About GSG (Godsongs Group)
GSG (GodSongs Group) Productions is a youth theatre group, based in Brentwood, NY, that develops and stages original plays with music drawn from the ideas, thoughts, passions and fears of teenagers and young adults. It was co-founded by Lois Anne DeLong and Barbara Antonucci as a “one-shot deal” to stage a revival of a “sketch and song revue” called Godsongs in 1999, and became a permanent institution the following year. The guiding principle behind GSG—which took its full name from that first production—is to give a voice to young people who are too often told what to think and be, and too rarely taught how to think, be, and do for themselves. All plays are developed through group discussion, role play, and improvisation, with the finished script reflecting the combined ideas of the young people and director/playwright DeLong. (Antonucci relocated to North Carolina after the second production but remains a guiding influence as director emeritus). As such, these plays ring true to both its cast members and young audiences.
While GSG is hosted by the Brentwood Presbyterian Church, its members reflect a wide variety of beliefs, and no religious affiliation is required to join. Over the years, its plays have explored a variety of themes, from the need to choose one’s heroes wisely, to the way one individual really can make a difference, to learning how to distinguish between real love and the fantasy version offered by the media. GSG has not shied away from grittier themes, either, having addressed such topics as teen suicide, AIDS, gun violence, racism and homophobia, and poverty and privilege. The group uses equal proportions of humor and honesty, sarcasm and genuine feeling, to produce plays that make people laugh and think. All totalled, the group has produced eight original “mainstage” plays: Godsongs 2000: The Next Generation, Turn Your Radio On, Our Time To Dance, Tomorrow Belongs to Me, Color Our World With Hope, Hearts Out of Focus, …On the Other Foot, and Flowers from the Ashes. A new short play, Carefully Taught, is currently in production for staging later this year.
Among its proudest achievements is that GSG is the lead Long Island group behind the Presbytery of Long Island El Salvador Partnership Youth Theatre Workshop. This program brings together youth from Long Island and El Salvador for a week of theatre training, improvisations, and the rehearsal and performance of a bilingual play—and changes world views on both sides. GSG has also participated in a “Million Mom March” event against gun violence, and developed and staged an original play about sexual harassment in schools called Touchy Subjects. This play, commissioned by the Council on Women of the Presbytery of Long Island, was published in December 2004 by Pioneer Drama Services and can be licensed for production by contacting Pioneer at http://www.pioneerdrama.com/ or by calling 1-800-33DRAMA.
GSG is open to young people 12 and up. No previous dramatic experience is required, just a willingness to commit to regular weekly rehearsals and to work cooperatively with others. For more information, contact DeLong at betwink13@optonline.net.