What do you get when you combine church, rock and roll and a “man-bun” wearing Jesus? The one and only “Jesus Christ Superstar” of course. The iconic rock opera made its way to Atlanta’s Fox theater April 19 – 24, treating guests to a modern telling of the most famous story in the world.
The musical dates back over fifty years ago, with the first release of “Superstar” being an experimental concept album due to cost constraints. A few months later, the album found enough success to be turned into an on-stage show, with it premiering on Broadway in 1971. Within a few years, “Superstar” was nominated for 5 Tony awards, along with a number one hit on the USA Billboard album charts. In fact, the album was so popular, it ended up selling more copies than the newly released John Lennon’s “Imagine,” and “Led Zeppelin IV.” “Jesus Christ Superstar” started out as a phenomenon, and has only snowballed since then.
This production in particular, helmed by “Into the Woods” director Timothy Sheader, won the Olivier award for Best Musical Revival back in 2017. Since then, it’s been touring around the world, offering up a performance that’s a perfect homage to the original piece, while adding a modern spin for its current audience.
The adjustment to make “Superstar” into a more contemporary performance is one of the most interesting things about this specific run. Of course, the show’s roots run deep with wanting to be modern. Afterall, it was a rock opera created in 1971 about the death of Christ. It was bound to be newfangled and daring from the start. But this specific conception is different. Instead of time-accurate robes, everyone on stage stands in flowy tunics, looking like a herd of fashionable mall goers. Jesus has tattoos and wears a “man-bun” while Mary’s hair is cropped on the side.Instead of blood resulting from Jesus’ whippings, he’s slapped with gold glitter, sparkling under the stage lights.
This isn’t your average depiction of the Bible. “Jesus Christ Superstar” is doing something different, and although it could be considered risky, even blasphemous to some, it really ends up working in the show’s favor. Instead of Jesus appearing as someone untouchable and Godly, he has a casual look to him, as if he’s your passionate youth group leader. The audience is looking at Jesus as if he existed today, seeing what his followers saw before his death, understanding why they would put their faith into him.
Aaron LeVigne, who plays Jesus in this current production’s run, does a terrific job. As mentioned before, he has a modern look to him that fits perfectly with the role. While researching the play, I came across several other depictions of Christ, with countless actors depictions, but LeVigne is the perfect Jesus for 2022. Ted Neely, who starred in the lead role back in the 1973 film adaptation, was perfect for his decade. He appeared as a 70s-era rockstar, just as LeVigne looks like a superstar of today, along the lines of Hozier or Harry Styles. Not only does he fit the part visually, but his performance is strong as well. He really comes to his own during the song “The Crucifixion.”
Even if you don’t hold much connection to the story of Christ, the Crucifixion scene is still a marvel to be held. Everything comes together to make a beautiful finale, with class-a theater production emphasizing a story most of us have heard countless times. Even if we know the ending to this story, “Jesus Christ Superstar” is still going to rock your world with its modern interpretation.
