CARLTON FLETCHER: NBC’s ‘Superstar’ production does not disappoint

If you’d come today you would have reached the whole nation, Israel in 4 B.C. had no mass communication.

— Jesus Christ Superstar

I didn’t really know how I felt about a group of modern-day singers/musicians taking on one of the four or five greatest event recordings of my lifetime, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s 1970 spectacle “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

Quite frankly, even with the gifted John Legend singing Jesus’ part in the musical that, as you might guess, was quite controversial in its day, my initial concern was that the production would be, well, blasphemous in its adaptation.

Turns out my concern was needless. With Brandon Victor Dixon giving a stirring performance as Judas, Sara Bareilles ably filling the Mary Magdalene role Yvonne Elliman was made to sing, and that old rock god Alice Cooper making a scene-stealing cameo as King Herrod, the production by Alex Rudzinski and David Leveaux was amazing. It deserves perhaps the best compliment one can give: It did the original production proud.

That the show was performed live in front of a studio audience made it even more compelling.

I wasn’t sure that Legend’s piercing baritone/tenor would be capable of filling the complex role of Jesus, especially as it was performed on the original soundtrack album by Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan. But especially late in the production, most notable during “Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say),” Legend displayed a range not hinted at on hit songs like “All of Me,” “Ordinary People” and “Used to Love U.”

The role of Judas, originally performed by Murray Head (Remember “One Night in Bangkok?”) and the most complex and demanding in the musical, was ably filled by Dixon. But that’s not a surprise to the millions of fans who’ve seen him perform in the Broadway hit “Hamilton.” Singing in a production like “Jesus Christ Superstar” is much more demanding than a concert performance, and it took a good third of the show for Legend to hit his stride. No such problem for Dixon, who met the demands of the complex role.

Bareilles may have had one of the more difficult tasks in the production, performing such intimate songs as “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” and “Could We Start Again, Please,” songs that launched Elliman’s career. She didn’t disappoint.

Another surprising bright spot was the performance of Norm Lewis as Caiphas. His rich bass voice remained true to the original recording.

And then there was Alice.

At 70, the ageless wonder strutted onto the stage to the roar of an obviously adoring crowd. He sang the campy “King Herod’s Song” with just the right amount of smarmy disdain for this “someone Christ, King of the Jews,” using the piano break in the dancehall throwback to high-five members of the audience and call out, “Hello, Jerusalem” to the delight of the crowd.

Obviously, staging such a production that incorporates many of the elements of the last days of Jesus’ life — the last supper, Peter and Judas’ betrayals, the triumphant entry of Palm Sunday, the clearing of the money-changers from the Temple, and, finally, the crucifixion — especially for a TV production, was a monumental task. Rudzinski and Leveaux pulled it off, using clever camera angles and minor set changes to suggest the various settings.

The best thing about the NBC TV production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” though, was the music. A full orchestra and a talented group of rockers brought together a perfect mix of musical genres that Webber created in 1970, even punching up the rock quotient to great effect.

Oh, and in a show that had many highlights, of course the anticipated performance of the signature title song was as good as anyone could have hoped for.

Surely there will be those, just like in ‘70, who will complain about the last days of Jesus being turned into a “rock opera.” The complainers will be the ones who don’t like rock music or who find the telling of Jesus’ life in any other format than from a pulpit distasteful. But for those who listened to the words of “Superstar” and paid attention to the characterization, there was a level of spirituality to the performance in Rice’s lyrics, which are uncannily Biblical.

Just like the original: You came for the music, you stayed for the passion.

Contact Carlton Fletcher at [email protected] or follow on Twitter @ABH_Fletcher.