Jesus Christ Superstar--A Few Questions- Page 2

[mrkringas]

Posted: 4/6/06 at 5:55pm

Whats the problem with a female Jesus? If it works with Richard II and other great roles in Shakespeare then it certainly can work with Andrew Lloyd Webber

[Timmerbo]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 12:09am

I'd say Jesus needs a good B flat. He has a big money note in 'Everything's Alright' that sounds pretty whiggity whack in falsetto.

[Jesus]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 2:30am

And it's always nice for Jesus to have a solid C, so that he has the option of add libbing in Gethsemane, outside the scream, to add some emotional urgency. Thats just me though.

[Timmerbo]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 2:48am

I'd definitely prefer a Jesus to have a C (or higher, heh). His bit in Strange Thing Mystifying does require a breif series of Cs, though it doesn't have to be pretty. It sounds bad if he's trying to smoothly break in and out of falsetto... at least in my experience it has.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:41am

Belt range is a funny old thing.....

Listen to Steve Balsamo on the Lyceum Cast Recording. During Everything's Alright, Gethsemane and The Temple scenes he is going above a Bflat at times and yet its not belt. Its a very strong falsetto mixed possibly with some cry but its certainly not belt.

He always sounded as if he was singing in "one" voice and should have wowed you all on broadway and the dvd. For the life of me I have NO idea why he didnt do either.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 8:05am

??,

The Carter DVD gets called the Aussie DVD because many of those who worked on it behind the camera were Aussies -- most notably the director. It also has a VERY Aussie aesthetic to it (which I found pretty ugly and clunky to watch).

As far as the notes Jesus and Judas should have -- they FOR SURE should have high C's (both roles have multiple high C's). Most Jesus' do that high G above high C scream in I Only Want To Say, so that is pratty important.

I've seen both Judas and Jesus as white, both as black, both as Asain, and both as women. It works any of those ways (if the director realizes that the show comments on itself through casting choices).

[mrkringas]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 12:10pm

The high G above top C......

I though that was added by Steve Balsamo? Noone else comes close to matching his 24 second powerhouse scream. Glen Carter clocks in at around half that and the UK tour replacements managed around the same.

Most of the version pre Balsamo have a lot of throaty adlibbing but certainly not that high and sustained. My preference is actually for singing it in the octave written and holding it all the way through the orchestral bars. Stig Rossen, Anthony Warlow, Michael Ball all seem to manage that way to much more powerful results.

(plus I can actually sing the damn song in that octave! )

[Timmerbo]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 12:17pm

Ian Gillan, the first person to sing Gethsemane on record, sang a G above high C on 'Whyyyyyy'.

It's breathtaking.

He also uses similiar technique on 'Alright! I'll die!' This was before they did the ****ty revisionist thing and decided that part should be delivered quietly.

The sustained high G that Balsamo hits, while impressive, never really made a lot of sense to me. It's just showing off.

[children&art]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 12:28pm

my favorite JCS i saw on tour in Dallas in HS (93) - the thing that caught me was the overture was done as a ballet telling the story of the Old Testament through Jesus' birth, it was really well done with lots of powerful imagery and simple movements.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 1:32pm

I take my last comment back then. I have not listened to the concept recording for a number of years. I grew up listening to a lot of the British cast recordings/concerts of the 80s and early 90s. People like Dave Willets and Paul Nichols. Not my cup of tea at all! So when I was taken on a school trip ot see the Lyceum production with Balsamo, Zubin Varla and Joanna Ampil I was totally blown away.

Finally here was a JCS that I could connect too. Well staged and serious. Emotional and powerfully sung. Not camp in the slightest. Even the Herrod number was done with a touch of realism. Pontius Pilate was sung by the imposing David Burt. An actor who imbued subtext and can belt those Abs rather than simper like the film. Joanna Ampil created a touching Mary who avoided the diva antics of her replacements on tour and Broadway.

Sadly it all went horribly wrong on the UK Tour. Someone decided to reconceive the production and modernise it. What they failed to see was that the Lyceum staging did modernise it effectively. The result looked very silly but still enjoyable for die hard fans. Maybe it was more accesible to younger people (by this time I was a jaded and bitter fresher at Uni!) I really dont know. What I do know is that it was panned on Broadway.

Sad really as there were so many talented people associated with the NY production and the dvd.

[Emcee4ever]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 3:10pm

I just watched the 70's JCS movie and I noticed something creepy/cool.

Right after Pilate's Dream and the maid hands him food, you hear the chorus go 'Pilate....' and he turnes his head as if he heard it...

Did they do that on Broadway too or was it made up for the movie?

[mrkringas]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 8:28pm

Sorry perhaps I am missing something but I just listened to the Concept recording and cannot for the life of me find where Ian Gillan screams a high g above c.

Can you help me out please?

[Jesus]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 11:55pm

If you just listened to the Concept Album, then I don't know how you missed it. In Gethsemane there are several G's over Tenor C, also, in The Temple, and even What's the Buzz, Gillian finds ways to use his scream. Maybe you're not listening closely. But really it's hard to miss. It's basically the centerpiece of his Gethsemane.
Jesus

[SamIAm]

Posted: 4/8/06 at 9:07am

I played Mary Mag back in the days when it has just finished running its first run on Broadway and we were on the road on the East Coast.

The original interpretation of Pilate is my favorite for obvious reasons. And the recent revivals with females in the roles of the men seem a bit odd. But then in Greek theater, the men played all the roles (women and men) so maybe this is just our way to striking back thousands of years later :)

If done correctly this show can be very powerful and human. If done all for camp, it can be shallow and a mere shadow of its intended self.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 4/8/06 at 9:23am

Ah those! They were literally just screams. Not sustained or anything. Still impressive but my earlier post was getting at the fact that noone did the high G sustained over the orchestral section until Steve Balsamo.

I still dont like the concept album. It may be raw and rocky but it just doesnt do it for me. I guess I have been spoiled with too many talented musical theatre singers rather than rock stars! Although the John Farnham veresion does get me going a bit.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 4/8/06 at 5:15pm

Actually, no, people did do it before Steve Balsamo, but they were not on any recorded versions of the show. I know (based on sources) that the sustained high G over the slow orchestration was first tried in an American production in the late 80's and became a popular trend. ALW then made it official with the reorchestrations for the 1996 revival.

And now...a question...WHY DO ALL OF YOU LIKE THE 2000 REVIVAL SO MUCH? ARE YOU INSANE? Ted Neeley...Carl Anderson...quintessential version on film...1973...ring any bells? They sure did to the millions of people who made sure that the reunion tour from 1992-1998 grossed over 100 million dollars and outsold every touring concert act in the country.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 4/8/06 at 5:55pm

The glenn carter film from a coupel years ago was the gayest (and yes i mean gay as in homosexual not gay as in dumb) I've ever seen, like, gayer than gay porn.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 4/8/06 at 8:29pm

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I always thought you can play up the jealousy of Judas towards Mary Magdalene.

But yes the 2000 DVD is a bit "garish". I mean I love Tony Vincent but the whole look he was going for would quite happily fit into my ideas of gay porn!

As I said earlier the London production from 1996-1998 was far more truthful and updated the show without going to the extreme.

[Jesus]

Posted: 4/8/06 at 9:04pm

It was boring. Nothing interesting done at all. Balsamo was dreadful live, and Zubin Varala seemed to drink more and more before each show throughout the run. The direction was pedestrian and completely missed the spirit of the show.

[Emcee4ever]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 10:08pm

Who was your fav Pilate and your fav Herod?

I like Barry Dennen and Joshua Mostel cause they're the only ones I've seen. :P

[??]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 12:12am

Mkrings,

Unfortunately, the Ian Gillian scream was kind of what Lloyd Webber was going for. The greatest Jesus ever recorded, Ted Neeley basically destroys everyone (danny zolli....such a close second). Steve Balsamo 24 second G is not impressive to me for two reasons. 1. It is to pretty. This man is screaming to God here and Balsamo/Carter came out like crying babies. 2. Even if you disagree with that comment, the fact that the recording is a process of studio loop and overdub destroys any of Steves credibility....he never did that live. He couldn't.


When Ted Neeley went out 8 times a week on tour and screamed the hell out of the song, recieving a standing ovation before he could finish the piece.....that, my friend, is Jesus.


and of course, you are more then welcome to politely disagree!

[Jesus]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 12:58am

Thats true. Of all the times I saw Balsamo live, not once did he actually maintain the G for the entire musical break. Also, his voice was far weaker in his higher register live compared to on the album. I personally feel like the 1996 Cast album was overproduced, and not an accurate reflection of the produciton. I mean Alice Cooper never did play Herod...

[mrkringas]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 10:10am

Yeah when I saw him he fell off the note just over half way point.

As I am a total atheist I rather enjoyed the portayal of Jesus as a weak willed cry baby. My interpretation of the show has always been from the perspective that he is a deluded mad man. I loved how in London there was no resurrection but then they went and chickened out and added that stupid big cross of lights....All to keep the provincials happy! (speaking as one originally from the sticks lol)

And yes his acting did leave a lot to be desired. Its still one of my fav Jesus to listen to though. If you want to hear a different take on the song...try Stig Rossen (pm me if you want)