Timber Lake Playhouse in Mount Carroll opens its 65th main stage season with “Godspell,” playing May 29 through June 7.

Based on the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the groundbreaking musical was conceived and originally directed by John Micheal Trebleck.

It features the global hit “Day by Day” among many others by the composer of “Wicked,” Stephen Schwartz.

A small group of people help Jesus Christ tell different parables by using a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques and hefty doses of comic timing. An eclectic blend of songs, ranging in style from pop to vaudeville, is employed as the story of Jesus’s life dances across the stage. Dissolving hauntingly into the Last Supper and the Crucifixion, Jesus’s messages of kindness, tolerance and love come vibrantly to life.

With a cast and crew made up of Timber Lake Playhouse alumni, “Godspell” establishes a vibrant ensemble of performers celebrating human connection, compassion, and heart. Through a series of parables, blending vocals, and inventive staging, this interpretation reimagines classic teachings while interweaving the universal message of working together to build a compassionate world.

The ensemble, made up of Timber Lake Playhouse alumni, includes Errol Service Jr. as Jesus, Grant Alexander Brown as Judas/John the Baptist, Gabriel Argate, Carly Censi, Gabby Hernandez, Conor Jordan, Morgan Milone, Gabe Salazar, Tori Tiernan and Malaika Wanjiku.

Audiences can extend their time at Timber Lake Playhouse by enjoying a meal in the beer garden before the show and seeing TLP’s pre-show cabarets or by visiting the theater’s gift shop for exclusive branded merchandise.

Tickets are available at the Timber Lake Playhouse box office, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and through intermission on performance days, by calling 815-244-2035, or going to www.timberlakeplayhouse.org.

Godspell - 2012 is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. The show is sponsored by Sauk Valley Bank.

The theater is located at 8215 Black Oak Road in Mt. Carroll.