Jesus Christ Superstar tour

[timote316]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 7:27pm

Has anyone seen the tour recently? I plan on going to see it tomorrow night, and want to know what to expect. Thanks!

[timote316]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:22pm

*bump*

anyone?

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:52pm

I didn't like it, but some others have expressed positive views. But I'm not a fan of the material (a few nice tunes here and there, but atrocious lyrics and nonsensical storytelling.) Here's the review I wrote:

------------------------------

What would Jesus do, if he were up against Darth Vader? That seems to be the question posed by the current tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, which played in Toronto at the Canon Theatre from November 23-28. As if the original version of this seminal rock opera wasn’t enough of an acid trip, director Kevin Moriarty imagines a postmodern, post-apocalyptic Jerusalem to stage the final days of everyone’s favourite Messiah.

This intriguing but thoroughly confusing production of Jesus Christ Superstar is a scaled-down adaptation of an unsuccessful 2000 Broadway revival mounted by Gale Edwards that was panned by critics. In an attempt to update the piece, Gale and Moriarty have combine disparate elements of fascism, street life, Wall Street, sci-fi and rock & roll to make J-C hip again. The result, however, is Star Wars meets Rent: soldiers dressed like stormtroopers chase spray-painting hooligans against a backdrop which resembles an alleyway in the Bronx; a leather-clad Judas stands afar and points accusingly at Jesus, whose own clothes look like they’ve been bought at the Gap. The sinful Temple in Jerusalem has been re-imagined as the floor of a Stock Exchange. All these components are eclectic and interesting, but there’s nothing holding them together as one, unified concept.

The production team seems to be playing off the idiosyncrasies of the source material: Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber have fashioned an anachronistic work, after all, with Jesus and his disciples prancing around and possessing a vernacular of 20th-century hipsters. No wonder early stagings of the musical (and the movie version, directed by Vic’s own Norman Jewison) imagined Jesus as the ultimate hippie. Still, Moriarty has done nothing to improve the shortcomings of the musical. When it burst onto Broadway in 1971, Jesus Christ Superstar caused a huge stir and was the first of subsequent sung-through “rock operas”; however, upon revisiting the show, one discovers that it is a fatally flawed piece of theatre. Songs jump from scene to scene, from setting to setting, with no dramatic transition; supporting characters are cardboard cut-outs with vague motivations. The show presupposes an intimate knowledge of the Bible story, and if you were unfamiliar with the events of Christ’s last months, you’d be completely lost. The score itself, although frequently touted as the first “rock opera,” is really energetic-but-derivative pop disguised as rock; when coupled with Rice’s often inane and cringe-worthy lyrics (“hey JC, JC, you're alright by me," or worse, "always hoped that I'd be an apostle / knew that I would make it if I tried"), it can be hard to sit through, although there are a few gems here and there.

The cast is a mixed lot, and many had difficulty overcoming the challenges of this sung-through score. At the performance I went to, I caught the understudy, Todd Fournier, as Judas. Judas is arguably the star of the musical, possessing much more moral ambiguity than his Biblical source and getting some kickass songs that question Jesus’ motives. Fournier provided the right rough tenor to his numbers; however, as the night wore on his voice became increasingly strained.

Eric Kunze was a thoroughly disappointing Jesus, lacking energy, enunciation and stage charisma. Kunze seemed to be having an off-night, as he struggled through the vocal demands of the role; he sang in mumbled whispers and was frequently and irritatingly off the show’s unrelenting rhythm by a few bars. Jesus’ big number is the soaring “Gethsemane,” when Jesus gets to wail and scale ridiculously high notes as he expresses his doubt in God’s motives. Kunze, however, gave a lackluster rendition of what was supposed to be a showstopper; after that, I couldn’t wait for him to be crucified.

The only noteworthy performance came from was Natalie Toro, who steals the show with a provocative and sensual portrayal of Mary Magdalene. While all the male leads struggled through the score, Toro's powerful voice dominated the stage, making the most of a lame role; her rendition of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" was remarkable.

Part of the problem with this Jesus Christ Superstar is that it fails to make full use of the Canon’s massive stage. This is partly due to it being a touring show that plays to a variety of performance spaces, but much of the staging in this production of JCS is dull and severely impaired by the overuse of a raised catwalk at the back of the stage. Although two numbers, “Herod’s Song” and “Superstar” are admirably done onstage (“Superstar” in particular delivers the kind sexy, dangerous rock & roll verve the rest of the show is sorely lacking), in the end this production of Jesus Christ Superstar gets lost in the cavernous Canon Theatre and in its own conceptual clutter.

Updated On: 1/14/05 at 09:52 PM

[LilMiZBroADwaY23]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:59pm

If it is the 'Modernized' one... You have wasted your money.

I saw it when it came to the South Bend Morris Civic Theatre... and as I watched it, I just kept thinking "This is an insult to my intelligence."

My family and I so desperatley wanted to leave at Intermission, but I wanted to hear "Jesus Christ Superstar". So we stayed. But once I saw it, I thought it was wasted money. The girls were POLE DANCING on THE CROSS! In red patent leather hooker outfits! I was personally apalled.

Other things.
1. Jesus had dread locks... freaked me out a little.
2. With the sound system we had, you couldn't understand a word that any of the cast was saying with an exception for Mary Magdalene.
3. The woman who played Mary is magnificent. But it confused me when she also played Jesus' mother. I may sound stupid but, is one more woman going to hurt?
4. Like BlueWizard said, Darth Vader outfits. Think Matrix ala Keanu Reeves, absolutley distracting and hideous.

All in all, I thought it was a waste of my money and my time. It didn't interest me at all.
Updated On: 1/14/05 at 09:59 PM

[timote316]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:12pm

hm, doesn't sound encouraging lol

The image on the theater's site is linked below, is this the one you both are referring to?
JCS Image

[LilMiZBroADwaY23]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:42pm

That's what the programs look like.

Here are some pictures... And now that I'm looking at them, I remember what really pissed me off... the wall street scene. No clue what was happening, probably because I was so bored... And it says that this tour is going to be in Providence, where you're seeing it I believe? If so, we're talking of the same one.

The other cool part was the torturing Jesus scene, but I won't ruin it for you. They did it in such a cool way.

https://www.jesuschristsuperstar.net/productions/2004.html

I had the understudy of Jesus mind you, so he might not have dreads, I'm not sure. Don't get your hopes up

Picture that REALLY pissed me off...
Updated On: 1/14/05 at 10:42 PM

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:52pm

Yes, that logo's the one.

I actually liked the SUPERSTAR number, complete with patent hot red leather and gyrating on Jesus' cross. It was as if Judas had come back from the fires of Hell....rock n' roll style!

This production is a scaled-down version of the 2000 Broadway revival, which was a stinkin' flop. That was brought over from London, where it was a moderate success in a theatre of the round (at the Palladium, I believe), but they made so many changes for a Broadway prescenium theatre that many say they ruined whatever they had going for it.

Natalie Toro (who played Mary Magdelene) on the tour really was magnificent. The ONLY major cast member who I enjoyed immensely.

Besides SUPERSTAR, the only number I felt was really, really effective (and affective -- very emotional) was the Crucifixion. Instead of using ALW's twisting, intentionally jarring choral arrangements and orchestrations while Jesus is on the cross, the production strips away all music and Jesus suffers quietly up there on the cross, calling out into the silence; it was very moving and actually heartwrenching. It was a truthful moment in this otherwise overcooked and thoroughly pretentious staging.

The clincher of bad taste for me was (SPOILER) after that emotional and heart-tugging Crucifixion scene -- the one thing the production does right -- and Jesus dies on the cross, suddenly there's a surge of an electronic organ and a huge, white-neon, disco-dance-floor crucifix lights up behind him and rockets up into the sky like a spaceship. I nearly burst laughing.

[LilMiZBroADwaY23]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:55pm

Plus, all you could see for an hour is the bright white cross in front of your eyes.

I loooved Natalie. Beautiful singer, beautiful in general. Made me actually believe something in that show.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:59pm

Yes, the flogging of Jesus was pretty cool too -- a remnant of the Broadway revival (I remember my drama teacher seeing it in 2000 and telling me about that technique they use).

LilMiz -- if the staging of the SUPERSTAR scene pissed you off, you should have seen the Broadway version: it also had paparazzi coming out and taking pictures of Jesus while he carried his cross.

The Temple scene (now depicted as Wall Street) was an interesting concept, but once again there was nothing joining everything together into one unified whole, and certainly no explanation to help the audience out. Going in, I already knew the musical well, but even I found the production confusing; I can only imagine how lost an audience member would be if they were unfamiliar with the story or musical. (That is also my major complaint with JCS -- it doesn't tell a story smoothly and with transition and explication, instead it just strings together songs about various events in Christ's last 30 days, without connecting these events in a book narrative).

Anyway, read my review.

[timote316]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:05pm

Based on the review and what I've heard in this thread, I'm going to enjoy myself. If I don't enjoy the show, I'll be laughing.

BTW, that spaceship thing sounds hilarious, BlueWizard

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:09pm

It could just be in my head -- my friend didn't notice anything wrong with it. But I thought it was highly inappropriate, after such a stark, real scene, to have a huge flourescent cross light up and fly into the skies.

[RumTumTugger22]

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:15pm

Really, all of these Jesus Christ Superstar shows are all in modern day. Why? Its a good story why do you need to kill it and make it a more complex story? WHY ?!?!?!?!

[sydney23]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 12:31am

Natalie Toro is great isn't she? She's a friend of mine and a great person. I never got to see her on the tour (though i did get to see her sing "I Don't Know How to Love Him" at Carl Anderson's memorial last year) but it's great to hear you all had the same positive response to her performance!

I'm curious though - can you explain to me what you mean by "Superstar" being pop music disguised as rock? i'm not sure what that means - or what you believe the distinction is? Also, I'd love to know what you believe the score is derivative of? Are there specific parts you can cite that remind you of other things? I really do like to hear opinions on this stuff - and specific examples are always helpful. Thanks!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 12:50am

I'm curious though - can you explain to me what you mean by "Superstar" being pop music disguised as rock?

Certainly. It's somewhat subjective, but I find that the melodies in JCS, their chord progressions, etc., have much more in common with the pop music of the 1970s than they do with that I associate with "rock": that is, Pink Floyd, the Doors, the Who, Led Zeppelin, etc. Some of the songs are very rock-sounding ("Heaven on their Minds," "Superstar," ... actually most of Judas' songs), but most ("Could We Start Again Please?", "I Don't Know How to Love Him," "Simon Zealotes," "Hozanna," etc.) are either pop songs or pastiche ("Herod's Song"). I'm sure Margo on the site can elucidate this better than I can. Again, it depends on what one considers rock music, but it is my belief that just because you stick an electric guitar in there doesn't make it rock.

Under my definition, there aren't many real rock scores in musical theatre; not even RENT, frequently touted as a rock musical, is real rock; it's pop. The only three real rock scores, IMO, that I can think of now are THE WHO'S TOMMY, ROCKY HORROR SHOW and, of course, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 12:51am

Pics of the current cast...

[sanda]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 9:14am

BwayTheatre11
Thank you so much for these wonderful pictures

[sanda]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 9:24am

I watched the tour before new year's day. Judas's voice is great! In my opinion, the second best besides Carl Anderson. The problem is that one of his arms is hurt so he had to carry on with it wrapped in front of his chest. But his delivery of the song is wonderful.

Jesus is good. Gethesmane is one of the most moving moment of the show. But his understudy is bad.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 9:31am

I have tix soon, I hope I did not waste the cash.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 9:35am

bluewizard, I have to disagree that the Broadway revival was a 'stinkin' flop'. While it's true that it only played for five months or so, the show itself was chock full of amazing talent. A lot of people didn't enjoy Glenn Carter but the rest of the cast was great. Maya Days, Tony Vincent, Rodney Hicks, D'Monroe, Michael K. Lee, Merle Dandridge, David St. Louis, and Shayna Steele (all Rent alums) and people like Lisa Brescia and Max von Essen, wow, what a cast. Most of them had been in more than five other Broadway shows, pretty unusual.

The show itself is one that people either seem to love or hate. I grew up watching the movie and loving it's wild weirdness. Transferring that to stage is somewhat of a problem because it tends to make it very cheesey. I still enjoyed the Broadway revival because of all the talent onstage. Did you see it, bluewizard?

I have a friend who saw the show in Toronto and was not impressed with the cast, at all.

[azeller]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 10:14am

I just saw it a few days after Christmas. I didn't like it at all. I couldn't understand any of the actors singing except Natalie Toro...she was excellent. Judas had a sling on that I was trying to figure out if it was part of the show or not. The comparison to Star Wars is very funny because every time Pilate came on stage with his henchmen I leaned over to my sis in law and said "Here come the storm troopers." The one interesting part of the show was when the fire alarms went off in the theatre and half of the people left. We thought it might be part of the show since the cast didnt leave-strobe lights and a funny low pitch siren that happened to start when the "storm troopers" came out.

That was really the first show I've seen that I can honestly say I really did not enjoy. The red leather "ladies" riding the cross were a bit much too. I dont know a whole lot about the show but it sounds like from other posts they have changed it significantly over the years.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 11:50am

bluewizard, I have to disagree that the Broadway revival was a 'stinkin' flop'.

OK, I take that back -- I was actually referring more to its critical reception and the expectations people had for the run. With its success in the UK, people assumed the show would have a healthy run in New York -- at least, longer than 5 months. I myself never got to see it on Broadway; a number of people I know did, however, and they enjoyed it enough.

I don't think the criticism in New York was directed at the cast, but rather the production itself (except for Brantley, who's mixed compliments include: "The singing is performed by a mostly young cast with the ardor of kids in a karaoke bar, though lyrics are not always distinguishable. [...] The cast members invest so much energy in their performances that you wish you could return it.").

The performances delivered in Toronto (with the exception of Natalie Toro) were definitely wanting. They were also gobbled up by the huge stage at the Canon Theatre.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 12:11pm

Yes, it's hard to imagine the show on that huge stage. The Canon is not one of my favorite theatres. On a side note, I have some friends going to see Take Me Out in Toronto tonight. Are you seeing it, bluewizard? :)

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 4:33pm

I actually have free tickets to opening night (aka Press Night) for TAKE ME OUT this Thursday. I'm writing a review for it in one of the U of T newspapers. I can't wait -- I've been waiting to see the play since it was on Broadway. Nice to see Canstage bringing in some interesting shows from New York for Canucks to see here.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 4:53pm

I think the 1970's movie version is the closet thing that I would love to see on stage. I mean, they wore somewhat period clothing (Except for Judas and a few others), it was dark in it's tone and it was more "Rock" than the 2000 revival cast was. I think they tried to modernize it so much that it lost something. I said it before, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for them to do a revival done right. And if "Gethsemane" does not move you then the production is all wrong.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 1/15/05 at 5:12pm

bluewizard, I didn't realize you were at U of T. A friend of my family is there studying drama, and English. She's in a Hart House production which I might be going up to see in March. :) Canstage is apparently bringing I Am My Own Wife to Toronto next season. Another of my favorites. I saw that, and TMO, in NYC and loved them both. Enjoy the show on Thursday and particularly enjoy Thom Allison as Darren. He's a friend of a friend and a great performer. Very cute, too. :)