Review: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR at Denver Center

Growing up in the church was not without its challenges. As a longtime member of the RTC (religious trauma club), I have spent much time since those days deconstructing what I was taught so that I could truly learn things for myself; so that I could learn more about myself. Although those days are behind me, the stories and parables from the best selling book across the globe still hold worthwhile life lessons. Among those stories is "the big one" - the life and times of Jesus Christ. The story of Jesus has been told through a plethora of artistic mediums throughout the centuries, but none so famous in this lifetime as Andrew Lloyd Weber's Jesus Christ Superstar now on its 50th Anniversary Tour and the latest production to make a stop at DCPA.

Being far enough removed from my own religious trauma allowed me to view the show through a lens of fascination. The story itself - a tale as old as time - has so many elements that make for a great fable. It is ripe with drama, betrayal, heartbreak, and hope. Villains that have reason for their actions; heroes who are less than perfect. It is no wonder the story of Jesus has been retold so many times in so many ways. In the 50th Anniversary Tour, the cast, crew, and creative team of Jesus Christ Superstar capitalize on a sense of modernism with the production, but that isn't to say it feels "fresh."

Set within what feels like an industrial, post-apocolyptic universe, this anniversary tour of JCSS doesn't really push the boundary with regard to staging and set design. That is to say, it's nothing I haven't seen from other productions. So too does this apply to the costume design which heavily favors a rather monochromatic design when use of color for certain characters could have been clever and advantageous. The choreography was clearly created through a lens of modern/contemporary dance but very quickly became predictable: 1 person would start a dance, then 2 or 3 more would join in doing the same exact move, then more would join again doing the same exact move. It felt rather piecemeal and void of using dance to portray a beginning, middle, and end.

The cast members themselves I found to be altogether excellent. Although the choreo was repetitive, the execution was top notch. That being said, the choreography cannot be so difficult that it takes away from the cast's ability to sing the score well, especially as an ensemble. I also found the majority of the leading roles to be "singers who can act" which made for a mixed bag. Among the leading players, Jaden Dominique was the standout as Mary Magdalene. Dominique's beautiful vocals made for such a dynamic version of the character that also garnered a sense of relatability. In the pivotal role of Judas, Elvie Ellis leaves more to be desired. Judas is a vocally demanding role and Ellis fell short right from the outset, making it about halfway through the first song before his voice started to give out with the rest of the show to follow. As the titular role of Jesus, Jack Hopewell's performance left me waffling. Similar to Judas, the role is incredibly demanding vocally, but also demands much from the performer's acting chops. Hopewell feels, in a word, small for the role, yet he does have the vocal stamina to get from beginning to end. Honestly, I question the casting more than anything. Sherrod Brown, who has a great vocal highlight as Simon, should have been Jesus, Hopewell should have been Judas, and Ellis should have been Simon. Other notable ensemble members include Mekhi Holloway, Alex Stone, Domanick Anton Hubbard, Reese Spencer, and Anakin Jace White.

If I had to pinpoint one thing I loved most, I think the ending of the show staging was truly profound. After Jesus dies (spoiler alert), he awakens again and arrives at what I take to be the gates of heaven where he is greeted by the one who betrayed him: Judas. The presence of Judas in heaven could be taken to be controversial by religious folk, but it is also the most realistic by Christian standards. If Jesus died for the sins of all, that applies to Judas as well. It is the simple message that all are forgiven - or is that not God's whole gig?

Jesus Christ Superstar runs at DCPA through January 28, 2024 before continuing its tour across the country. Click the link below for more information.

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