>>> WHEN GOSPEL MUSIC MERGES, WITH AN ANCIENT GREEK TEXT.

YOU CAN ALMOST CALL IT A HOLY COMMUNION.

IT'S A REVIVAL IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

CHICAGO TONIGHT VISITED A REHEARSAL.

PRODUCER MARK VITALE HAS THE STORY.

♪ [ MUSIC ] ♪ >> THE FEAR IN ALL OF US.

IT'S NOT CHRISTIAN.

IT'S NOT JEWISH.

IT'S NOT MUSLIM.

IT'S NOT GREEK.

WELL, IT'S A LITTLE GREEK.

SO THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

BUT IT'S A SPIRITUAL EVENT.

>> IT'S A RARELY PERFORMED SHOW CALLED THE GOSPEL AT COLONIS.

MORGAN FREEMAN WAS IN THE ORIGINAL CAST IN 1983.

AND THAT PRODUCTION INSPIRED THE CAREER OF AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE.

>> I SAW THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION IN 1983.

BROOKLYN ACADEMY MUSIC.

AND HEY, IF CLASSIC TEXTS AND MUSIC CAN CREATE SUCH A SPIRITUAL EVENT THAT LIFTS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN THAT THEATER TO EVENT.

YET IT'S CONTEMPORARY FOR TODAY.

THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE.

SO IT FEELS LIKE I'VE BEEN PREPARING THIS FOR 30 YEARS.

EVEN THOUGH WE STILL HAVE ONLY TWO DAYS TO GO BEFORE WE OPEN.

I CAN'T WAIT.

♪ [ MUSIC ] ♪ >>> IT IS BASED ON OEDIPUS AT COLONIS.

AGING KING WHO SEEKS LIFE.

ONE OF THE CAST PERFORMED IN THE ORIGINAL WORLD TOUR.

>> THE ROLE SHE ORIGINALLY PLAYED IS NOW BEING PLAYED BY HER DAUGHTER.

THEY HAVE HIGH LOPES FOR THE CAST.

>> WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED CASTS I'VE EVER WORKED WITH.

AS AN ACTOR, I COME UP HERE IN CHICAGO.

I COME UP IN THE COMMUNITY HERE.

I'VE BEEN DOING THEATER WITH MANY OF THESE PEOPLE AND SOMEHOW, WE GOT, AS CHARLIE CALLS, AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES.

THAT EVERYONE'S VOICE BE SHOW-CASED.

>> HE KNOWS ABOUT VOICES BEING SHOWCASED.

THE DIRECTORS ARE BOTH SONS OF PREACHERS.

FOLLOWING REHEARSAL, THEY GIVE FINAL NOTES TO THE CAST IN ADVANCE OF OPENING NIGHT.

>> PUTTING IT IN THE CONTEXT OF BLACK PENTECOSTAL WORSHIP AND SPIRIT.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE TWO THAT CREATES THIS FLURRIED THING.

>> I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, IT'S NOT ONE OR THE OTHER.

IT'S