Jesus Christ Superstar abounds with great music, dance and choreography

Factoid:Jesus Christ Superstar will play at McLeod Theater in the Communications Building at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday. It will play again at 8 p.m. June 30 and July 1, and at 2 p.m. July 2.

Tickets are $6 for children and students with ID, $10 for seniors and $12 for adults. For more information, contact the McLeod Theater box office at 453-3001.

Jesus Christ Superstar is a musical extravaganza, with haunting classical lyrics at one moment and funky, explosive rock’n’roll at another. The play seeks to define youthful rebellion through the modern retelling of the last days of Christ.

The most fascinating part of this play was not the beloved mixture of the talents of lyricist Tim Rice and the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, but the riveting direction by Timothy Fink and the intensely creative choreography by Daphne McCoy.

The story focuses the audience’s attention on the conflict between Judas and Jesus, and Judas’ self-struggle, which is personified by two tormentors. The symbolic characters never speak, but communicate the several psychological conflicts the characters must endure through modern dance.

The dance, which adds to the biblical narrative, is a dance indicative of Eastern philosophy. The search for balance between right and wrong and the characters’ inner struggles are manifested physically by the tormentors, played by Stephanie Roeper and Jamie Zauner.

They wear black and white ninja-like attire, alternately colored yin-yangs and cover their faces with black-and-white scarves.

In moments of conflict, the dramatic and surreal dancers rely on and embrace one another, then ultimately pull away. Later they rejoin, but never quite resolve their differences. The result is a profound, poetic wrestling match that attempts to unravel the conflicts presented by the plot.

Fink’s vision uses completely modern dress, is set in Washington D.C., and touches upon the 2000-year-old story’s political aspects and modern applications.

The Pharisees are presented as businessmen in blue suits, indicating narrow, conservative thought. They are confined by what is socially acceptable.

Dressed in white, Pontius Pilate (Alex Dittmer) represents the judicial system. Dittmer is every inch the powerful tyrant, whether he’s dressed in a white bathrobe with red trim, or in a flashy white cape and boots as he darts about with forceful and regal flair.

Dittmer exudes pompous style as he twirls his cape around and petitions the crowd about what to do with Jesus. Pilate reveals the soul of an intellectual, yet true authoritarian who seeks to give his people what they want, no matter how illogical.

King Herod (Scott William Gust) is a metaphor for the liberal president. He wears an outrageous ensemble with a red sparkle hat and vest, and is a hilarious and master showman. One memorable number has Herod singing a show tune reminiscent of vaudeville, complete with sexy interns in berets who pop out of his desk.

The 1970s funk seen in the movie version, directed by Norman Jewison, is still alive, but only in the original music written for the play of which the orchestra should have honorable mention.

The familiar fast-paced overture and beloved songs, like What’s the Buzz, Everything’s All Right and Superstar, tell the story with urgency and force, keeping the audience constantly interested.

The actors’ moods and internal conflicts are immediately conveyed by the orchestra. The two share a symbiosis.

Listeners of the album will not find much of a difference in the voices of the characters. It would be difficult to single out the one or two great voices, because it became clear that everyone in the production, including the company of apostles, could stand on their own as consummate vocal artists of rock opera.

Jesus, played by Richard Similio, has a certain kindness one would like to associate with Christ. However, he also displays the anger and frustration one might see in a man thrust into the delicate and frightening position of submitting to the will of God in an unreceptive society.

Similio’s voice is so high and lucid, it sounds like a woman at times. His voice is touching in a feminine aspect, but he keeps his masculine dignity through a cocky swagger and the sensual relationship he and Mary share.

Similio’s gentle, kind eyes make him somewhat boring at times, as does his very classical Jesus look. But his expressions of pain, confusion and human angst seem realistic.

Particularly in the crucifixion scene, he exhibits a sad reverence and submission in talking with God, making him a good casting decision.

Similio described his character as being pulled between God’s will and what his apostles, namely Judas, want contributing to the sense of frustration he shows throughout the play.

I’m angry with God, said Similio of his character. I don’t know why he wants me to follow through with this and I’m really scared, and that translates into anger.

Judas (Jason Watson) not only carries the entire first act, but gives the audience new insight into the psyche of the most well-known turncoat in history.

Judas always tries to do the right thing, but he acts too hastily. His love for Jesus never dies it just wanes because of his uncertainty about Christ’s divinity. Judas feels envy and anger that Jesus’ ministry is changing because of the mobs of new fans.

Watson describes his character as filled with passion and confusion, but struggling with his own lack of faith.

Jesus is the epitome of faith, and Judas is the antithesis, Watson said. He wants to believe. He wants to ride with Jesus all the way to the top, but in the end, he doesn’t have the conviction of faith.

Watson’s performance is passionate, bipolar and makes him a living psychological study of what it means to be Judas. Instead of hating him, the audience comes to understand his struggle and relates to it.

Mary Magdalen, played by Heidi Fortune, has the beautifully clear voice and compassionate nature associated with her role as Jesus’ most famous consoler.

Her costume is incredibly tacky, however. Instead of looking like a prostitute, she looks more like a little girl who did a bad job of playing dress-up. While most of the costuming is thrilling and original, Mary’s makes no sense.

The rugged, dismantled set involves a background of scaffolding made to look like a construction site. It is a distraction at first.

However, the creative blocking of the actors who climb it, dance on it and use it as Pilate’s imperial box make for a unique reality where movement gives the appearance of depth.

The music advances the action with its classical ballads and forceful rock, using simple repetitive beats, exhibiting rare passion and anticipatory of the play’s conflicts.

Remnants of chanting enforce the spiritual aspect of the play, while the rock invokes the strong political rebellion and individuality of the characters.

The awesome choreography conjures up images of sensuality and youthful defiance. And the musical’s solid, skillful cast infuses the story with wild, untamed freedom.