Review: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Connecticut Theatre Company

Jesus Christ Superstar is one of those shows that gets passed around the community circuit every few years: In fact, this is my second time seeing this show in as many years. While I try to go into each show with no preconceptions, Jesus Christ Superstar- such as with other Popular Productions like The Producers- is such an iconic and an ambitious show, that you often know what to look for the moment you sit down. For Jesus Christ Superstar, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, you look for the setting, the vocalists, and the technical balance of the show. And my goodness, Jesus Christ Superstar makes it hard!

Under the direction of Erin Campbell, the Connecticut Theater Company took on this miraculous work and they truly have the stage for it! The wide and deep proscenium lends itself well to having such a large cast and they use the space well. Partnered with choreographer, Kim Saltzman, Campbell uses the space that they have extremely well; balancing the use of heights and depth while still allowing solos and intimate moments to occur separate from the hustle and bustle above, and even bringing the ensemble into the audience to extend the immersion of “the mob” to include the audience themselves! I think I even heard an audience member or two join the ensembles chants throughout the show. I want to extend credit also to Saltzman and the collection of featured dancers throughout the production: From interpretive dance, to duets, to small group choreography, the New Britain talent was on full display. The only think lacking in the overall setting of the show is the lack of cohesion between the set and the costumes: The set implies the realistic setting of ancient Nazareth with modern-day graffiti, but the use of punk clothing and the inconsistent use of concert security guard versus Israeli priests didn’t quite blend the ancient with the modern cohesively.

Building off of the excellent choreography and dancers, the vocalists are the second thing you noticed when you see Jesus Christ Superstar. Headlined by Jalon Copeland and Erin Aldrich as Judas and Jesus, respectively, vocal talent was on full display as we watched the audience members front and center melt the moment Jalon opened his mouth at the top of the show. Vocally difficult and emotionally heavy, both Copeland and Aldrich grasped the stars with their performances in this production. Behind them, the equally talented Shannon Pesi and Ben Elling- Mary Magdalene and Peter Simon, respectively- held their own when they were called upon. Pesi’s crooning “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” stole the show and made the audience hold their breath. Lastly, the silent, torturous restraint of Pontius Pilate was well captured by Peter Bailey: The struggle of knowing what needs to be done even though you don’t want to do it and expressing that to an audience when you have so little stage time is a tall order, and Bailey made the most of every second.

The final thing that I was looking for was how Connecticut Theatre Company handled the audio balance of the show: Rock scores are loud and the band- directed by Nick Stanford- were phenomenal, but unfortunately, balancing the vocals with the music is a technical nightmare for most community theaters. This is the issue that most theaters have with a show like Jesus Christ Superstar, and CTC suffered the same. While certain stars like Copeland and Aldrich had the benefit of their ripping vocals piercing through the wall of sound and the ensemble had the pure numbers to overpower the band, most solo lines or dialogue spoken during musical moments (which is most of the show) were nearly completely drowned out by the music. Not a bad problem to have- the audience certainly didn’t seem to miss a beat- but a noticeable hurdle that most theaters I’ve attended have when it comes to rock musicals.

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