50th anniversary revival of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' is headed to Columbus: What to know

Celebrating its 50th anniversary as a once-controversial, now-beloved super-hit, “Jesus Christ Superstar” is back on the road with music-driven buzz.

The national tour will open Tuesday for a one-week run at the Ohio Theatre.

“This is a high-energy show ... a full rock opera. The music, the dancing, the staging is passionate. We’re not holding back or being subtle about it,” said Brian Harlan Brooks, associate tour director.

“The big concept: The music is the star. It’s what moves everything,” Brooks said.

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What inspired this revival?

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice – later known for “Evita” and respective separate successes with “The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Lion King” – first reached international attention with “Jesus Christ Superstar,” a sung-through dramatization of the last week of the life of Jesus Christ, from his entry into Jerusalem to the Crucifixion.

“Controversial at the time, this piece became iconic with the idea of Christ as our first superstar. Just putting those words together in the title was provocative,” Brooks said.

The tour is based on the 2016 London revival at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, which won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.

“They wanted audiences to have an experience like listening to an album you love. ... Not a linear story, but a rock and dance concert revolving around the original 'Brown Album,'” Brooks said.

How did the recording help?

Unable to garner support for a stage production, Lloyd Webber and Rice released their unconventional concept album in 1970 as a two-record set with a 28-page libretto in a dark-brown case.

The "Brown Album," as it was dubbed, topped Billboard LP charts twice in 1971, with many songs reaching Top 40 radio, and ended the year ranked number one (ahead of Carole King’s mega-hit “Tapestry”).

The album’s success paved the way for the show’s 1971 Broadway debut.

The Broadway production, nominated for five Tony awards including best score, ran for 711 performances.

The London hit ran from 1972 to 1980, setting a record for longest-running West End musical (not surpassed until 1989 by Lloyd Webber’s feline fantasia, “Cats”).

“The music just can’t be denied. Traditional musicals start with a story and then you add music. But this was originally an album, and then they made a show out of the album. ... That’s what makes it powerful,” Brooks said.

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How is the show reconceived?

Director Timothy Sheader and choreographer Drew McOnie conceived this version as a show by a traveling troupe.

“They’re a community of musicians, bringing on mike stands and amps, going around singing this story, wanting to share it with the world,” Brooks said.

“As much as the show is about Jesus, zealotry and the crucifixion, when Judas starts singing ‘Heaven on Its Mind,” it’s also the opening of a live concert,” he said.

Among other songs: “Everything’s Alright,” “Gethsemane,” “Hosanna,” “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Superstar” and “What’s the Buzz.”

“Lloyd Webber does an amazing job connecting people through music, from jazz to folk, gospel and rock,” Brooks said. “How many composers are able to integrate so many genres so well?”

With the usual intermission cut, the revival becomes a 105-minute one-act.

“The show moves like it’s shot out of a cannon. Our ensemble is pretty much onstage almost the entire time,” said Elvie Ellis, who plays Judas.

“We don’t stop, as if putting the needle on the record and going until the end,” Ellis said.

Is Judas really the villain?

Ellis reshapes the narrative as Judas.

“The whole show is told from his perspective,” Ellis said.

“Judas is known as a traitor and betrayer, one of the biggest villains in history. But this production encourages us to peel back the layers. Everything my Judas does is motivated by love for Jesus, trying to save him from himself,” he said.

His favorite song is “The Last Supper.”

“It’s an epic vocal battle, showcasing the argument between Jesus and Judas after Judas betrays him. It’s masterful, with very high singing, especially for male voices, going back and forth, higher and higher,” Ellis said.

Ellis views “Superstar” as both historical and contemporary.

“We’re telling two stories at the same time, about Jesus the savior (and is he really the savior?) and what we do when fans turn into fanatics,” Ellis said.

“I think about superstars like Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston, and how their adoration by fans may have led to their untimely passing,” he said.

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How is Mary Magdalene portrayed?

With performers encouraged to personalize their roles, Jaden Dominique lends her spirit to Mary Magdalene.

“Mary is strong, determined and loving. We’re not separating ourselves from our characters, and I’m a loving, caring person,” Dominique said.

A prostitute, Mary becomes one of Jesus’ 12 apostles – and the only woman.

“When Judas asks how Jesus could be seen with Mary, and whether he’s condoning her profession, Jesus affirms that Mary’s fine now. I think that’s a great thing to see,” Dominique said.

Her favorite song is “Could We Start Again, Please?”

“There’s so much hope and joy in that song, set up as a duet between Mary and Peter as they’re getting close to the crucifixion,” Dominique said.

“Both wish they could just go back a couple of days. What the song teaches, and what it’s taught me,” she said, “is to be present in the moment.”

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At a glance

PNC Broadway in Columbus and the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts will present “Jesus Christ Superstar” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3-5, 8 p.m. Oct. 6, 2 and 8 p.m. Oct. 7 and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St. Tickets start at $39. (614-469-0939, cbusarts.com)

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Broadway in Columbus, CAPA present 'Jesus Christ Superstar'