniors and groups are available with information available at the box office, 540 8691776. Born out of the civil rights struggle, these now classic translations of much of the new testament bring the faraway places of scipture closer to home. He starred in the national tour of harry chapins oneman offbroadway hit, the cotton patch gospel, and performed in the national tour of. With tom key, scott ainslie, pete corum, jim lauderdale.
More than a translation, the cotton patch gospel continues to make clear the startling relevance of scripture for today. Bruce kuhn appeared in les miserables on broadway until he joined the national tour of chess. Oct 01, 2006 in a questionandanswer session after the performance, mr. Former broadway actor bruce kuhn will breath life into the written words from. Broadway actor bruce kuhn in cotton patch gospel duration.
This greatest story ever retold is based on the book the cotton patch version of matthew and john by clarence jordan in which the gospel is presented in a setting of. The concept of koinonia, found in the book of acts. About bruce kuhn bruce kuhn performed on broadway les miserables and in repertory theatres and now tours worldwide with his solo shows luke, acts, tales of tolstoy, and marcus marks gospel in dutch. These songs were the last composing that harry chapin ever did. Bruce is a broadway actor and cofounder of word by heart training program. Bruce kuhn played the national tour, which indianapolis critics hailed as remarkablewith enough stage impersonations to cast lilabner. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet.
He was part of the resident company of the acclaimed actors theatre of louisville and. The half day program drew 20 participants, including pastors, as well as people involved in drama ministry or childrens ministry. He starred in the national tour of harry chapins oneman offbroadway hit, the cotton patch gospel, and did the national tour of chess, directed by trevor nunn. Born out of the civil rights struggle, these now classic translations of much of the new testament bring the faraway places of scripture closer to home. Cotton patch gospel is a cheerful spring nights jamboree. The armenian gospel of the infancy with three early versions of the. Meet bruce kuhn, storyteller bruce kuhn is a professional actor who performed on broadway in the original cast of les miserables and in the national tours of chess and cotton patch gospel. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of paul and peter into the language and culture of the mid20th century united states south. Storytelling workshop by bruce kuhn from a participants. Bruce kuhn performed on broadway in les miserables, in the national tours of chess and cotton patch gospel and in the resident company of the acclaimed actors theatre of louisville in roles as diverse as dartagnan in the three musketeers and puck in a midsummer nights dream, as well as the gospel of luke. He also did the national tour of cotton patch gospel. The cotton patch gospel, by koinonia farm founder clarence jordan, recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of paul and peter into the language and culture of the mid20th century south. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of paul and peter into the language of the mid20th century south.
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