Review: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Rocks the Audience With Songs and Sparkles

On Wednesday night, I went to a rock and roll concert. The diverse group of performers were wearing these modern, natural-toned outfits and dancing all over the stage. The songs told a story I had heard before, but they told it in a way that I never would have considered. They sang of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and a little bit of romance. Oh yeah, and it starred Jesus Christ. Broadway Dallas has done it again and brought an incredible performance to Music Hall at Fair Park-Broadway's Jesus Christ Superstar.

Now I must admit, I don't often think of Jesus wearing modern street clothes, playing the guitar, and singing into a long-corded microphone, so I had no idea what to expect. The large red stage curtains had two angels mirroring each other, and the color scheme definitely gave off "rock concert turned musical" vibes. A few minutes after the start time, there was a deep, loud bass sound that physically vibrated the theater. The crowd started clapping and wooing! It truly felt like that build up when your favorite artist is headlining a music festival and their set is about to start. The bass led to a guitar solo, and the solo led to the band beginning to play. The unique, almost twisted sounds they were producing intrigued me and made me wonder if we were traveling to some kind of alternate reality. As the Ensemble entered the theater doors, ran down the aisles yelling and whooping, and then found their places on stage, I knew I was about to find out.

Jesus Christ Superstar tells the story of Judas's betrayal of Jesus Christ, but it's not the same narrative you might have heard. This inventive musical humanizes both characters and invites the audience to witness their thoughts and experiences behind closed doors, putting their flaws and triumphs on display. If you believe this is a tale that doesn't need to be told, I beg of you to remember this-it is art, an incredibly effective vehicle for inquiry. This piece of art doesn't require you to accept its story as the truth; it simply invites you to ask the question, what if?

Although Jesus is one of the main characters of this musical, Judas's betrayal of him is the focus of the storyline. Of course the audience goes into the performance rooting against Judas, whom Omar Lopez-Cepero brilliantly portrays, but as his humanity is revealed, it becomes more difficult to despise him. We were able to witness his rage that led to betrayal, his weakness that led to unclean hands, and his remorse that eventually led to his downfall. Thanks to Lopez-Cepero's unrestricted range of voice, it was possible to feel his passionate depiction of each of these emotions. Singing alongside Lopez-Cepero, and often head-to-head with him, was Aaron LaVigne as Jesus Christ. As his betrayal unfolds, Jesus's humanization is unmistakably laid out for the audience to witness. LaVigne's voice was gorgeous and sometimes chilling, and his acting was impeccable. His skill allowed the audience to see Jesus suffer human worries and sorrows. He was becoming overwhelmed with the crowds, potentially giving in to romantic temptations, and fearing his impending death, which becomes clear as he sings the lyrics "before I change my mind" in the "Gethsemane" musical number. These two characters, fighting their own battles as men as well as fighting each other, are what made it possible to tell this adaptation of a well-known tale.

The story of Judas betraying Jesus is tragic and memorable enough to be told alone, but there were many characters whose roles helped develop the humanity of both men and contributed to the historical yet showy tone of the performance. Mary, in this performance played by Chelsea Williams, was clearly one of Jesus's loyal followers, and perhaps a bit more than that. Williams did an incredible job portraying a woman who believed in Jesus's teachings while also loving him as a man who sometimes needed to take a break and "let the world turn without [him]." Williams's singing was beautiful and sincere, and her performance was one of the major contributions to Jesus's humanization, alongside Garfield Hammonds, playing Pilate. Hammonds gave a passionate performance as his character tried to convince Jesus to accept his aid. Without Hammonds's impassioned voice, this moment wouldn't have been as powerful. Watching Jesus refuse Pilate's help did confirm his divinity, but it also revealed his human ability to be broken down and refuse the help that may allow him to move forward with his life's work.

In direct conflict with Jesus were those who were plotting his arrest and eventual crucifixion, specifically Caiaphas and Annas. These two characters demanded attention whenever they were present on stage. Alvin Crawford's deep, booming voice presented Caiaphas as strong and commanding while also somehow sounding pleasant. Tyce Green's sassy yet serious voice maintained the tone of the performance while still confirming that he had no intention to allow Jesus to continue living. The collaboration of these two characters was engaging, and it forced our focus to remain on their horrific plans. However, there was one character who was even more attention-grabbing-Herod. Paul Louis Lessard's Herod was shocking and brilliant. He surprised the audience with his attire and attitude, and his simultaneous humor and violence made me chuckle while I hesitantly watched with only one eye open. The upbeat tone of the show wouldn't have been successful without the notable personas and antagonistic actions of these characters.

This new-age story was told entirely through song, which sounds like it may induce flashbacks to Vacation Bible School, but I can assure you it wasn't anything like that. The songs were sophisticated, sharing a storyline full of tumultuous relationships and complex decisions. The lyrics and the actor's enunciation of sounds were impressive, but the story truly couldn't have been told without the physical movements of the Ensemble. They moved as a perfectly messy whole, each person operating as an individual that is absolutely necessary to the connectedness of the entire group. The shifting voices and motions of the Ensemble could've accounted for the entire setting of the performance. They transformed from Jesus's biggest fans, to citizens begging to be healed, to the manic mob calling for his crucifixion. If you ask me, no one, not even Jesus, could have been a superstar without their skillful choreography.

The set itself made a massive contribution to the atmosphere of the performance. Elevated on stage was a formation shaped like a cross. All throughout the performance characters were walking on this platform, jumping on and off of it, and even using it as a dinner table-yes, it was the setting for the Last Supper tableau, which was one of the most impressive uses of stage placement in the entire musical. Crosses were embedded in different aspects of the set, and at one point there were multiple crosses illuminated all over the stage. The space allowed for the cast members to seamlessly move from one spot to another, not only changing the setting but sometimes changing who the Ensemble members were supposed to be. There was never any kind of confusion about where or who they were; the Ensemble gave a perfect performance, and this was made much easier by the crafty and beautiful set up of the stage.

Supplementing the beautiful set were the props. At some points the props were exactly what I thought I would see-palm branches, large golden staffs, and small pots of water as the Ensemble cared for Jesus. However, there was one prop that I did not expect: GLITTER. It was used in various ways, most notably to emphasize each lash of a whip landing on Jesus's already bloodied body. With each cracking sound, a member of the Ensemble would toss a handful of glitter against Jesus's body and it would explode, acting as a beautifully gruesome substitute for blood. LaVigne's reactions to the glitter were scarily believable, and this scene, despite the glitter, was difficult to watch. This wasn't the only discomforting juxtaposition in the performance; for some amount of time, Jesus crawled and flopped around on stage, unable to walk due to his enemy-inflicted injuries, all the while Judas was singing an upbeat song like nothing was happening. It felt wrong and somewhat absurd, especially after eventually witnessing Jesus's crucifixion, but this musical number aligned with the tone of the entire performance. After all, this was a rock and roll concert.

Jesus Christ Superstar tells a familiar story with the added nuances of the human experience. Oh, and the music is incredible! The harmonious elements of individual acting along with the Ensemble, music, lighting, and set make it possible for these people we've read so much about, specifically Jesus and Judas, to appear painfully human. Instead of shying away from this idea, I encourage you to embrace it and allow yourself to ask questions. Go see Jesus Christ Superstar-you might notice a little bit of yourself in Jesus, the one you may know yourself to worship, and even Judas, the one you may know yourself to despise.

Music Hall at Fair Park April 5-17. Purchase tickets through the Broadway Dallas website. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Run time: 90 minutes with no intermission.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy, Evan Zimmerman - MurphyMade