Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals

Review - Evita Revival on Broadway With Ricky Martin

How much of a difference can one performer make? That's the question I was left to ponder while walking out of the strangely lifeless revival of Evita that's currently packing them in at the Marquis Theater in New York. I had seen this production during its London run and was generally positive about it, particularly regarding the dynamic central performance from Argentinian spitfire Elena Roger. (Read my review of the London production.)

So, I was genuinely looking forward to seeing the production again, now that it has made the trek across the pond. There was, however, a bit of a bump in my road to the Marquis, as I was originally scheduled to see one of the performances that got "rained out," as it were. As you may have heard, the producers of Evita had to cancel two performances because the "deluge curtain," part of a theater's fire protection system, was accidentally triggered, which flooded the stage, necessitating a two-day clean-up process.

Since I was already in the city to see some other shows, I hustled over to the Marquis box office to exchange my ticket for another performance. Well, in my absent-mindedness, I chose a matinee performance, momentarily forgetting that the actress who plays Eva Peron historically doesn't do matinees. Which means I didn't see Elena Roger again but rather Christine DiCicco, the Eva alternate. DiCicco was never less than professional, and at times was downright impressive in terms of her energy level and vocal prowess. What she wasn't was electrifying, which Elena Roger decidedly was when I saw the show in 2006.

The experience put me in mind of seeing the recent revival of A Little Night Music both with Catherine Zeta-Jones (read my review) and then Bernadette Peters (read my review) in the central role of Desiree Armfeldt. With Zeta-Jones, the show was presentable but uninspired. With Peters, the show came to vibrant life. The cast was otherwise almost exactly the same, as were the members of the production staff. But Peters, like the rising tide, lifted all of the boats, whereas Zeta-Jones was more like an anchor dragging the show down and keeping it from achieving its full forward speed.

I genuinely hope to get back and see this production of Evita again to see if, perhaps, it was Elena Roger who made all the difference in London. That would also give me the opportunity to more fully put Ricky Martin's somewhat spotty performance as Che, the show's sardonic narrator, into context. Don't get me wrong: Martin is by far the most entertaining part of the current production. He's animated, engaging, mischievous, and boasts a genuinely strong and resonant musical-theater-quality singing voice. But he did frequently allow his mannerisms to overshadow his sense of characterization, and he noticeably flubbed his lyrics on more than one occasion. It was almost as though he was trying to make up for the lack of energy in the production as a whole. I got the sense that, if he had just relaxed a bit more and trusted the material, he could have been outstanding. (Parenthetically, I was very glad to see that, despite the fact that Martin is clearly the draw here, the production still gives Eva the final bow during the curtain call.)

But the more I think about it, the more I have trouble ascribing the listless nature of this production to the change in the central player. Something else seems to have been lost in the translation from London to Broadway. The production as a whole lacks focus and a sense of forward motion, and those deficits must fall at the feet of director Michael Grandage. The production remains visually impressive (with sets and costumes by Christopher Oram and lighting by Neil Austin), but the scenes and characterizations lack cohesion, as though there were no sure hand at the helm. Even Rob Ashford's choreography, which I found it thrilling in London, here seemed resolutely earthbound, although thematically the movements seemed more restrained and idiomatic than some of his more recent Broadway work.

One final note: it's really interesting to have the chance to see both Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita on Broadway at the same time. (Read my review of JCS here.) It's a sort of sobering reminder that, at one point in his career, Andrew Lloyd Webber actually made challenging choices and used interesting musical devices, mostly when he was paired up with lyricist Tim Rice. It makes me wonder what could happen if Sir Andrew ever teamed up again with a lyricist who actually made him think.

Review - Jesus Christ Superstar Revival on Broadway

The current theater season has provided me with ample opportunities for wistful nostalgia: Godspell, Evita,  Follies.  These were some of the recordings that I and other show-tune queens of a certain age listened to when we were first becoming obsessed with musical theater. ("Gee, Chris, there was a time when you weren't obsessed with musical theater?")

As I've sat watching the current productions of these shows (or will sit watching, when I see Evita tomorrow), certain musical passages have elicited warm rushes of memory, transporting me back to my teenage bedroom, with my LPs strewn across the floor, singing heartily along to the songs, imagining what the full Broadway stagings must have looked like from the production photos in the gate-folds of the cast recordings.

In some cases, the shows have more than lived up to the promise of those teenage memories. The most recent Follies, for sure, and Evita when I saw the current production during its London run. Other times, the memory has been richer and more artistically fulfilling than the production itself. Godspell and the recently opened Jesus Christ Superstar fall into that disappointing category. It may be mere coincidence that it was the two religion-based shows that appealed far more to my younger self than to the adult who has strayed significantly and irrevocably from the path. I think it has more to do with my evolving musical-theater aesthetic: when I was younger, I either didn't see or was able to forgive these shows for their dramaturgical flaws. Today, I'm not.

Regarding Jesus Christ Superstar in particular, here's the bottom line: individually, the songs are great, but they add up to an entertaining album, not a compelling stage show. The score represents composer Andrew Lloyd Webber at his most inventive and ambitious, back when Lord Andrew actually seemed to care and made adventurous choices. Note the interesting time signatures, for example the 5/4 in "Everything's Alright," giving the listener the subconscious impression that the title is ironic. Or the purposeful use of leitmotif, as in "Judas' Death," which quotes numerous musical passages from earlier in the show, including "I Don't Know How to Love Him." Even more moving is the use of the musical phrase that underscores the lyric "Then I saw thousands of millions..." from the premonitory "Pilate's Dream." Lloyd Webber repeats the phrase during the scene in which Pontius Pilate pleads with Jesus to assist him in saving Jesus's life, and the emotional callback is stunning.

(Interesting footnote: I saw this Jesus Christ Superstar on the same day that I took in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying for the second time, and was reminded that the first six notes of the "Jesus Christ Superstar" title number are virtually identical to the first six notes of "Rosemary" from How to Succeed. And remember that How to Succeed was written about seven or eight years before JCS. Just sayin'. I have absolutely no larger point to make here. Nope. Just sheer coincidence. Yup.)

But if Lloyd Webber's music is more interesting than anything he's written since, Tim Rice's lyrics for Jesus Christ Superstar have aged far less well. The quips, the schoolboy snark, the anachronisms, which I found refreshing as a teen, in context work against the tone of the piece. For instance, during "The Last Supper," the apostles sing, "Then when we retire, we can write the gospels so they'll still talk about us when we've died." It's clever, sure, but it calls attention to the lyricist rather than revealing something meaningful about the characters. The show is also replete with slant rhyme: "fire/messiah," "fighting/riding," and most egregiously, "apostle/gospel."

The show also has detrimental holes in the narrative. For instance, we never really learn why Judas turns Jesus in to the authorities. We see him kvetch and moan before and after, but we don't really know why he did it. Now, someone might say that the Bible never really explains this either, and that this question has been the subject of debate for nearly two millennia. But Jesus Christ Superstar isn't a theological treatise. It's a musical-theater piece, and it would have been perfectly appropriate for the author's to fill in the blanks, as it were, to make the piece more dramatically compelling.

(Also, has "Herod's Song" ever worked? In context, it seems stunningly out of place. It doesn't help that Bruce Dow, who appears as Herod in the current production, plays the role like a drag queen in pants. I must admit, I've always really liked the song as a song, and even imagined myself playing the role, but when you're sitting in a theater and experiencing the score in order, the song is a real head-scratcher.) 

[SPOILER ALERT: I reveal a significant piece of staging in the paragraphs below.]

So, for a variety of reasons, Jesus Christ Superstar doesn't really work as a show. What about the merits of the current production beyond the words and the music? Well, director Des McAnuff seems to have returned to his Jersey Boys form after the painful misstep that was the most recent revival of Guys and Dolls. McAnuff makes a number of smart and additive choices in staging the show, particularly in the prologue, which compellingly evokes a sense of police-state persecution and establishes Jesus for what he most likely would have been at the time: a wanted man, a subversive figure, a danger to the men in power. McAnuff makes only one major misstep, during Judas's death scene. At first, it seems that McAnuff is content to suggest Judas hanging himself by having 30 pieces of silver fall from the fly space, which was extremely effective. But then McAnuff gilds the lily by having the feet of a dummy Judas suddenly appear dangling from the top of the proscenium. Which was extremely laughable.

McAnuff stages the show with a constant sense of motion. Unfortunately, this sometimes gives rise to some showboating dance moments from choreographer Lisa Shriver. (For more examples of showy, crowd-pleasing, and not entirely thematic dance maneuvers, watch for my review of Newsies in the coming weeks.) Some of the dances feature rather impressive but dramatically questionable ninja-like acrobatics, which seem decorative, superfluous, and ultimately counterproductive. What's more, a number of the members of the chorus were continually pulling focus, giving the impression of a number of regional performers who were clearly thrilled to be making their Broadway debuts. (I mean, bully and congrats and all that. But, "Don't pop the head, Cassie." Know what I'm saying?)

Most of the comments I've heard about the show focus on the cast, and there are certainly some standouts. Paul Nolan as Jesus has piercing eyes and killer rock belt, but there didn't seem to be much emotion going on behind those eyes. Josh Young as Judas Iscariot could certainly act the role, but his vocal technique didn't seem sustainable, although perhaps that's more a function of the illness that has caused him to miss quite a few performances. Young seemed to be focusing more on making the role of Judas believable and sympathetic, and less on the vocal pyrotechnics that typically accompany this role. Young did, however, appear to be very uncomfortable during the title number, and couldn't seem get into the groove of the music, although that may have been due to the tight, unflattering, bright blue Vegas tuxedo he was forced to wear in this number.

For me, the best person on stage was new to this production. As you may know, this Jesus Christ Superstar started at the Stratford Festival in Toronto, followed by a stint at the La Jolla in San Diego. Tony winner Brent Carver originated the role of Pontius Pilate, but dropped out before the California production. In his stead, we have Broadway stalwart Tom Hewitt, who has both the vocal and the acting prowess to bring this role to vivid life. Hewitt is simply outstanding, and it made me wonder what the production might have been if more of the performers had Hewitt's well-rounded profile of performance abilities.

Contest - Win Two Tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar Revival on Broadway

As you may have read, two formidable cultural icons are making double comebacks on Broadway this season: Jesus Christ and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The former is represented by both Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar, while the latter has Evita and...Jesus Christ Superstar.

(Click through on the Godspell link above to read my review. I'll be seeing both Evita and JCS later this week. Watch for my reviews.)

I've been hearing great things about the new Jesus Christ Superstar, which has played successful and acclaimed engagements at both the Stratford Festival and in La Jolla. My sources tell me that director Des McAnuff has breathed new life into the piece, which already features one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most ambitious and accomplished scores, not to mention the sharp and erudite lyrics of Tim Rice. I'm eagerly anticipating seeing the show again, and greatly look forward to communicating my views of the show to you, dear reader.

Now, here's a chance for you to see the show yourself. I have here a voucher two tickets to see Jesus Christ Superstar. (The voucher is good for performances from March 27th to April 26th on Tuesdays at 7 pm, Wednesdays at 2 pm and 7 pm, and Thursdays at 7 pm)

Below are five trivia questions about the show and its authors. Answer the questions as best you can and I will randomly draw a winner from all of the entries with the correct responses. (You can submit your answers via the comment link below. Don't worry: I won't publish your comment until the contest is over.) The contest ends Monday, March 19th.

Good luck!

PLEASE NOTE: The contest is over and the winner has been notified. The answers to the trivia questions are below. Thanks to everyone who entered. --C.C.

1. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice worked together on a number of shows in the early years of their careers. What are the names of their two other shows that have played on Broadway? [ANSWER: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Evita]

2. Before they struck gold with their big commercial successes, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborated on a show that wasn't actually produced until 2005. What was the name of that show? [ANSWER: The Likes of Us]

3. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber have collaborated, albeit infrequently, since they parted ways after Evita. What was the name of the show they wrote for Queen Elizabeth's 60th birthday? [ANSWER: Cricket]

4. What was the name of the song that Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote that won them the Academy Award? [ANSWER: "You Must Love Me"]

5. What's Andrew Lloyd Webber's last name? [ANSWER: "Lloyd Webber" is ALW's technical last name, not "Webber," although one observant reader pointed out that "Lloyd" is actually ALW's father's middle name, and that "Lloyd" isn't historically part of the family's surname, but rather a relatively recent addition to same. So there.]