JCS Ted Neeley's Farewell Tour

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 3:10pm

So, remember how Carl was planning the tour? Well it looks like it is finally going to surface. You may remember Ted Neeley as the good Jesus, he was the one in the 70s movie, not the crappy new one.

http://www.troika.com/mktjcs.html

[pab]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 3:24pm

He was the most boring part of that movie.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 3:36pm

I'm assuming from the posters that it's not going to be modeled after the 2000 revival? are they gonna do it in caftans then? ...

[sanda]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 3:52pm

That's great. I am still kicking myself for missing the Great Carl Anderson in JCS tour.

Any schedule about the tour?

[Barnaby12345]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 4:10pm

He was pretty boring in the movie, although I liked his vocals. He's not going to be playing Jesus in this tour is he? He's 63!

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 4:56pm

Ted Neely is the only "Jesus" I've ever seen that was any good in that show.

The others have all been posturing, over-singing, overacting messes.

It is kinda freaky to think that he's 30 years older than Jesus was when he died. I'm thinkin' billowy caftans and long, camouflaging ZZTop beards to pull it off. And Stritch as Mary M.

They can call it "Jesus Christ, Rocking Chair."

Updated On: 12/15/05 at 04:56 PM

[pab]

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

"Ted Neely is the only "Jesus" I've ever seen that was any good in that show. "

You must have seen some pretty awful performances of "Jesus" over the years.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 5:53pm

does he sing "Believe" too? lol

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 7:12pm

muscle --- Actually, Cher would be the perfect Mary opposite Neely! Now if we could only get Vereen back in for Judas, we'd have a true "Golden Girls" production.



I should shut the hell up. I'm almost old enough for chorus in a show like that.



...Okay, maybe not quite yet. I still got it, baby.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 7:16pm

i just love to make fun of Cher...she is always on her farewell tour...i hope she never retires....her Farewell Tour officially started in 1976 LOL!!!

[tourboi]

Posted: 12/15/05 at 11:24pm

Neeley's Jesus was the worst I've ever seen (imho). His voice grates me. Ugh.

Also, didn't care for Carl Anderson in the last tour.

Dunno how I feel about this one.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 12/16/05 at 6:27am

Wasn't Jeff Fenholt (Now a Christian Televagelist) the original "Jesus" in JCS?

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 12/16/05 at 10:20am

I saw Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson in a production of JCS in the early 90's. They were incredible. It also had Dennis DeYoung as Pilot and Irene Cara as Mary.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 12/16/05 at 11:16am

^^ I saw that one too, Adam. The two of them were really incredible...and honestly, that's still the best production of JCS I've ever seen. I tend to prefer the show when it's done more as a straight-forward theatrical concert, rather than trying to make it a piece of "legitimate" musical theatre. And that Neely/Anderson tour was just right.

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 12/16/05 at 11:19am

I also saw Ted and Carl in... gee... maybe 1993?? Anyway, they were Fantastic. I remember thinking I can't believe they can still be so great. Thier performances were both far superior to those in the movie. I would love to see them again.

[MusicalComedyMan]

Posted: 12/16/05 at 12:18pm

I hear they wanted him for the RENT movie, but he looked too young!!!

[CVActor1]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 7:48pm

Okay. SOme of you think Ted is too old to play JC. Well, he's the youngest 60+ year old I know. He has more stamina than any three actors combined.

That said, Ted and Carl were the BEST Jesus/Judas JCS ever had. Why? Because they didn't ACT those roles, they INHABITED them.

It is a SHAME we won't see them both (THANK YOU VERY MUCH ALW), but at least we are still fortunate enough to see Ted do this one more time. I will DEFINITELY be at this show - and will enjoy EVERY MINUTE of it!

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 12:10pm

ALW should have had the Ned and Carl tour performance tapped. In my opinon, it was better than the performances given by that guy who played Jesus in the new dvd version.
Plus, Irene Cara and Dennis Deyoung!!!

To bad, so sad.

[TimeSuckage]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 5:37pm

Just seconding the love for the early 90s Ted Neeley/Carl Anderson/Dennis DeYoung tour. It completely rocked and Ted Neeley nailed all the high notes, unlike Glenn Carter, who made my ears bleed.

[Stagerage2003]

Posted: 6/16/06 at 2:07pm

I just found out they're stopping in my hometown!!! I cant wait to see it, and make my own judgment on wether or not this 'old timer' can pull it off or not!

Plus, it's freaking Ted Neeley!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/16/06 at 2:22pm

I loved Ted Neely's Jesus! He really went all out. He'll always remain my favorite Jesus (haha, that sounds funny.) The guy I saw in the tour was good though, too. Can't remember his name, but he'd once played Chris in Miss Saigon.

I MISSED CARL ANDERSON! *sob* By the time the tour reached my city he was really sick and the understudy was doing the role. The understudy was really good, but I seriously only went to that show for Carl Anderson (I've seen JCS so many times that I could have missed it)! Ohh well!

I would totally see JCS again for Ted Neely. Even if he is old.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 6/16/06 at 2:40pm

I saw the Neeley/Anderson tours numerous times throughout the '90's, probably 10-15 times overall. The tour started off hot and, like many things, cooled off as the casts got thinner and thinner and the productions smaller and smaller. Anderson was consistenly rock solid and always wow'ed the audience. Neeley could be mesmerizing and dramatic one night and seemingly lost the night. Many nights the orchestra would have to completely pull out of 'Gethsemane' until just the keyboard player was left trying to shoehorn himself (and eventually the rest of the orchestra) back in step with Ted.

Anderson was always more the anchor than Neeley. Carl gave the show it's heart and soul and Neeley's Jesus was far more a personification of Judas's performance when Carl was there. When he was out, the dynamic tended to vanish, Neeley tended to be more flaky than usual and the characters became not much more than the notes on the page.

Having seen the most recent 'Farewell' performances, I didn't think Neeley had much left by that point. And that was probably five years ago.

[J Gatsby]

Posted: 6/16/06 at 2:43pm

I saw Carl Anderson's last tour when it hit Boston (shortly after they jettisoned Sebastian Bach). Anderson's performance was puzzling but memorable. He sounded gorgeous. If you've heard his recording of "Sarah" on The Civil War double-CD, you'll know he still had his high notes to the end. In JCS, he attacked every number without that huskiness though, pulling off a robust rock sound that was genuinely thrilling. As unbelievable as this must read, he sounded far better than he did in the movie and in older recordings. His acting was a disaster. At times too large, at times indifferent- all of the intensity he displayed in the movie was long gone. But wow, did he sing the hell out of it.

BTW, Ted Neeley does remain the best (and only decent) Jesus I've seen. And yes, I've seen some very bad ones (Glenn Carter anyone?) and still haven't caught Danny Zolli.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 6/16/06 at 4:04pm

I'm waiting for news if a theater in my area will have a visit from Ted's JCS as they are in talks.

RE: Zolli's Jesus. It's strong and he sings the heck out of Gethsemane. But His Judas is the better of the two, imo.

[samantha2]

Posted: 6/16/06 at 7:40pm

I also saw the Ted Neeley/Carl Anderson farewell tour in the '90's twice. Both were memorable experiences for me, the second one especially when my family and I met Ted Neeley and his two children at the stage door. He was so wonderful in both performances and will always be the only one to play the role of Jesus. He has one of the most beautiful and mezmerizing voices I have ever heard.
Carl was there for the first performance as was Dennis DeYoung. They were wonderful. I adored Carl's voice and his singing. I miss him!
Ted Neeley is one of my favorite's ever, along with Patrick Wilson. Even at 63, I would do whatever was needed to watch and hear him sing again.