By Matthew Wexler
Some theater fans might argue that Andrew Lloyd Webber is experiencing a resurrection that could rival that of Jesus Christ himself. Did ALW ever go out of style? Not really. His hit-to-flop ratio is astounding.
Can we forgive him for Bad Cinderella and By Jeeves? Sure, especially with Jamie Lloyd’s powerhouse revivals of Sunset BLVD. and Evita, as well as forthcoming immersive productions of The Phantom of the Opera (now titled Masquerade) and Cats (now titled Cats: ‘The Jellicle Ball’), luring audiences back to the spectacle and sweeping melodies.
And then there’s Jesus Christ Superstar, the 1971 rock opera—his first Broadway show—which failed to win a single Tony Award. (It was a hodgepodge season, with Two Gentlemen of Verona winning Best Musical and nominees that included Grease and Follies.)
JCS returns for a three-night concert staging at The Hollywood Bowl, starring Cynthia Erivo as Jesus, Adam Lambert as Judas, and a slowly emerging supporting cast of who’s who, including Josh Gad (King Herod), Phillipa Soo (Mary Magdalene), Raul Espárza (Pontius Pilate), and more to come.
If there’s anyone who knows the show as well as its creators, it’s journalist Ellis Nassour. His first book, Rock Opera: The Creation of Jesus Christ Superstar, traces the production from its initial concept album to the 1973 film starring Ted Neeley in the title role. (Neeley was in the original Broadway company playing a leper, go figure.)
Nassour’s more recent examination, Jesus Christ Superstar: Behind the Scenes of the Worldwide Phenomenon, encompasses a half-century’s worth of perspectives, never-before-published photographs, and hot takes on the musical’s various iterations.
If you’re headed to LA to witness Erivo and Lambert crush this score, and you want to take a deep dive into the source material, Nassour is a must-read.
As a teaser, 1 Minute Critic obtained an excerpt from Nassour’s latter book about what it was like to be at the Mark Hellinger Theatre (ironically, now the Times Square Church), on opening night, October 12, 1971.
And it came to be, on October 12, 1971, in a little town called New York that Jesus Christ Superstar was ready to open and face its toughest audience: the critics.
Jesus Christ Superstar’s stage debut had it all—and then some. It truly was, to quote casting director Michael Shurtleff, “a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus parade—minus the elephants.”
As show time approached, the street became the center of a massive traffic jam. Audiences arrived in taxis, limos, a Bentley, four Rolls Royces—one decorated in psychedelic splendor —even a motorcycle and a Volkswagen bus. They ranged from a college sorority to jet-set and jeweled glitterati; stage, screen, and recording personalities.
Protesters and celebrity-seeking gawkers began gathering in the afternoon. In addition to religious sects, a group of African Americans were holding placards condemning the show for casting a Black man as Judas. Barricades were positioned to keep the entrance free. Police began moving protesters across the street.
Protesters and celebrity-seeking gawkers began gathering in the afternoon. In addition to religious sects, a group of African Americans were holding placards condemning the show for casting a Black man as Judas. Barricades were positioned to keep the entrance free. Police began moving protesters across the street.
It certainly wasn’t a case of out of sight, out of mind. They waved bright, colorful placards condemning all concerned with the production, and made their presence loudly known by breaking into song:
“Give me a J, give me an E, give me an S, give me a U, give me an S. J-E-S-U-S!” and “One way Jesus, one way Jesus!” They waved placards painted in huge letters:
“We are one in the Lord”
“Jesus Christ Superstar, the lamb of God”
“Jesus doesn’t need stage lights, He is the Light”
“Down with Superstar, up with Jesus”
“Mary said ‘He is my Lord,’ not ‘He is my love’ ”
“Jesus lives in my heart!”
“He’s God, not a charlatan!”
Excerpt from Jesus Christ Superstar: Behind the Scenes of the Worldwide Phenomenon, courtesy of author Ellis Nassour.
