JCS Previews Thread — Page 6

That's not why you're inferior, sweetness.

Just Crazy Sh*t?

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No reason at all. You have free will (at least according to some philosophies). I'm not here to try to change the way you think. Agree/disagree - does it really matter?

It's not the first time a show has transfered because of raves, and didn't do well. Or vice versa. "In The Heights" didn't do well off-Broadway, but managed a successful run on Broadway. Etc.

Back in the 90's I saw a touring production of JCS, with Ted Neeley and Syretta. This was my first and only exposure to the show. Although I enjoyed some songs, I felt like the production was dated, even in the 1990's. My friend wants to see this in June. Was the tour production I saw, the reason I felt the material dated? Or is is a production that just doesn't hold up?

Get the live recording of Drew Sarich singing Jesus. It's on Itunes. It's brilliant and messy. It's exactly how the show should sound, to me. It's raw and interesting.

RippedMan - just out of my own curiosity - 2004/5 or 2011 Vienna cast?

Yes, that's the one - with Serkan Kaya as Judas, right?

There is the album from just last year that's quite brilliant as well. (His portrayal of Jesus seems to have gotten even more visceral and compelling with time, somehow). You can find pieces of it around online; the cover is Drew as Jesus and a burning cross. If you like his portrayal - and it's not for everyone, granted - it might be worth checking out. :)

Now, if he were playing in the Broadway revival, I'd be there in a heartbeat... but that is neither here nor there, I suppose. I've been thinking of making this JCS one of the shows I see in NYC this summer, but the word of mouth in this thread is making me second-guess. I suppose I shall have to wait and see.

Updated On: 3/8/12 at 12:51 AM

Jeez u guys are just totally off! I mean, its the 1st PRE views- let them find their feet!
I saw the show last Sat matinee and it was fine- not great(yet) but highly enjoyable.
Some of your points are valid but as also noted are really part of the book and not really adjustable. I never minded that Jesus doesn't have la charisma- he is a man staring into the abyss- so yes he doesn't seem as poweful a leader as we might have thought- he's a little distracted. Paul Nolan was in good voice for ""Gesthamene" that day, wailed and every thing.. Josh Young as Judas was also good- and I LIKED his death esp the coins. I liked his little bit at the start w his prayers movement nice Jewish touch.
Chilina was fine as Mary -I esp liked her in the staging of the lashes. She handled "I Don't Know ..." very well at least that day.
Tom Hewitt was really good both in voice and performance- Pilate and Judas come off the the most modern- and to our minds -
most sympathetic, how the world changes in it's views.
Bruce Dow as Herod was also good- its a vaudeville turn- ya hafta play it for laffs- but w all his comedy there was an underlying anger, remember Herod IS the king of the Jews! so that anger w his presumtive useprer was a nice tone, Had his eye been done w a kinda Oedipal blindness makeup? Anyways- a nice touch.
I actually liked the guards uniforms- references the middle east and even the huns- nice change from the usual German SS seen too often.
The diving board- not so much- I just don't see it.
The Temple Money changers seemed a bit trite -sexy gogo girls and boys shaking their money makers(changers) but I liked the large braziers burning.
I am NOT a fan of projections but after the horrors that Des used in G & D that frankly made me nauseous- these were so mild as to to be almost unnoticable from my POV- so pass, friend, pass.
Josh Young was esp good in Jesus Christ Superstar at least in his singing but the comment about his dancing ability is valid. I don't know if he is just not a dancer or needs better choreography but I really expected more from that aspect esp in an 11 oclock number like that
"Could We Start Again Please"- such a pretty song, so well sung and left me annoyed- just didn't fit either in it's tone or placement.
I'd give it a B+ right now- ensemble work is uniformly good, orchastra was great and sorry guys but MY audience cheered and whistled at the end - no probs getting them standing. ( no not me but that's a seperate issue w me)

I was wondering how long it would take until someone sang that nonsense song: "Jeez u guys are just totally off! I mean, its the 1st PRE views- let them find their feet!"

Did you know that this production has already had two full runs since July? It's not like they just learned their blocking last week, and saw the theatre for the first time yesterday.

Updated On: 3/8/12 at 05:06 PM

You gotta give her credit -- she wrote you a song.

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Get the live recording of Drew Sarich singing Jesus. It's on Itunes. It's brilliant and messy. It's exactly how the show should sound, to me. It's raw and interesting.

The new 2011 recording with Drew Sarich is pretty great. I highly recommend it. It's a complete recording and Harod is played by a guy this time. The only misstep for me is that the guy playing Judas messes up some lyrics here and there, but as far as I know it's a recording of a single performance and not cobbled together from several nights, plus I'm pretty sure English isn't his first language so the mistakes are understandable.