Jesus Christ Superstar To Open Tonight At Stadium Theatre

The final dress rehearsal of Jesus Christ Superstar, the popular and controversial musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber, saw a few snags at the Stadium Theatre this past Wednesday night.  This is the latest production to be presented by and is directed by Paul Adam.

The production was set in modern times, similar to the 1999 Broadway revival, with modern dress for costumes.  The set was minimal yet effective: two columns flanked each side of the proscenium with a set of stairs that stretched across the entire stage. The lighting, however, was a bit of a problem.  There were many times when the lighting was quite affective but often, due to the angle of the lights, the actor’s faces could not be seen.  You could not see the expressions on their faces due to the shadows caused by the lighting.

The rehearsal had a bumpy start.  Beginning with the overture, there were balancing issues between the instruments of the orchestra, losing some of the melodic lines including the electric guitar solo.  Vocal cues at the end of the overture were also missed by the chorus.  Throughout the rehearsal this was a persistent problem.  There are several moments when the chorus sings from off stage.  This can be problematic because the chorus needs to be able to see the conductor for their cues.  They need to position themselves somehow so they can see but without being seen by the audience. 

Jesus Christ Superstar is one of the more difficult shows in the Broadway repertoire.  It is operatic in style, meaning that the entire show is entirely sung, but it is written in the genre of early 1970’s rock.   It is not a show where someone can be a good actor but fake the singing.  You need both.  There were three performers who delivered. 

The first was Judas Iscariot played by Brian Lopes.  Vocally, the role is an extremely demanding one and Brian met the challenge.  Every time he was on stage, he exuded an extraordinary energy that caused you to want to watch him even when he had no lines to sing. 

The second was Mary Magdalene played by Lisa Ziniti.  The role does not have a lot of stage time but it does deliver the most popular song from the show, the controversial, “I Don’t Know How To Love Him.” It is often misconstrued as to what Mary is really trying to say in this piece.  I have heard this song performed many times in and outside of the context of the show.  Unfortunately, much of the time, the performers cannot vocally handle the song properly.  I was delighted to hear Ziniti’s beautiful voice sing the song with great ease.  The song was a definite highlight of the first act. 

Greg Bonin, who played Pontius Pilate, was the third performer to deliver a great performance.  For various reasons, Bonin has been absent from the stage and this production marks his return.  His delivery seemed as if he had not been absent at all.  Bonin’s big booming baritone voice certainly made Pilate’s presence felt.   

In the title role of Jesus Christ is Ed Benjamin III.  His performance was not up to that of Judas Iscariot, Mary Magdalene or Pontius Pilate.  He does not possess the complete vocal range that the role demands, but he does act well.  If anything, he needs to inject energy into the role.  Jesus may be pious but he needs to be pious with energy.  And the same goes for the ensemble.  There were several times where their energy levels dipped and some seemed lost and unfocused on the stage.  This also includes the dancers.  Some were right in with it and others lacked a certain pizzazz in their movements. 

Overall, it’s a good production and well worth seeing.  It just needs a stiff shot of energy and a bit of technical tightening.

Go see the show, then come back here to Woonsocket Patch and tell me what you thought of it. 

Jesus Christ Superstar is presented by and is at the Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre April 15-17. 

 The Cast

Mark Anderson ... Priest

James Archambeault ... Peter

Jessica Aspeel ... Soul Girl

Ed Benjamin III ... Jesus Christ

Greg Bonin ... Pontius Pilate

Albert Bouvier ... Apostle

Sean Burns ... Apostle

Sara Calia ... Apostle Woman

Katrina Claflin ... Soul Girl

Nora Collins ... Soul Girl

Ariel Colon ... Apostle

Michael DeRotto ... Apostle

Ashley Dougan ... Crowd

Mike Dube ... Apostle

John Gomes ... Apostle

Christopher Kibbe ... Apostle

Brian Lopes ... Judas Iscariot

Mary Mallozzi ... Apostle Woman

Scott McKenna ... Apostle

Kerren McKenna ... Apostle Woman

Maureen Noel ... Crowd

Gina Orlando ... Crowd

Steve Perry ... Annas

Connie Plotkin ... Crowd

Kamil Sarji ... Apostle

Jarred Sell ... King Herod

Joshua Smith ... Simon Zealotes

Shelly Whittle ... Guard

Frank Wilmoth ... Caiaphas

Stephanie Witz ... Soul Girl

Lisa Ziniti ... Mary Magdalene

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