I anticipated NBC’s live production of Jesus Christ Superstar with some definite trepidation. Oh, there was never any doubt I would watch it. I bought the album when it came out, back there as a freshman in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama. Heck, I wore out the grooves on that album, knew every lyric. Learned the riff to “Heaven On Their Minds” and played it ad nauseum. I even played Pontius Pilate in a production at Giles Heritage Theatre. Screaming “Die if you want to/ You innocent puppet!” was incredibly cathartic. My band Bimini Road even played several Superstar songs at a gig one night. The reviews were mixed. “Daring choice.” “Very enthusiastic rendition”.
So there was no doubt I would watch. But I confess, my expectations were severely inhibited by NBC’s track record on these live productions. The very first one also attempted to deliver one of my long time cherished favorites, one that went even deeper into my youthful psyche. NBC’s kinescope airing of Peter Pan was an annual Christmas season event for me growing up. It provided me with a lifelong philosophical underpinning: “Never Grow Up/ Never grow up/ Never grow up/ Not me!” More than that, the incredible songs sung by Mary Martin, Cyril Ritchard and the rest of the cast never failed to bring the lump to my throat, the misty tearing up in my eyes. And when Peter tells the adult Wendy she cannot go with him back to Neverland, because “you’re all grown up”… even writing this now, I have the same emotional reaction. To have never lost the innocence is such a powerful hope. And yes, I played Hook/Mr/ Darling as an adult, and yes, I stole every nuance I could recall from Cyril.
“‘Tisn’t fair! I say it as though it were my last breath – it isn’t fair! Pan, who and what art thou?”
“I am youth. I am joy. I am freedom!”
But NBC butchered Peter Pan. I couldn’t even watch it to the end. It was sterile, and nobody in the production got it. They made it all about themselves, and missed the point of eternal youth. I didn’t even give Sound Of Music a chance. Watched Hairspray, after the fact, and found it to be quite good. But all in all, I felt apprehensive.
I can now safely attest, along with essentially everyone else in the world, that NBC definitely got it right with Superstar. The adjective “stunning” is not hyperbole. This was an outstanding production in every regard. The talent was amazing, the technical aspects were amazing, the music was amazing. The directorial choices made were amazing. The set was beyond amazing. I was a little surprised at the longitudinal emphasis, with the gigantic wall off stage right. But then of course, the way it was used during the show, and especially in the finale, was nothing short of spectacular. I felt a keen excitement in my gut as the show opened, and it only became more and more exciting, and emotional, as things progressed.
The principals were incredible of course. I confess that my old man persona is not aware of the star stature of John Legend, but the man can definitely sing. What he lacked in the “screaming” songs (eg, “Gethsemene”) he more than made up for in the songs where emotion needed to come through.
(I must point out that, for the screaming, NO ONE has ever held a candle to the original album Jesus, sung by Deep Purple’s Ian Gilliam, who was doing rock and roll screaming before Robert Plant or Roger Daltrey made it de rigueur. But Gilliam lacked Legend’s emotional range.)
Sara Bareilles may have been the best Mary Magdalene ever. And casting Alice Cooper as Herod was simply inspired.
But of course it was Hamilton‘s Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas who carried the show. Confusing Superstar as being about Jesus is a common mistake. The show is, and has always been, centered on the character of Judas. Dixon was absolutely perfect in this role: voice, acting, everything. It is always rewarding to have talent at this level on stage. In a show that means so much to so many, it was beyond rewarding. It was transcendant.
The choice to have Judas’ ladder fall to symbolize his suicide was, I think, inspired. We know what happens; trying to make it visually realistic can only detract. And of course, the transfiguration after the crucifixion was a piece of staging that took the last breath away.
I do have 2 quibbles to raise. There is a whole internet discussion centered around the change of the lyric “One thing I’ll say for him, Jesus is cool.” Taking that lyric out was just stupid. Every Superstar aficionado noted the change, and nobody agreed it was needed or made an improvement to the show. Me, too.
The other lyric change seems to have escaped general notice. But for me, it is much more substantial. During “Gethsemene”, Jesus sang “God, thy will be done/ Take your only son.” That may sound more religious and obedient to the Divine Will. But the original lyric is:
God, Thy will is hard
You hold every card
The original lyric is existentially deeper and harder to accommodate. It puts the eternal question of Free Will front and center. It puts the Essential Problem explored in Superstar in sharp perspective. Is Judas the worst villain in Christendom, or was what he did absolutely necessary? Did he even have a choice?
“Why don’t you just do it”
“You want me to do it”
This is a question that anyone who has ever thought deeply about the Passion of the Christ has had to come to grips with. Judas’ betrayal was absolutely imperative to the whole narrative. Without it, Jesus doesn’t get arrested, doesn’t die on the cross, never redeems humanity. Yes, God does hold every card. Why skirt the fact?
But now I’ve detoured into metaphysics and theology. Putting that aside, as a piece of stage craft, NBC absolutely (and I permit myself this small pun) nailed it on this show.
I can only hope that, like my annual sojourn to Neverland, NBC will present this yearly.
© 2018 Chuck Puckett