The original Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar. — Page 3

The book mentioned is fascinating. The description of the entire original staging is great, and to read all the review quotes, etc--although the author writes in a sorta "true fiction" way--ie giving so many quotes at every moment of the cast party, etc, that they must be paraphrased, to some extent, at best.

I saw the original production, although not the OBC. Now that others have mentioned it, I recall the triangle instead of a cross. I wonder whether there was specific symbolism in that, even though the triangle was not pink. I also remember Herod's platform heels and Jesus's loincloth.

By the time I saw the show, a curly-haired guy was playing Jesus. It took me awhile to figure out that that was who he was, because everyone KNOWS Jesus had long, straight, blond hair and blue eyes.

I saw photos from my cousin's souvenir book from either a long-running LA production or a national tour. If I recall correctly, the costumes were much simpler in LA than on Broadway -- Herod still wore platforms, but I think he was dressed in skimpy white clothing, instead of the fancy duds from Broadway.

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I had my entire CD collection stolen a few years ago (yep). I'm pretty sure I owned the movie soundtrack and either the OBCR or the concept album. For you JCS super fans, which is your favorite recording? I think I remember preferring the movie soundtrack, but it's all a blur now. This thread has convinced me I need to replace one of these recordings, but which one...?

That clip from the Tony's is perfection!

The movie soundtrack is the one I listen to the most as well. Love the film to death. It's one major flaw, IMHO, is cutting off the ending to the title song and going straight into the crucifixion. I do not understand why they chose to do that at all. Why not finish the title song?

Ha! Thanks for the link. His odd story actually sounds familiar, now...

Well to be fair, that made complete sense for the concept album. I usually hate fade out tracks for musicals, but it seems to work for Superstar... (to me)

And you know what? It's totally fine to do that on a concept album, I agree. But on an actual cast recording which should strive to preserve the show and the performances as they were presented on stage, I don't get it. The 1996 recording with Steve Balsamo would be a decent documentation of the show if they hadn't faded out "Superstar" and cut off the "Crucifixion." The first time I heard that track I thought my CD was defective.

I would assume Ben did the two snatches of "Superstar."

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"I love the "roughness" of the concept, but I miss later additions like Could We Start Again Please."

Luckily Yvonne Elliman appears on all three of the early recordings, so it's easy to create a playlist that drops "Could We Start Again, Please?" from either Broadway or the movie Into the original concept album without it being very jarring. That's the way I most often listen to the show.

^ I would argue that point. :P

I mentioned earlier that Tom O'Horgan's L.A. production was purportedly better. Though no less bombastic, he had more time to plan it out.

Here's an artist's rendering of the set, on the title page of the Playbill for the Universal Amphitheatre production:



That huge cross was 80 feet tall, made of glass, and draped in cloth. Herod was wheeled onto the stage in a contraption made out of nude alabaster mannequins, whose arms raised on cue to allow the white-suited Herod his entrance. When Judas died, he stood in "Jesus' mouth", which flamed bright red, and descended into hell screaming 'You have murdered me! Murdered me!' Pilate reigned from a throne of human skulls that was frantically whipped around the stage while he laughed manically. For the crucifixion, Jesus and his disciples climbed the uncloaked cross and, as Jesus got into position, the disciples made a halo out of their open hands surrounding his head that glowed in the spotlights. As they played John 19:41, the cross began to slowly move back from the stage, until by the end of the song, it had disappeared in the darkness.

In this age of Wicked and Spider-Man, it would not be out of place as a rock spectacle. Certainly better than Webber's Occupy Jerusalem mess about to limp across the country.

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I'm kind of shocked to learn that anyone likes "Could We Start Again Please." It's so nonspecifically schmaltzy and maudlin in the context of an acerbic, hip (at the time) show. It screams "movie single." Just stops the show dead in its tracks when it's included, and may be the birth of the ALW we all love to hate...

Also, it's one of the only moments of pathos for Jesus. His other moments of suffering are full of rage and pushing others away.