Interview: Omar Lopez-Cepero of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Peace Center

A classic rock opera returns to Greenville.

The new tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR celebrates the 50th anniversary of the original concept album. Set against the backdrop of the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ - as seen through the eyes of Judas - the show reflects the rock roots that defined a generation.

Omar Lopez-Cepero plays the pivotal role of Judas in the production, singing dynamic songs like "Heaven on Their Minds" and "Jesus Christ Superstar." BWW spoke to Omar by phone, where he'd just opened a week of performances in Atlanta.

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Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up here in Atlanta, the northeastern suburbs of Atlanta, and was in theater and chorus in high school. But I also played a lot of sports. My family is from Puerto Rico so I grew up in a Latin household, but I definitely consider myself a southern boy at heart. I've spent quite a bit of time in Greenville. I've played there with ON YOUR FEET. I've performed in Myrtle Beach and in Charleston before and I just love the South. I've lived in New York for the last twelve years, but any chance I get to kind of get back down to my home roots? I love the opportunity.

I remember really enjoying ON YOUR FEET.

It was a blessing to be a part of that show. I was a part of the original cast on Broadway and part of the development of the show, so it was special to - especially from a Latin background - to be able to represent my culture and tell a story that represents much of what my family believed in. It's always great to be a part of something from the ground up, and to feel like you leave your thumbprint on the future of what a production becomes. So that was the several years of my life, and I actually got to perform with my wife as well. She came on later as a Gloria standby, so we had the opportunity to play opposite each other a few times, and that was really special.

I understand there's a special connection that you have in your current cast as well.

Yeah! One of my very best friends, Aaron LaVigne, plays Jesus and we've been friends for twelve years. He was a groomsman in my wedding. It's really wild, honestly. I mean, I pinch myself all the time because things like this don't happen very often in this industry, and the fact that I've been able to play opposite one of my best friends is a dream come true. And the fact that I got the opportunity to play opposite my wife a few times in my career - you know, these things don't really happen that often, so I must be doing something right.

The roles you two play in this show - Judas and Jesus - well, tell us about that dynamic.

I think we suit the roles really well. Knowing Aaron for so long, we can kind of share a look on stage and we know the nuances of what that means, and we look out for each other and lift each other up. That's really a blessing. But what's really important about this production and the storytelling is that Judas and Jesus had to be the best of friends for this to really be as poignant and as dramatic as it is and as heartbreaking as it is, because ultimately, obviously, Judas betrays Jesus, which leads to his death and we all know that story. But this story is told through the perspective, or the lens, of Judas, and I think it's so important that these two guys love each other and support each other - it's watching a friendship dissolve in front of your eyes, and real life fights that happen, and arguments that happen. There's a lot of depth to that, and we're able to bring our own personal relationship to that. And you know, it's funny, Aaron in real life is kind of easygoing. He has that Rockstar vibe - cool, chill, life is good, don't worry about the future, let's live in the present. Whereas me as Omar and also as Judas is more like "No we need a plan, what's next, this stuff is happening and we need to have a contingency." So that's how Omar and Aaron are, but that's also how Jesus and Judas are, so it's been really fun to play those characteristics within these characters.

I love that perspective on the relationship! So tell me more about this production. I understand it marks the original album's 50th anniversary.

They really wanted to return to the original Brown album and let that be the genesis of how the story unfolds. So there's a strong concert element to the show. The band is on stage. We use handheld microphones a lot so you get a real rock concert experience. And the choreography is really spectacular. Our ensemble of dancers are really integral in the storytelling, and there's a lot of movement that really propels the narrative. Then as the show progresses, we dive into the Passion Play type of storytelling, because the second half of the show really dives into the death of Christ. I call it a triple hybrid type of theatrical experience, and for theatergoers that love musical theater and love the show, I think they're going to really enjoy this and hear some of those original arrangements from the original Brown album. And then the new theatergoers, who are not necessarily used to going to musical theater are going to have an amazing concert experience, and it's a great segue for people to fall in love with theatre.

I love that you're tapping into that pure rock and roll feel of the original Brown album.

Yeah, that's exactly where the show lives. The creative team said that the music will lead the way for the show and so that has been at the forefront. It's really special and I'm proud of this production. The cast is spectacular. The visual design of the show is amazing. I think audiences are going to love this show. And we've gotten great reviews throughout the country and been received really well, so it's just a blessing to be a part of the legacy of this show.

I had never thought of it from the perspective you mentioned before, that it really is a story told through Judas' eyes, that this is how Judas perceived the whole experience.

I think the important thing to remember is that this is a dramatized artistic license story on the passion of the Christ. I think some people get hung up on the idea that this is not a retelling of the biblical sense of the story. It's using the characters and the history and trying to see it from a different perspective, from a different lens. What Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice did was make the antagonist the protagonist of the show. And, yes, this is called JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and both roles are equal, but the story is really told through the eyes of Judas. What led him to that betrayal that obviously ended in what we know happened? I think some people may find that the portrayals are very human, and maybe not in the way they have been told through the biblical lens, but this is an artistic interpretation of what may have happened, or how it could have happened, and I think it's really thought-provoking. And at the end of the day theatre is intended to make people think, whether it's to enhance someone's vision of how they saw things in the past, or to see them in a different light. That's what theater should accomplish, and, for me, getting to tell this story and to bring humanity to these roles, to these iconic people that are real life people that lived two thousand years ago - well, it's really special.

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JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR runs April 26-May 1 at the Peace Center in downtown Greenville, SC. For tickets and showtimes visit peacecenter.org.

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