On Stage: Naples Dinner Theatre succeeds with revival of 'JCSuperstar'
By TIFFANY YATES, Staff Writer
November 24, 2005
JCSuperstar: More than 30 years before Mel Gibson brought his Passion of the Christ to the silver screen, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice brought their version of the final days of Jesus of Nazareth to the Great White Way.
It seems an odd subject for a flashy Broadway musical, but Jesus Christ Superstar ran for a year and a half on Broadway after it opened in the fall of 1971, and for eight years in London — the world's longest-running musical until Cats usurped its title. Now the Naples Dinner Theatre has revived the show once again, and are presenting it through December 4.
Webber and Rice's rock opera is ambitious, attempting to dramatize the most famous — and perhaps controversial — story on earth. From the persecution of the Romans to the casting out of the moneylenders to Judas' betrayal and Jesus' suffering, all the events of the last days of Jesus' life are condensed on the stage.
Set to a score that's orchestrated with electric guitar, bass and flute rather than a full classic orchestra, the show feels both oddly modern and curiously dated. Webber's melodies are acrobatic, dipping and soaring constantly and demanding a cast with broad vocal range. But with the exception of the exultant melody of the title song and Mary Magdalene's tender I Don't Know How to Love Him, it's not a catchy, hummable score.
But the NDN cast handles the difficult melodies well — particularly Julie Zimmer as Mary Magdalene, with her pure, effortless vocals; Ryan M. Leeds as Caiaphas, with a voice that seems to bubble up from the soles of his feet; and Andrew Ross as Jesus, who can gently caress his top notes and then shift gears into a powerful roar. Justin Stratton's star turn in his Simon Zealotes number is also a scene stealer.
D. Tomas Desimone, whose Judas is an omnipresent specter in the show, has the most challenging role to sing, and he acquits himself well. He has a unique vocal tone that lends itself to the all-over-the-map notes of his role, and if the highest high notes aren't quite in his range, he nonetheless handles them adeptly. And he believably portrays his torment over betraying a man he once loved and still wants somehow to believe in.
Rice's lyrics seem not to have found the sure footing he gained in his later years with shows like Aida or even his nimble, eloquent turns of phrase in Disney films like Aladdin and The Lion King. Some of his lines in Superstar drop like stones, as when Jesus' followers avow, "Hey, J.C., you're all right by me," or the description of Jesus as "a man who was bigger than John was when John did his baptism thing."
Tralen Doler's busy, flashy, choreography utilizes every cast member on every inch of the stage, combining well with director Michael Wainstein's staging both to create spectacle and to creatively mask set transitions. The tight, talented ensemble seamlessly segue into their many roles, anchored by the charismatic leads.
The versatile, bare-bones set, by resident designer Jason Bolen, features slide projection screens backing basic set pieces, several of which roll on- and offstage for multiple uses. And Susie Rettig's costumes are excellent, from the light pastels and rope sandals of Jesus' followers to the loud, blowsy merchants' garb to the sinister black outfits of the evil Romans.
Jesus Christ Superstar presents the dichotomy between Jesus as man versus Jesus as religious icon. Ross's Jesus is a conflicted soul who seems to want to lead his flock quietly — who does not seek out greatness but reluctantly has it thrust upon him. In fact, the show's determined portrayal of the human side of Jesus of Nazareth, the mere man, had religious groups protesting outside the theater at its Broadway opening.
What's disturbing about the NDT version is the almost cult-like devotion of Jesus' followers. With their moony gazes locked reverently on their savior, the group resembles nothing so much as rock star groupies, and Mary Magdalene's fawning affection has uncomfortable sexual undertones. But perhaps that's Wainstein's intention — to call into question the true message of Christ, versus the blind Jesus devotion of religious zealotry.
Both the show and the production sometimes feel scattershot —act two, in particular, incongruously breaks out into perky show tunes; an overly made-up Mardi Gras King Herod (a campy Dick Westlake) backed by satin-clad doo-wop girls; and Judas's rendition of Superstar in full Elvis regalia: oversize sunglasses, fringed shirt, and silver platform shoes. But with a crumpled, half-naked Jesus on the floor before all of it, the message seems to be the rift between the depravity of godlessness versus the simplicity of genuine spirituality.
It's not exactly a light evening of theater, but the Naples Dinner Theatre offers a high-caliber production of a challenging, difficult show.
Review: 'Jesus Christ Superstar'
A story and music comfortingly familiar
By NANCY STETSON, nrstetson@naplesnews.com
November 2, 2005
The rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" is one of those musicals that's indelibly a part of our pop culture.
In the early 1970s, songs such as "I Don't Know How to Love Him" and the title song, played incessantly on the radio.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice put the story of Jesus Christ's last days on Earth to rock music, almost like the love generation's version of Thomas A. Dorsey.
The rock opera met with controversy.
Some felt it was disrespectful to call Jesus a superstar. Some embraced it as the a generation questioning who exactly Jesus is, and re-examining their own faith. Others questioned why the musical ends with the crucifixion and not the resurrection.
"Jesus Christ Superstar," which opened at the Naples Dinner Theatre on Saturday, hooks into the exuberance of the music and time.
It's almost like "Superstar" meets "Hair," with actors dancing '60s-style.
The five-piece band sits with the audience at stage left, a wise decision by director Michael Wainstein. The music always sounds better when it's played on-stage or in front, rather than behind the curtain. There's a richness and an immediacy to it then.
Wainstein also made some great casting choices. For a musical that contains minimal dialogue, with almost everything expressed through song, you need extremely strong singers. And this production has them.
D. Tomas Desimone, who portrays Judas, has a sweet, high tenor. He makes Judas a complex man, tortured by his decisions and betrayal. (He shares the role with Kristofer S. Geddie, who portrays Judas on Sunday night performances.)
Julie is a sweet Mary Magdalene, soloing on "Everything's Alright" and "I Don't Know How To Love Him." And Marc Ginsburg stands out as Pilate, a man tortured by dreams of his impending role in Jesus' death.
They all have strong voices and expressive deliveries, making each of their songs a highlight.
Andrew Ross portrays Jesus. This can be a tough role to cast, but Ross fits, not only with his looks but with his voice and demeanor. He's kind and compassionate, quietly charismatic.
Dick Westlake provides much comic relief as Herod, a campy, blue-eye-shadowed, sarcastic ruler. Westlake doesn't have a wide range, but he's perfect for this role, shaking his butt and giving an over-the-top performance.
Jason Bolen's set is simple but effective. Two screens at the back of the stage provide a variety of backgrounds, including pictures of the Shroud of Turin, Jerusalem, and, during the scene where Jesus receives 39 lashes, pictures of lynchings and hangings and those martyred after.
It's a swift-moving production, with music and lyrics that are comfortingly familiar.
This is a show that is difficult to applaud at times, as the action is bloody or the tone too moving or sad to interrupt. But the opening night audience gave the cast a well-deserved standing ovation at the close.
This production, like others before it, ends with the death of Jesus by crucifixion. To me, that's like telling a joke without a punchline, or ending a story without a resolution.
The actor playing Jesus may lie bloody and dead on the stage, but on screen, the last shot in a long line of drawings and pictures of Jesus is an image of a resurrected Jesus.
Naples resurrects 'Superstar'
Dinner Theatre brings life to classic
Mark Marymont
Staff
A Review
Dinner Theatre brings life to classic
BY MARK MARYMONT
Special to The News-Press
Most people know some of the songs in "Jesus Christ, Superstar." Just about everybody knows the story of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
So, if you are going to, um, resurrect the popular '70s rock opera it's a good idea to treat it with the proper reverence while trying to breathe a bit of life into a classic that is likely familiar to the audience.
The Naples Dinner Theatre rises nicely to the challenge with a "Superstar" that runs through Dec. 4.
If it seems a bit ironic to finish off your roast beef, chocolate mousse and a glass of wine before watching Christ beaten by Roman thugs and ultimately nailed to a cross, it's hardly a surprise. It also works if the cast is talented enough to draw the audience into the story and away from any consideration of a bonus dessert.
The three leads of this "Jesus Christ, Superstar" are particularly adapt at just that.
Andrew Ross is a sullenly sensuous Jesus, brooding or agonizing about what he knows is not going to be a very good end to his three years of preaching and leading the Apostles.
D. Tomas Desimone is a weaselly but still sympathetic Judas who realizes he's fated to betray his leader but decent enough to be wracked with guilt. Julie Zimmer is a lovely, sweetly sexy Mary Magdalene, trying to rationalize a pure love for Jesus with her tawdry past.
The other members of the large cast -- almost two dozen on stage at times -- are also effective. Considering their numbers and the relative size of the dinner theater stage, choreographer Tralen Doler is skilled at keeping the dancers in motion but out of each other's way.
A five-man band, conducted by Jeremy Fenn-Smith, is placed next to the stage and almost in the audience, but their sound is balanced and not overwhelming, even for those close to the musicians.
With all those people in motion there's not a lot of room for a set and the staging by Stephen Hoppe is simple but dramatic, especially two huge screens at the back that project everything from environmental outdoor scenes to a fast-paced montage of torture and abuse during the powerful crucifixion.
The rock 'n' opera score and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice are dated as are the "hey bro" handshakes and hugging of the Apostles whenever they hang out, but that's the way it was written and the players and singers at the Naples Dinner Theatre stick to the script.
They also enliven the script with a nice mesh of energy and emotion which makes this a worthwhile evening of eating and entertainment.
By TIFFANY YATES, Staff Writer
November 24, 2005
JCSuperstar: More than 30 years before Mel Gibson brought his Passion of the Christ to the silver screen, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice brought their version of the final days of Jesus of Nazareth to the Great White Way.
It seems an odd subject for a flashy Broadway musical, but Jesus Christ Superstar ran for a year and a half on Broadway after it opened in the fall of 1971, and for eight years in London — the world's longest-running musical until Cats usurped its title. Now the Naples Dinner Theatre has revived the show once again, and are presenting it through December 4.
Webber and Rice's rock opera is ambitious, attempting to dramatize the most famous — and perhaps controversial — story on earth. From the persecution of the Romans to the casting out of the moneylenders to Judas' betrayal and Jesus' suffering, all the events of the last days of Jesus' life are condensed on the stage.
Set to a score that's orchestrated with electric guitar, bass and flute rather than a full classic orchestra, the show feels both oddly modern and curiously dated. Webber's melodies are acrobatic, dipping and soaring constantly and demanding a cast with broad vocal range. But with the exception of the exultant melody of the title song and Mary Magdalene's tender I Don't Know How to Love Him, it's not a catchy, hummable score.
But the NDN cast handles the difficult melodies well — particularly Julie Zimmer as Mary Magdalene, with her pure, effortless vocals; Ryan M. Leeds as Caiaphas, with a voice that seems to bubble up from the soles of his feet; and Andrew Ross as Jesus, who can gently caress his top notes and then shift gears into a powerful roar. Justin Stratton's star turn in his Simon Zealotes number is also a scene stealer.
D. Tomas Desimone, whose Judas is an omnipresent specter in the show, has the most challenging role to sing, and he acquits himself well. He has a unique vocal tone that lends itself to the all-over-the-map notes of his role, and if the highest high notes aren't quite in his range, he nonetheless handles them adeptly. And he believably portrays his torment over betraying a man he once loved and still wants somehow to believe in.
Rice's lyrics seem not to have found the sure footing he gained in his later years with shows like Aida or even his nimble, eloquent turns of phrase in Disney films like Aladdin and The Lion King. Some of his lines in Superstar drop like stones, as when Jesus' followers avow, "Hey, J.C., you're all right by me," or the description of Jesus as "a man who was bigger than John was when John did his baptism thing."
Tralen Doler's busy, flashy, choreography utilizes every cast member on every inch of the stage, combining well with director Michael Wainstein's staging both to create spectacle and to creatively mask set transitions. The tight, talented ensemble seamlessly segue into their many roles, anchored by the charismatic leads.
The versatile, bare-bones set, by resident designer Jason Bolen, features slide projection screens backing basic set pieces, several of which roll on- and offstage for multiple uses. And Susie Rettig's costumes are excellent, from the light pastels and rope sandals of Jesus' followers to the loud, blowsy merchants' garb to the sinister black outfits of the evil Romans.
Jesus Christ Superstar presents the dichotomy between Jesus as man versus Jesus as religious icon. Ross's Jesus is a conflicted soul who seems to want to lead his flock quietly — who does not seek out greatness but reluctantly has it thrust upon him. In fact, the show's determined portrayal of the human side of Jesus of Nazareth, the mere man, had religious groups protesting outside the theater at its Broadway opening.
What's disturbing about the NDT version is the almost cult-like devotion of Jesus' followers. With their moony gazes locked reverently on their savior, the group resembles nothing so much as rock star groupies, and Mary Magdalene's fawning affection has uncomfortable sexual undertones. But perhaps that's Wainstein's intention — to call into question the true message of Christ, versus the blind Jesus devotion of religious zealotry.
Both the show and the production sometimes feel scattershot —act two, in particular, incongruously breaks out into perky show tunes; an overly made-up Mardi Gras King Herod (a campy Dick Westlake) backed by satin-clad doo-wop girls; and Judas's rendition of Superstar in full Elvis regalia: oversize sunglasses, fringed shirt, and silver platform shoes. But with a crumpled, half-naked Jesus on the floor before all of it, the message seems to be the rift between the depravity of godlessness versus the simplicity of genuine spirituality.
It's not exactly a light evening of theater, but the Naples Dinner Theatre offers a high-caliber production of a challenging, difficult show.
Review: 'Jesus Christ Superstar'
A story and music comfortingly familiar
By NANCY STETSON, nrstetson@naplesnews.com
November 2, 2005
The rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" is one of those musicals that's indelibly a part of our pop culture.
In the early 1970s, songs such as "I Don't Know How to Love Him" and the title song, played incessantly on the radio.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice put the story of Jesus Christ's last days on Earth to rock music, almost like the love generation's version of Thomas A. Dorsey.
The rock opera met with controversy.
Some felt it was disrespectful to call Jesus a superstar. Some embraced it as the a generation questioning who exactly Jesus is, and re-examining their own faith. Others questioned why the musical ends with the crucifixion and not the resurrection.
"Jesus Christ Superstar," which opened at the Naples Dinner Theatre on Saturday, hooks into the exuberance of the music and time.
It's almost like "Superstar" meets "Hair," with actors dancing '60s-style.
The five-piece band sits with the audience at stage left, a wise decision by director Michael Wainstein. The music always sounds better when it's played on-stage or in front, rather than behind the curtain. There's a richness and an immediacy to it then.
Wainstein also made some great casting choices. For a musical that contains minimal dialogue, with almost everything expressed through song, you need extremely strong singers. And this production has them.
D. Tomas Desimone, who portrays Judas, has a sweet, high tenor. He makes Judas a complex man, tortured by his decisions and betrayal. (He shares the role with Kristofer S. Geddie, who portrays Judas on Sunday night performances.)
Julie is a sweet Mary Magdalene, soloing on "Everything's Alright" and "I Don't Know How To Love Him." And Marc Ginsburg stands out as Pilate, a man tortured by dreams of his impending role in Jesus' death.
They all have strong voices and expressive deliveries, making each of their songs a highlight.
Andrew Ross portrays Jesus. This can be a tough role to cast, but Ross fits, not only with his looks but with his voice and demeanor. He's kind and compassionate, quietly charismatic.
Dick Westlake provides much comic relief as Herod, a campy, blue-eye-shadowed, sarcastic ruler. Westlake doesn't have a wide range, but he's perfect for this role, shaking his butt and giving an over-the-top performance.
Jason Bolen's set is simple but effective. Two screens at the back of the stage provide a variety of backgrounds, including pictures of the Shroud of Turin, Jerusalem, and, during the scene where Jesus receives 39 lashes, pictures of lynchings and hangings and those martyred after.
It's a swift-moving production, with music and lyrics that are comfortingly familiar.
This is a show that is difficult to applaud at times, as the action is bloody or the tone too moving or sad to interrupt. But the opening night audience gave the cast a well-deserved standing ovation at the close.
This production, like others before it, ends with the death of Jesus by crucifixion. To me, that's like telling a joke without a punchline, or ending a story without a resolution.
The actor playing Jesus may lie bloody and dead on the stage, but on screen, the last shot in a long line of drawings and pictures of Jesus is an image of a resurrected Jesus.
Naples resurrects 'Superstar'
Dinner Theatre brings life to classic
Mark Marymont
Staff
A Review
Dinner Theatre brings life to classic
BY MARK MARYMONT
Special to The News-Press
Most people know some of the songs in "Jesus Christ, Superstar." Just about everybody knows the story of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
So, if you are going to, um, resurrect the popular '70s rock opera it's a good idea to treat it with the proper reverence while trying to breathe a bit of life into a classic that is likely familiar to the audience.
The Naples Dinner Theatre rises nicely to the challenge with a "Superstar" that runs through Dec. 4.
If it seems a bit ironic to finish off your roast beef, chocolate mousse and a glass of wine before watching Christ beaten by Roman thugs and ultimately nailed to a cross, it's hardly a surprise. It also works if the cast is talented enough to draw the audience into the story and away from any consideration of a bonus dessert.
The three leads of this "Jesus Christ, Superstar" are particularly adapt at just that.
Andrew Ross is a sullenly sensuous Jesus, brooding or agonizing about what he knows is not going to be a very good end to his three years of preaching and leading the Apostles.
D. Tomas Desimone is a weaselly but still sympathetic Judas who realizes he's fated to betray his leader but decent enough to be wracked with guilt. Julie Zimmer is a lovely, sweetly sexy Mary Magdalene, trying to rationalize a pure love for Jesus with her tawdry past.
The other members of the large cast -- almost two dozen on stage at times -- are also effective. Considering their numbers and the relative size of the dinner theater stage, choreographer Tralen Doler is skilled at keeping the dancers in motion but out of each other's way.
A five-man band, conducted by Jeremy Fenn-Smith, is placed next to the stage and almost in the audience, but their sound is balanced and not overwhelming, even for those close to the musicians.
With all those people in motion there's not a lot of room for a set and the staging by Stephen Hoppe is simple but dramatic, especially two huge screens at the back that project everything from environmental outdoor scenes to a fast-paced montage of torture and abuse during the powerful crucifixion.
The rock 'n' opera score and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice are dated as are the "hey bro" handshakes and hugging of the Apostles whenever they hang out, but that's the way it was written and the players and singers at the Naples Dinner Theatre stick to the script.
They also enliven the script with a nice mesh of energy and emotion which makes this a worthwhile evening of eating and entertainment.