JCS Previews Thread

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 7:39pm

Todnight is Thursday, March 1, marking the first preview of the revival of the 1971 Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar. This revival production by Dodger Properties and the Really Useful Group, which has won critical acclaim (by and large) in its initial staging at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival (Ontario) and out-of-town at the La Jolla Playhouse (California), will play the Neil Simon Theatre under the direction of Des McAnuff.

Paul Nolan, Josh Young and Chilina Kennedy star as Jesus, Judas and Mary Magdalene respectively in the new staging. Previews begin tonight, followed by an opening March 22, just in time for the Christian calendar's Holy Week (which falls in early April this year), the subject of the show's story.

The question on the lips of every fan this evening:

"Jesus Christ, superstar,
Do you think you're what they say you are?"

Let's find out!

- G

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 7:41pm

I somehow completely forgot previews started today (that's probably a bad sign). Is anyone going to be there? The buzz for this seems almost nonexistent.

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 7:42pm

I'm excited to see it on Monday night!

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 9:27pm

...did anybody see this damn thing?

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 9:49pm

uhoh....

[musicalperson17]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 9:55pm

to be fair, I don't think the performance has quite ended yet given an 8PM curtain

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 10:00pm

Show stopped for a set malfunction!!!

[SNAFU]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 10:07pm

To be expected, that is what previews are for.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 10:40pm

Whizzer's at most first previews, as are a few other posters. Whizzer - thanks for the update and I look forward to reading your full review when you get home!

[golfer727272]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:01pm

Show stopped when a mecahnical ramp Director Des called the Diving Board..would not extend out over the audience.
Des came out to apologize, and said he would find out what went wrong and resume from that number...Came back and said cause was not known..Tried it again....but same issue malfuction number 2--stopped show again..then finished it without the "diving board".

Excellent show,,,Very moving...it was wonderful to see the ovation offered even after the energy was stalled following resumptions..

A moving night for many actors making their broadway debuts...The emotion among those in the ensemble was very evident during curtain call...


Well done JCS



Updated On: 3/1/12 at 11:01 PM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:12pm

The good:
- Paul Nolan as Jesus. Great voice and stage presence.
- the lighting. very effective
- the scene where Jesus get 39 lashes...also very effective
- the ensemble. great voices when singing together. good dancing.

The bad:
- Chilina Kennedy as Mary Magdalene. cannot sing or act. ruined "i don't know how to love him." dreadful.
- Josh Young as Judas. was sharp on way too many notes. not good at all.
- Two set malfunctions - during the title song a "diving board" set piece malfunctioned. it was supposed to extend over the front of the audience and it did not. they tried it again...and it failed a second time. the third time, jesus and the ensemble just entered without the "diving board" and then they finished the show
- the tickertape. there is a weird stock-exchange like tickertape scrolling throughout the show telling us the setting and how many days until passover. it was very distracting.
- the shadow-like projections above the catwalk. again...distracting.

Overall, the production was kind of bland and forgettable. They really need to replace Mary Magdalene, but I'm sure they won't. JCS is a good show and this production has the potential to be great, but i don't think the creative team will make any significant changes. Too bad for them.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:18pm

I was there tonight and could not thinking: Why? Why does this need to be on Broadway? Why did so many people want this to come to New York? I'm just not sure.

It's just such an uneven show. Was Jesus' only direction to be vacant and underplay everything? He never once really raised his hands, and most of the time was drowned out by the music playing. His big moments were all let downs. I would say, "Oh, it's a first preview," but they've been doing this show for awhile now.

Judas...was not my thing. His voice is strong, sure. But I felt like he felt overwhelmed by the notes. I could see him thinking about where to place the notes. And I think, due to the vocal demands, he changed around some of the melodies to where they were almost nonexistent. "Jesus Chirst Superstar" (Since we saw it 3 times) was just awkward. He awkward stamped his food and then straightened his jack. I'm not sure what that's suppose to signify. But what got me most of all, and this goes for all 3 leads, was the lack of passion and drive their characters had. "Heave On Their Minds" should have some bite to it, and some fire. And I didn't get any of that. There were a few times throughout the show where he let loose, but it wasn't enough. And after 2 other runs, I'd think he'd be there by now.

Mary was just bland bland bland. I couldn't even remember who she was half the time. Her voice was shaky. Her choices boring.

The ensemble as a whole were stronger dancers. I loved the choreography. The opening little bit is really exciting. But, I thought vocally they were all a little underwhelming. I expect my JCS to have some big powerful voices, and on all their solo lines they were just...eh.

I guess, I'm just baffled as to why New York needed this show. I didn't see any big choice Des made that made me think "Oh wow." It's just a typcial JCS. They mix the "old" style costumes - Jesus with long hair, robes - with modern touches - tv screens, back lights - like every other production I've ever seen. This just seemed like a non-equity tour or something. It just didn't feel like a Broadway show to me.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:24pm

I saw it in La Jolla. I liked the scrolling text that displayed the dates. It made a nice tie between biblical and modern times which seems to me to be part of the concept for the production since the show starts now and then rewinds back to biblical times. I thought the projections were great for the most part. Especially at the end for the crucifixion. That was brilliant, but in La Jolla I thought the projections for "Simon Zealotes" were ridiculous. I hope they changed that.

Updated On: 3/1/12 at 11:24 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:25pm

I think this production is on Broadway because Tim and apparently especially Andrew really loved it; but it should be said again that writers aren't always the best judges of their own works-- Andrew apparently hated the original Tom O Horgan staging of the first Broadway production-- though apparently most audiences loved it and I've heard a few critics state it was one of the truly visionary broadway stagings of the era.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:29pm

I'd be curious to see that version.

Maybe it's because I have such a fondness for this show, but the production doesn't seem special enough to be brought to Broadway. I think every production now - even the most recent revival - mixes the modern with the new. That's nothing groundbreaking.

Judas' Death is pretty painful too. If you want to see a really cool version look up Drew Sarich's version on That Site. It's pretty cool, and interesting.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:33pm

Thanks, broadwaydevil. Well, the set malfunction was exciting! (Part of the reason my friends and I love going to first previews is unexpected stuff like this.) There is a platform that is supposed to extend over the audience with Judas and Jesus on it. The two actors got on the platform and it didn't begin to extend. To be fair no one would have known what it was supposed to do, but a stagehand came out and stopped the band and Des McAnuff made a speech. They tried the lift again and it failed a second time. They performed the song a third time without the lift and continued on to the end.

As for the rest of the show...it was good, if nothing spectacular. I liked Paul Nolan as Jesus. His acting was a little bland, but his voice was so on point. It was exactly how I wanted Jesus to sound. Tom Hewitt was also a standout as Pilate. He actually had a well-rounded character, and considering his limited stage time it is a feat. Although this is a rock opera/musical the actors still have to act! Some loud singing is not enough, and everyone should take Tom's lead and create characters rather than just worry about the vocals.

I didn't really care for Josh Young as Judas. He hit a few nice tenor notes, but didn't have that searing voice we're so used to hearing in the role. Were the keys lowered for some of his songs? Other than the title song he also came off as a bit bland.

Mary was the weakest link. She had a vacant look and her moments barely registered. "I Don't Know To Love Him" is probably the best known number from the show and I barely remember it happening.

Overall the production was fine. The lighting was great and the sound design was excellent, especially for a rock show. One thing I strongly disliked was a ticker tape that scrolled the setting of each scene as if we weren't bright enough to figure out what was happening. There were also these Roman guards who had spears that reminded me of Kate Shindle's evil minions in Wonderland.

McAnuff does keep the show going a nice clip, and without the stops it would have probably run 2 hours. I wish there were a few more moments when we could clap. The band doesn't need to press on immediately after every song. After "Gethsamane" the audience really wanted to (deservedly) give Nolan a hand. The band kept playing and had to awkwardly pause the show while we applauded. The music is exciting and inspires applause so let us enjoy it!

Finally, the score really shines here. I've always thought this was one of Webber's best and hearing the opening guitar riffs gave me chills.

Updated On: 3/1/12 at 11:33 PM

[Bwayfan92]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:45pm

How long did the show run tonight with the malfunctions?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:46pm

^It was like that in La Jolla too. The flow of each song into the next without an opportunity for applause was obviously intentional, and I think it works for the most part, except for the big songs like "Gethsemane" as you said.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:46pm

I agree with a lot of your points, but I don't think Nolan was great at all. He has the right look, and the right voice, but he doesn't use his voice enough. Too many times he was just vacantly looking off and mumbling. His Gethsamae should have been this big, powerful moment and it was just so "eh" because of his acting and his voice being so quiet. I was in the 3rd row, so maybe it was because he just looked so vacant and not there for all of the show, that it was hard to get on board with his character.

I agree about Tom Hewitt. He was great, and you could tell he'd "Done some Broadway" (as the lady next to me said). He just knew what he was doing. I was so thrilled watching him count to 39.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:47pm

around 2 hours and 20 minutes i'd say. it started late and the intermission was pretty long as well. i'd say when all is said and done, the show will only run two hours including the intermission.

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:52pm

I saw it in Canada and I wanted to strangle Josh Young by the end of it. It must have to be one of the worst performances I've seen.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:56pm

It's interesting because I love his voice when it's working with the right material. I think his albums - for the most part - are great, but watching him I was just so annoyed. He has a great voice, but he doesn't understand how to use it to make an effective performance. And it makes me more angry that after two other productions, Des isn't a good enough of a director to say "don't full voice this note here because it doesn't make sense with the intention...etc".

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/1/12 at 11:57pm

^I love how people can see the same show and have completely different opinions. I thought Josh was fantastic in La Jolla. He was in good voice and I was so close that I saw tears in his eyes during his suicide scene. I loved him, but I agree with others that Chilina Kennedy is the weak link here. She was just terrible. She read to me like an obnoxious child who wanted Jesus all for herself and it made me hate Mary. Mary is many things in this version and she can certainly be possessive, but she should never be obnoxious.

Updated On: 3/1/12 at 11:57 PM

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/2/12 at 12:02am

RippedMan- I agree with a lot of your comments. I do think Nolan was a bland actor, but his voice was what I envisioned for the role. Jesus can be a bit distant and introspective for me. I don't think it's a relevatory performance or anything, but compared to Judas and Mary I thought he was good ha.

I definitely ask the "why" question as well. Your description of a non-Equity tour was apt.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/2/12 at 12:04am

Des has some strange fetish for the three leads in this production; did anyone see the three of them in Evita? Was Chillina Kennedy better in that?