JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE Discussion Thread

[geaj]

Where did they stage this?

[CallMeAl2]

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Pardon me because this is the first time Ive seen this show: Why are they singing an upbeat song before Jesus dies?!"

As Jesus is taken off to be crucified Judas comes in to do the main song which is a commentary on what Jesus life and death is going to mean. It is irreverent so it has to be placed before Jesus death and last words and the impact that has on those he left behind. 

I would bet that it was originally planned as  the last number - but you just can't go through the death scene and let people feel that and then bounce back to the Las Vegas influenced "Superstar".

[DigificWriter]

My favorite performances thus far have been BVD's Heaven on Their Minds and Damned for All Time, the Norm Lewis-led This Jesus Must Die, Sara Bareilles' I Don't Know How to Love Him, Ben Daniels' Pilate's Dream, and John Legend's Poor Jerusalem and Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say).

[Up In One]

curel1 said: "The death sequence was GORGEOUS"

Beautiful after he delivered his lines on the cross - which was gawd awful - but sequence after that was amazing 

[adamgreer]

I loved it with the exception of the irritating as hell audience that wouldn’t shut up.

Yes, Legend was a little out of his element, but I didn’t mind him. BVD, Bareilles, Ben Daniels, and Norm Lewis were all outstanding.

[CallMeAl2]

geaj said: "Where did they stage this?"

Williamsburg’s Marcy Armory in Brooklyn.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Holy WOW that ending sequence was AMAZING! It was a perfect example of just what these live performances are capable of on a large scale. What am amazing PRODUCTION. There was no really bad performances. Great ones, good ones, okay ones, but there were certainly no Walken or Underwoods here. Certainly found the best overall balance in these production then in any of the past ones. Impressed overall.

[BalconyClub]

Orchestra sizzled. Great lighting. Ideal costumes. Great energy. Live audience a big plus. Whip scene 19 and 33 were my favorites. Curtain call well done.

[sabrelady]

implying the suicide without showing Judas hanging himself on Easter Sunday, in front of the whole family. 

 

Yes, Standards and Practices was never gonna sign off on a live "suicide " even with shadows.

Any one else seeing the production references to the movie and the last Bway iteration?

JCS was wonderful- the  ensemble  has been spot on through out but the final ecstatic  dancing really was the cherry on the sprinkles of the icing that has been this  delicious cake of a production .

I think they will actually satisfy the devout and the general audience( who might remember the rebel story part) with that ending  the effects were  perfect.

Really want to see the numbers for this show.

I guess I'm saying- really enjoyed this to the point ( can't believe I'm saying this) I would buy it.

 

[John Adams]

curel1 said: "The death sequence was GORGEOUS"

Agreed!

[illiniparkie]

That was pretty terrific. Great staging and concept. Leaps and bounds better than the other musicals recently done on TV. And very brave for John Legend to take this on. He acquitted himself very well.

[John Adams]

Up In One said: "Beautiful after he delivered his lines on the cross - which was gawd awful - "

Also agreed!

[dramamama611]

Pretty sure I'm never going to be a fan of JCS, but that being said: this was easily the best live performance they've done.  While I didn't care for the acting of Barielles (sp) OR Legend (but didn't think either was horrid) there were many, many outstanding performances.  I loved, Daniels, Dixon and Cooper.   And a number of other performances caught my eye, and the cast's energy was incredible.  I thought the staging and the camera work were outstanding.

I simply cannot imagine the work and energy that went into a one night only performance.

[nmlhats]

adamgreer said: "I loved it with the exception of the irritating as hell audience that wouldn’t shut up.

Yes, Legend was a little out of his element, but I didn’t mind him. BVD, Bareilles, Ben Daniels, and Norm Lewis were all outstanding."

I wish they did not have to cast the top of the bill with pop stars all the time, but I guess they feel like they need to do it for the mass appeal. At least Broadway fans are lucky enough to see the questionable acting of pop singers surrounded and supported by some fantastic legit music theater talent, in tonight's case BVD and Norm Lewis, for starters. I mean, what's-her-name-blonde-country-singer who was so bad in SOM....lawd...but loved seeing Audra McD and Laura Benanti!

[broadwaytbay]

Ok, John Legend was good, Brandon Victor Dixon was excellent for me, Sara Bareilles was stunning, warm and grounded, strong ensemble, excellent Priests and Disciples...Alice Cooper was Alice Cooper.... but Holy Hell, Ben Daniels for me was a revelation as Pontius Pilate.  There were layers, real sarcasm, real concern, him being hounded by the crowd felt real and startling.  He was the stand out for me.  I rethought the role tonight, and saw in it something I never have before due completely to his performance.

 
Also I agree this is the first version of Could We Start Again that I felt worked... in large part due to the real humanity of Jason Tam and Sara Bareilles portrayals.7

And my favourite "almost missed it moment" was spray painting over the jesus on the set wall during the whipping.  Ps that wall itself was a character.

[Luscious]

Mixed feelings about the overall production. Truth be told, not so much the production as some of the performances. I'm not as impressed as others here seem to be. As far as concert versions of JCS go, nothing beats the 2012 UK Live Arena Tour, IMHO. That said, the crucifixion scene blew me away! Best interpretation to date! Just stunning!

[luvcaroline]

I’m beside myself, loved, LOVED this. Can’t say anything else right now, speechless.

[John Adams]

illiniparkie said: "And very brave for John Legend to take this on. He acquitted himself very well."

I do agree that this was a brave choice for John Legend. I wouldn't say that this proved he can't act, but I do feel like he's proven that if he wants to do anything like this again, he should definitely hire a good coach, and work at bettering his skills.

[ChildofEarth]

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

 

So let’s say Brandon, John, and Sara all get nominate for Emmys for this...where would they be nominated? I really want to see Sara and Brandon especially get some recognition for a job well done.

[greenifyme2]

broadwaytbay said: 
And my favourite "almost missed it moment" was spray painting over the jesus on the set wall during the whipping. Ps that wall itself was a character."

Whoa, good eye! They didn’t do that yesterday! Just went back and watched that part again. They must’ve just added it in today OR it already looked really difficult to clean up the JESUS and didn’t want to have more to scrub off the wall last night lol

[nmlhats]

RaisedOnMusicals said: "I keep wondering if Mike Pence is watching it

"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! I assume he now boycotts BVD, tho.

 

[sabrelady]

Yes, I normally dislike "Could We Start Again Please?" -such a whinge-y song  but actually found this performance tolerable- even touching.Sara Bareilles was just a dream.

[DigificWriter]

This isn't the first time Alice Cooper has sung King Herod's Song, but I liked this version better than the studio version he recorded in 1996 with the London Revival Cast that was headlined by Steve Balsamo.

[Miles2Go2]

That was awesome. This is the only of the tv live productions I’ve felt that way about. I didn’t mind the crowd applause, but thought the sound mixing could have put the vocals more forward to not be overpowered by the orchestrations. I had to turn on closed captioning (not super familiar with the show) to make out some of the lyrics. I thought Legend did great even if he did have to bail on some notes in Gethsemane. Can’t wait for the cast recording. I’m hoping they move up the April 6 release date or at least release a few more songs between now and then. I also hope this gets huge ratings so they’ll do more of these as “concerts” as opposed to the others that never seem to completely work with multiple sound stages.

[sabrelady]

and Good Luck to Bye Bye Birdie.