Review: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Thalia Mara Hall

As the lights dimmed and the music started in the auditorium of Thalia Mara Hall on Wednesday, February 28th, the air was charged and it felt like we were being invited into something sacred that was about to take place. What followed was a musical reimagining of a story that those of us from the Bible Belt are all deeply familiar with…or so we thought. Jesus Christ Superstar’s 50th Anniversary Tour, presented by Trustmark as part of the Broadway in Jackson series, was nothing if not thought-provoking and eye-opening, inviting questions such as “Was Mary Magdalene actually in LOVE with Jesus?”, “Why is Herod depicted as a golden oaf?”, and my personally pressing questions: “Why the glitter?”, “How much glitter do they actually use in one performance?”, and “Do they ever manage to get all the glitter off?” (I have first graders, I’ve got a mostly-hate relationship with that sparkly stuff, and I’m very concerned about this topic.)

With music and lyrics by the legendary duo Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, respectively, Jesus Christ Superstar loosely follows the Passion, which is the short period before Jesus’ crucifixion, as described in the four Gospels of canon. The production is largely a combination of rock and opera, heavy on the rock, and it is sung-through from start to finish. Differing from traditional musicals even further, however, this tour focuses much more on the musical aspect than furthering the plot, and forays into rock-concert territory with the cast holding microphones or using mic stands, and moving rapidly through the show’s songbook without delving into overmuch character development.

This reimagined 50th anniversary production also features unique choreography by Drew McOnie that I’d imagine is akin to a 90-minute high-intensity workout class for the cast, while still managing to be cohesive, not to mention extremely impressive - the whole performance had me thinking “I could never!” and it wasn’t exclusively because I’m not particularly coordinated.

The set is based on the original design by Tom Scutt, and relies heavily on the lighting design by Lee Curran. If there was any question about whether the show was about Jesus and his crucifixion (though if you did have questions about that...I’ve got some questions for you, and my face would express all of them without me actually saying a word), the sheer number of crosses used in everything from the catwalk used throughout the show, to hand-held light props used in the place of lanterns or lamps, to every post on the climbing structure created to resemble building, and ultimately the cross used in the crucifixion itself would clear that right up for you. The only thing that felt truly out of place was the glitter. My personal prejudice against the stuff aside, even with the show calling Jesus a superstar, it was not on the list of set elements I went into the show expecting.

The costume and hair design, also by Tom Scutt, do an excellent job of identifying the different groups and individuals that make up the cast of characters - ensemble members playing commoners and Jesus himself largely wear very simple neutral colors, whereas Caiaphas and the other priests dress in darker clothing more befitting of their status. Judas dressed in increasingly dark colors as the show went on, indicative of the internal battle he fought as well as the ultimate betrayal he would soon commit, and stained silver by the wealth he gained from that act. And in glaring contrast to the others, King Herod appears towards the end of the production as a golden...clown? Ringmaster? Something very flashy, flamboyant and…glittery. 

Performing in the titular role, Jack Hopewell makes an incredible Jesus.  His voice suits both the softer parts of songs such as “Everything’s Alright” and the hard-rocking “Trial Before Pilate” and his portrayal of the 39 lashes and crucifixion is heart-wrenching. Judas, the one destined to betray him, is played by Elvie Ellis to similar levels of near-perfection, and I only stop at “near” for each because I was largely unfamiliar with the show going into the evening. Jaden Dominique, who plays Mary Magdalene, beautifully brings up interesting questions as to whether Mary had feelings for Jesus that went deeper than just admiration for his faith (“I Don’t Know How To Love Him”). Caiaphas, Annas, and the priests (Grant Hodges, Mekhi Holloway, John Zamborsky, Johann Santiago Santos, and Jaylon Crump, respectively) were fittingly unlikeable in their roles, their goal to sow seeds of discontent about Jesus’ intentions and allegiance. Alex Stone, in the role of Pilate, played the uneasy people-pleaser who sentenced Jesus to death, an act that would seem impossible to defend but somehow less shocking when paired with the visual of a man who clearly doesn’t like the idea but has a lot to lose and is, after all, human. The night of the performance in Jackson, Herod was played by swing Cameron Kuhn - and if a spectacle was his goal, I’ve got two words: Mission. Accomplished. Dressed as some sort of golden one-man comedy act, “Herod’s Song” was fantastic - the highlight of my night, even if I was a bit thrown by the juxtaposition to the rest of the show.  Rounding out the cast, the ensemble went full-out from beginning to end, not a weak link to be found. Phenomenal.

If you are looking for a show with a fleshed out storyline and characters you almost feel like you get to know - this isn’t going to be the musical for you, probably.  Its brevity tends toward rushing the plot and the fact that it is sung-through makes it a touch more difficult to follow, even if you’re familiar with the Bible. However, the talent involved more than makes up for any confusion and even without deep character development, it is very thought-provoking and an intriguing concept. I have but one thing I wish I’d known going in, and that is that the smoke effects are INTENSE throughout the performance and proved a bit much for my asthma - if you’re on that struggle bus, too, pack your inhaler and you’ll be golden, much like the glitter that I’m still stuck on!

Tickets can be found at the link below!

 

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