The emotional impact of the show hit the cast all at once. It happened during a rehearsal last week when they lifted Jesus off the cross.

Suddenly, much of the cast was in tears and “Godspell” was about much more than theater. It was about a real human being whose death would forever change the religious landscape of the world.

“Rehearsal seemed to go really well that day, and we were taken emotionally over the edge just because it was so good,” said 16-year-old Katie Dawson of Bangor, who attends All Souls Congregational Church. “That’s not ever happened to me onstage before. But, no other show has had that intense a message about my faith.”

That is one of the reasons the youth groups of All Souls Congregational Church and St. John’s Episcopal Church, both in Bangor, wanted to do the musical. Based on the Gospel according to Matthew, the show features Jesus in a Superman T-shirt and clown makeup.

The musical has allowed the teens to get in touch with their faith in a different way than they’ve experienced in Sunday School or church, said the Rev. Renee Garrett, minister of Christian Nurture at All Souls.

“They’re finding through this dramatic experience that it is OK to be kids with a core faith,” the minister said. “They also talk about the kind of outreach work their faith leads them to do. They’re not as comfortable talking about this at school.”

Garrett’s 18-year-old son Peter is playing Jesus. The Bangor High School senior said that the emotion the cast experienced during rehearsal changed his performance.

“Doing the role is a lot easier now,” he said. “At first, I was just doing a part without a whole lot of emotional value attached to it. I didn’t know how to illustrate things and hadn’t decided who I wanted to be. I have more of a sense of a living, caring, compassionate Jesus than just acting a regular part.”

Aaron Blanchette of Hermon said the difference for him is actually being part of the Biblical stories rather than reading about them. “I kind of feel like I’m there and can relate to what people went through in Jesus’ time,” said the 17-year-old, who attends St. John’s.

The funds raised from the performances will be split between the two churches. The money will be used by All Souls’ youth group to fund a mission trip to Honduras, while money from St. John’s will go to the scholarship fund for the choir’s summer trip to England.

“Godspell” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 1 and 8, at All Souls Congregational Church. It will be performed at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at St. John’s Episcopal Church.