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

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/24/14 at 3:46am

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.

[Justin D]

Posted: 4/24/14 at 12:58pm

Maybe it was a bit freaky for its time. I still LOVE the 96 London version that was staged more 'period' in a huge roman Colosseum type setting and going by the CD they did reduce a bit of the rock screching/singing.

[AHLiebross]

Posted: 4/24/14 at 10:49pm

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.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 3:53am

Hated the movie with a passion.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 4:01am

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...?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 4:06am

Loved the original 2LP version (concept album)

[sally1112]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 9:32am

That clip from the Tony's is perfection!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 3:46pm

Horse, the Broadway is just highlights--so if you had two discs it was concept, one it was probably Broadway.

I love the "roughness" of the concept, but I miss later additions like Could We Start Again Please. The Broadway is great for highlights. None of the original critics seemed to like Broadway's Jesus, and he has no other Broadway credits--anyone know what happened to him?

Personally, I probably do play the movie soundtrack the most (which is rare for musicals--but like I said I think JCS works perhaps best as a movie.)

[Adair Haywind]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 3:51pm

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?

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 4:02pm

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.

Dennis Cooley. You saw Dennis Cooley.

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?

It's for dramatic effect. The song is a scene in which a delirious Jesus is taunted by a hallucination of Judas asking him how he could let everything get so out of hand and whether he really is who he says he is. Once they start pounding nails into him, it's back to reality. A show biz finish makes theater sense, not film sense.

None of the original critics seemed to like Broadway's Jesus, and he has no other Broadway credits--anyone know what happened to him?

You mean Jeff Fenholt? The question is more like what didn't happen to that son of a bitch.

A brief history can be found here.

Updated On: 4/25/14 at 04:02 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 4:40pm

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

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 4:59pm

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?

I have this issue with most JCS cast recordings. On most of the 2 disc English language cast recordings we either get "Superstar" or "Heaven on Their Minds" as a fade out track - or both - and sometimes the "Crucifixion" track is also cut off abruptly. I don't mind when they fade out "Everything's Alright" as I've actually seen it performed on stage that way so that's forgivable. The ending to Superstar is usually only included on highlights recordings. It's really frustrating when I want to listen to the whole show and have no real option to do so. If I remember correctly the 2011 Vienna concert cast has no fade out tracks, but it was recorded live so I would hope not. All the other 2 disc recordings have fade outs.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 5:01pm

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)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 5:07pm

Does anyone know if this included the cast of the Broadway production in the "Medley from Jesus Christ Superstar" or just Ben Vereen?

http://www.thefilmcsa.com/the-bell-telephone-jubilee-with--bing-amp-liza--color.html

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 5:08pm

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.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 5:10pm

It's not the cast, but Liza sings "I Don't Know How to Love Him"

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 5:14pm

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

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 7:02pm

The original concept album is indispensable for me. I can't really get into any other recordings, but the OBC is my second choice. I don't own the film soundtrack, although I have seen it.

Updated On: 4/25/14 at 07:02 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 7:59pm

"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.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 8:02pm

Yeah if you want a complete and pretty well performed set and don't wanna get a bunch of double discs--and want the roughness of the Concept album, you could get that (I highly recommend making sure you get the 2012, not the 2006 remaster) and the remastered Broadway album which has Could We Start Again Please, etc. (it doesn't have the extended trial sequence which was done post Concept, but that's not too important.)

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 4/25/14 at 11:28pm

^ 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.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/26/14 at 4:03am

I wonder if they'll alter the concept at all. The UK arena tour was very "Occupy London" and I don't think that will really resonate with American audiences. Not that it really resonated with UK audiences all that much either... plus it was a lousy concept to begin with and the whole occupy movement has pretty much been forgotten about.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 4/26/14 at 4:19am

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...

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 4/26/14 at 10:21am

It's liked because it's a much-needed respite from the dramatic events sending us careening to the end of Act Two, and to prevent mood whiplash from boffo comedy showstopper to live suicide. It also gives us a chance to see how Mary and the apostles are feeling about the turn of events. Is it a bit insubstantial in terms of material? Eh, that's a matter of opinion, and I can see why some feel that way. But the only time I've ever found it "nonspecifically schmaltzy and maudlin" is when it was done as a bonus track with ****ty new "generic pop single" verses added by Tim Rice on the 20th anniversary London cast recording in 1992. Those verses turned it into another mediocre pop song, and had little to do with the number's original context.

[darquegk]

Posted: 4/26/14 at 12:55pm

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.