Cotton patch gospel has been highly acclaimed by criticsand public alike. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the apostolic letters into the language and culture of the mid20th century south, bringing the new testament to life in the context of where people actually live today. He was an authentic product of the bible belt, of the rural, agrarian heartland, of the peoples. Gainesville, selma, birmingham, atlanta, washington, d. Millard fuller, founder of habitat for humanity, thought of clarence jordan as a man of relevance. Hewn from the massive baptist denomination, known primarily for its conformity to culture, clarence stressed the anticultural, the christtranscending and the christtransforming, aspects of the gospel. All actors take on different roles as the jesus character calls them forward to participate in different parts of the story. Tom key, an actor and playwright from atlanta, and russell treyz, a director and playwright from new york, transformed the cotton patch version of matthew into the cotton patch gospel, an offbroadway musical with a score by harry chapin. He also traveled widely as a speaker and translated much of the new testament into the cotton patch versions. It ran offbroadway at the lambs theatre for 193 performances beginning in october 21, 1981. Clarence jordan 19121969 was an unusually able interpreter of jesus parables.
Harry chapin cotton patch gospel album lyrics letssingit. 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. Discounts for students, seniors and groups are available with information available at the box office, 540 8691776. Oconee, ga cotton patch gospel the following is a news release from athens academy. Born out of the civil rights struggle, these now classic paraphrases of much of the new testament bring the faraway places of scripture closer to home. Cleveland music director mark mullino set design sydnee mowery lighting design mark c. Au thors notes the origl i na pro duc tion of cot ton patch gos pel was done with five ac tors. Cotton patch gospel is the full length, offbroadway musical hit that the new york times called, a toetapping country jamboree. Cotton patch gospel romans clarence jordan hopefaithprayer. Cotton patch parables of liberation by clarence jordan. This awardwinning musical drama is alegslappin, toetappin, handclappin hoedown of a storythe retells the gospels of matthew and john translatedinto present day southern vernacular. Bear in mind that this resource is not a biblical translation, but a creative paraphrase. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the apostolic letters into the language and culture of the mid20th century south.
Jordan wanted to transport jesus and firstcentury christians to where they were living where we live, talking as we talk, working, hurting, praying. A filmed stageplay recounting the story of jesus as set in modern day georgia with music and reverent humor added. As this gospel begins, they sing that somethins abrewin in gainesville. Click the pdf button to download our actor information sheet which will be used during auditions. A visionary during the struggle for the civil rights of all gods children, he founded an interracial community called koinonia. With tom key, scott ainslie, pete corum, jim lauderdale. Cotton patch gospel matthew clarence jordan hopefaithprayer.
Tune guitar down 1 whole step to dgcfad to be in the original key of dm chords forms used. Hearing parables in the cotton patch baylor university. Your donation pays only for dedicated server hosting, bandwidth, software licenses, and capital equipment scanners, ocr equipment, etc. This is one of those versatile scripts that lends itself to any number of creative decisions.
Kris kristofferson, lyle lovett, emmylou harris johnny cash tribute 1996 kennedy center honors duration. Something brewing in gainesville i did itmama is here it isnt easy. Cotton patch gospel will close on saturday, april 25. The cotton patch gospels and new testament letters were written by clarence jordan, a new testament ph. 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. With music composed by harry chapin cats in the cradle and taxi, this colorful story brings the far away places of nazareth, jerusalem, and bethlehem into the contemporary southern united states. Essentially a one man show with a cast of four musicians fleshing out many of the biblical characters. A filmed stageplay recounting the story of jesus as set in modern day georgia. Not only his academic study, but also his smalltown background and experiences in establishing the interracial koinonia farm in the 1940s shaped his ability to hear the parables in the cotton patch. More than a translation, the cotton patch gospel continues to make clear the startling relevance of scripture for today. Mar 04, 2009 cotton patch gospel will close on saturday, april 25.
Cotton patch gospel is a colloquial translation of most of the new testament by southern baptist minister clarence jordan. This is upc cotton patch gospel 2015 saturday by john wilson on vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. 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. I have been having an intriguing time this winter studying the commercial versions, from an early 1950s release called day of triumph to jesus of montreal as part of my doctor of ministry study of images of.
Jonathan aragon, first baptist church, duncanville, texas cotton patch gospel was the best play i have ever directed. Cotton patch gospel is a highly acclaimed musical that humorously brings the gospels of matthew and john to the stage. But as a neighbor reflected long after clarences death, he be gone now, but his footprint is still here. Cotton patch gospel originator of cotton patch gospel recreates beginning as solo performance in 1979, tom key was wondering what he would do next after a successful national tour of his oneman play c. 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. The cotton patch gospel, by koinonia farm founder clarence jordan, recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of the new testament into the language and.
C05000 to help you find the perfect musical for your next performance, we have provided this overview of the vocal and orchestral demands for this title. One ac tor played the speak ing roles, and the other four were the mem bers of the band. Rosebud theatre, chemainus theatre festival, prime stock theatre and new west theatre. Perhaps hell startle us with his parables and powerful sermons, and sting us with his honest rebukes. Both a biblical scholar and a prophetic man of action, clarence jordan lived out the new testament in the soil of rural georgia. Synopsis of cotton patch gospel the cotton patch gospel is the book of matthew performed in a very vibrant manner. Lewis on stage when he spotted a postcard advertising british actor, alec mcgowens presentation of saint marks gospel. The cotton patch gospel download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl. Cotton patch would be fun for a church or youth group to see as part of a lenten or summer series of films on the life of christ. Book by tom key and russell treyz, with music and lyrics by harry chapin, based on the cotton patch version of matthew and john by clarence jordan.
Feb 04, 2016 i like the way clarence jordan ends a note on the cotton patch gospelmatthew and john. Jordan committed his ministry to racial reconciliation and economic justice. Tickets are available at the huron country playhouse box office. The cotton patch version of pauls epistles, the cotton patch version. 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. 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. Read more in this modern day translation of paul message, his letters are taken out of the study and stainedglass sanctuary and placed under gods skies where people toil, laugh, cry and wonder. Jordan also founded the christian community koinonia farm, in sumter county, near americus.
Good samaritan story from the cotton patch gospel youtube. Clarence jordan died suddenly of a heart attack in 1969. I like the way clarence jordan ends a note on the cotton patch gospelmatthew and john. In downtown atlanta in 2020, cotton patch gospel promises to raise the roof with joy. Apr 5, 2012 more than a translation, the cotton patch gospel continues to make clear the startling relevance of scripture for today. May 12, 2011 this award winning musical drama is a legslappin, toe tappin, hand clappin hoedown of a story that retells the gospels of matthew and john translated into present day southern vernacular. This award winning musical drama is a legslappin, toe tappin, hand clappin hoedown of a story that retells the gospels of matthew and john translated into present day southern vernacular. He was an authentic product of the bible belt, of the rural, agrarian heartland, of the. 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. Apr 17, 2017 kris kristofferson, lyle lovett, emmylou harris johnny cash tribute 1996 kennedy center honors duration. Between 1968 and 1973 jordan published four cotton patch volumes.
Cotton patch gospel continues until july 1 at huron country playhouse, grand bend. An approach to the four gospels 5 the structural outline of matthew, exhibiting key words and correspondences 8 the distinctive character of both mark and luke 10 the distinctive purposes of the gospels according to matthew and luke demonstrated 14 the dispensational place of johns gospel 18. 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. Based on the book the cotton patch version of matthew and john by clarence jordan, the story retells. He was also instrumental in the founding of habitat for humanity.
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. Guerra costume design bruce richard coleman properties master monika zimmermann stage manager sally soldo cast. Not your average musical theatre fare, cotton patch gospel is a refreshing change and a reminder of why the literature of the new testament has endured. The cotton patch version of the new testament softwarecases.
Clarence jordan was a strange phenomenon in the history of north american christianity. Cotton patch gospel story by tom key and russell treyz, music and lyrics by harry chapin theatre too. Rights and availability this title can be licensed and sold throughout the world. Considered purely as theater, harry chapins cotton patch gospel is an agreeable bluegrass musical that needs a little more smokea little. The cotton patch version of pauls epistles by clarence. It brings the far awayplaces of nazareth, jerusalem, and bethlehem closer to home atlanta and valdosta. If our esword and mysword modules have blessed you, please consider a small donation. Apr 17, 2015 cotton patch would be fun for a church or youth group to see as part of a lenten or summer series of films on the life of christ. Briars in the cotton patch tells the nearly forgotten story of koinonia farm, a small christian community in southwest georgia where whites and blacks chose to live and work together as equals despite the brutal and frightening consequences in the years leading. 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. Rosebud theatre, chemainus theatre festival, prime stock theatre and. The cotton patch gospel, by koinonia farm founder clarence jordan, recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of the new testament into the language and culture of the midtwentiethcentury south born out of the civil rights struggle, these nowclassic translations of much of the new testament bring the faraway places of scripture closer to home.
Andrew legg is a multidisciplinary artist in the fields of visual art, music and drama. His work has been seen across western canada stages including. Briars in the cotton patch 10th anniversary edition. The cotton patch gospel is a colloquial translation of most of the new testament by southern baptist minister clarence jordan. The popular music songwriter harry chapin collaborated with key and treyz on the adaptation, which they completed in june 1981. 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.
The cotton patch version is a very colloquial, southern translation. Cotton patch gospel study the cotton patch gospels of. Cotton patch gospel, a new musical with songs by the late harry chapin, is a downhome retelling of the new testament, a kind of. The substance of faith and other cotton patch sermons by clarence jordan. 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. Tracklist with lyrics of the album cotton patch gospel 2011 from harry chapin. A gifted preacher and teacher, he was a popular and frequent speaker at. With high energy and loads of laughs, the gospel message is presented in a way that is irresistible. 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. Those who never heard clarence jordan speak will welcome the opportunity to get to know him through his. The last few sentences he jesus may let us sit at his feet and wash them with our tears.