Since it’s been 33 years (gulp!) since Ted Neeley played the title role in the film, the question on everyone’s mind going into this performance on his farewell tour was, “Can he still hit those high notes?”
The answer, I’m happy to say, is heck yeah! Oh, his voice may not be quite what it was, and he’s probably a bit too old to play the part of the 30-ish Jesus, but he’s still in amazing shape and is a fantastic performer. He brings such power and gravitas to the role, you know you’re in witnessing something special.
The cast was loaded with talent, not the least of which was Living Color’s Corey Glover as Judas, and Christine Rea-Briskin as Mary Magdalene - and a special tip o’ the hat to Larry Alan Coke as every bass singer’s favorite role, the high priest Caiaphas.
Touring shows like this have to travel light, but they still managed some amazing stage effects through a combination of a creative (and deceptively simple) set, lots of ingenuity and lighting effects. The show also featured a small but excellent live band and some great choreography.
I wondered in a previous post whether or not the show would incorporate the resurrection into the conclusion. I don’t want to spoil the ending for anyone, but their solution was powerful and inspired - and amazing.
It’s not often you get to see a living legend of the theatre perform in a show like this, and I’m glad I was able to witness this one. If you missed it, you missed a great show.
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