HOT TAKE: Jesus Christ, Superstar

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On Easter Sunday, NBC will air a live rendition of Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Tim Rice. (Read more about the production on Kate O’Hare’s blog.) But the burning question is: Should I see it?

Let the Pop Feminist break down Webber’s hot take the last days of Passion Week according to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.

What’s the Buzz? What’s the Heresy?

I imagine the greatest matter of concern is whether Jesus Christ Superstar is inherently heretical or blasphemous. To which I have to reply that, rather like Godspell, it depends on the production.

The musical is written from the point of view of Judas Iscariot, an unreliable narrator. Judas’ first songs reveal that his fatal flaw is that he sees Jesus as only a man, answering the perennial question: “Lunatic, Liar, or Lord?” somewhere between the first two options. Imagine The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe told entirely through Edmund’s eyes. Jesus Christ Superstar is like that.

Consequently, every production of Jesus Christ Superstar is different, as the creative team wrestles with the philosophic questions through the rehearsal period and presents their point of view. The text of the musical doesn’t give an answer, concluding at the moment of crucifixion, repeating the same series of questions that open the musical: “Jesus Christ, Superstar/Do you think you are who they say you are?”

So, will NBC’s live version leave room for divinity or will it come down on the side of Christ as crazy popular prophet? The answer is that we won’t know until this live production airs.

But we can look at the music, the cast, and TV’s other live musicals to get an idea of whether NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar is worth tuning into.

The Music of the Night

Jesus Christ Superstar is written at the height of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s funk phase. So, if you like funk, you’re in for a treat with “What’s the Buzz” and other similar tracks. The musical can also boast three actual stand-out songs: the titular song, and Mary Magdalene’s “Everything’s Alright” and “I Don’t Know How To Love Him.”

The first song, “Jesus Christ Superstar” is a great opening number that rocks the house, places Judas as our narrator, and asks the central question of: “Who are You?”

Mary Magdalene – the only significant female role in the show (sigh, but okay) – has two great songs. Music lovers will notice that her interrupted aria, “Everything’s Alright” is in 5/4, giving the music a “Putting on the Ritz” swing. (Such an early Lloyd Webber move! He writes in obvious keys, but then plays with time signatures all over the place.)

Her other song, “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” may be seen by some as verging on blasphemy, but I’ll argue that it’s perfectly plausible to think that she may have had to sort out complicated feelings for God Incarnate. If the production gives Jesus kissing blocking back, then there’s a problem. Once again: each production is different. But the song is beautiful and not inherently problematic.

I’d also say that Herod’s song tickles all the right ivories, with its Charleston-infused cleverness, and some of Tim Rice’s best lyrics.

That said: there’s a reason why, musically, Lloyd Webber/Rice’s other Biblical operetta, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is produced more frequently. And that’s because of two things:

First: for my money, Tim Rice is only a competent lyricist. His rhyme schemes are too pat, too neat, hardly inventive, and worse, obvious. As a poet, I don’t find that he goes particularly deep into any character’s soul, and so the best that I can say of Rice is that he’s…serviceable. Which, with the extremely child-friendly, and even campy Joseph is welcome simplicity. But here, with a story that requires a considerable amount of nuance, Rice is…serviceable.

Second: Joseph actually did poorly on its first outing until Andrew Lloyd Webber tweaked the music away from funk and towards lampooning various musical styles, including an epic Pharaoh-as-Elvis showstopper. However, Jesus Christ Superstar – Lloyd Webber’s third produced musical ever – sounds very much like his third musical ever. It’s an opera, sung-through with many of the same tricks, chord progressions, and recitatives as will be heard later in his far-superior Evita. Unfortunately, most of the opera sounds like random recitative, which can become draining on the ear. Intersperse this with three great songs, several forgettable arias, and several other very funk tracks of the time, and you’ve got a tonally uneven musical to say the least. Phantom of the Opera this ain’t.

A Legend Among Men

For all my musical griping, Jesus Christ Superstar is a salvageable musical, and that depends largely on production values and casting. Here, NBC seems to be making a strong case to see their production, casting rock stars with real singing chops and live audience as well as musical theatre experience, John Legend as Jesus and Sarah Bareilles as Mary Magdalene, with Alice Cooper taking on the flamboyant cameo of Herod. All three, I think, are great choices for their roles. Certainly, with more live stage experience between them than poor Carrie Underwood warbling her way through as Maria von Trapp in the first live musical, The Sound of Music.

From the YouTube video, the whole cast and crew look prepared and uniformly generous towards each other, which bodes well not only for a smooth evening of production, but also for a possibly great and exciting production.

It looks like they may have also tweaked the orchestrations to be a little less painfully 70-tastic, if this video is any evidence. Even better, it looks as though the production is going to lean in heavily to the concept of putting on the show as one big rock concert – an idea that fits not only with the music, but also thematically with artists asking the question of Jesus: “Are You real, or are You a performer, like me?” The choreography also looks really stellar, and I was excited to see Syesha Mercado from American Idol as one of the featured chorus members.

However, this production rests on its narrator, played by veteran Broadway performer Brandon Victor Dixon who’s been in everything, including playing Aaron Burr, sir – another unreliable narrator and antagonist.

Which only leaves: how will NBC fare with its live musical? Even from its inception with The Sound of Music, NBC’s reach was further than its ability. (When you’re outshone by FOX putting on Grease…you’re not doing great.) However, after a run of less-than-stellar outings, it does look like NBC might have a legitimate hit on their hands. Under the direction of David Leveaux, whose revivals of Nine and Arcadia have been well received, we might be in for a surprising treat.

So…Should I See It?

I have no love for Jesus Christ Superstar as a work of art. And although I generally cringe at the “theology” in the less-than-stellar productions I’ve seen, I find that Christ’s divinity always shines through in “Trial Before Pilate/39 Lashes.” This production does look like they’ve found a concept and a cast that just might change my mind about the musical – in the same way that I hated Oklahoma! until Trevor Nunn and Hugh Jackman tackled the show and revealed the beauty I had missed.

Certainly, if you have children of an age to discuss and dissect the musical during the (inevitably long) commercial breaks, you might have fun watching, whether the production is good or not. However, if rock opera, emphasis on the rock, is not your thing, you won’t miss out anything by giving this one a pass.

If you do watch it, though, tell us what you thought in the comments below!

Happy Passiontide, one and all!