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| Jesus (Mike Flynn) is about to receive the kiss of betrayal from Judas (Nick Ianitti) in the play 'Jesus Christ Superstar' staged by Carleton University's Sock'N'Buskin Theatre Company./Photo by Brigitte Bouvier, The Ottawa Citizen |
It wasn't a philosophy class (though it was at Carleton University), nor was it a church rally or a hybrid squash-religion cult. Rather, Sock'N'Buskin Theatre Company was holding a rehearsal for its production of the popular rock-opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. And the actors playing apostles were busy trying to figure out their "motivation".
Questions like "Do I like you?," "What importance did a rabbi have, exactly, when Jesus was alive?," and "He's my brother? Cool," filled the air as the cast delved into their roles. Normal enough a procedure for an actor, but especially important when a play elicits strong feelings - positive or negative - from audiences.
The splashy rock-opera looks at the last seven days of the life of Christ (played by Orpheus Musical [Theatre] Society veteran Mike Flynn) and particularly his relationship with Judas Iscariot (played by Nick Ianitti).
The musical was originally performed in 1971 (the music comes replete with '70s wakka-wakka sounds) but only after being released as a soundtrack recording; producers were apprehensive about mounting a show that could be seen as sacrilegious, particularly because of its vernacular style and illustration of both Jesus and Judas as sympathetic and conflicted characters.
"We talked about it at church and I worried about whether I would be portraying something I believed in," says Flynn, 33, a high school teacher who was brought up Catholic and currently attends a Wesleyan church. The congregation concluded Jesus had two sides: a godly one and a human one.
"Webber looks at the guy who knows he has to die to save mankind but is frightened of it at the same time," says Flynn. "When you read the Bible it doesn't say much about the emotional affairs of people - but in this play you see it: Jesus feels, he gets angry, he argues with God.
"Of course, the play takes liberties - Webber had to fill in a lot of blanks after all."
These days, after years spent on Broadway and feature film, the show generates more excitement than controversy.
Sock'N'Buskin, an amateur company affiliated with Carleton, ahs been inundated with requests to stage the show for years; with rumours circulating of an imminent touring production of the show that would shut off the performance rights to smaller theatres for years they decided to mount it now.
"This show is on the top of the list of so many people in musical theatre as well as my own," says Lisa Bishop, the rock-opera's director who studied theatre and music at Concordia and McGill universities.
"But, it's not a typical musical. It's not a feel-good story ...It is raw, and dark and gritty and displays parts of the human personality that aren't necessarily attractive, but we are made to understand them."
Bishop has directed several musicals successfully for Sock'N'Buskin, including Hair, Little Shop of Horrors and last year's Cabaret.
"We always do best with large, ensemble pieces because then we can add multi-layers of harmony and really achieve a kind of depth in the music even though not everyone is a trained singer," says Bishop who is overseeing a cast of 36 and five musicians with musical director Steve Tatone.
It needs grit, and purity and so using voices that aren't as professionally trained as others is really an added benefit to the show. It's a rock opera after all."
Flynn, last seen in Orpheus's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, is a tall, strawberry-blong tenor who will still be sporting short hair as Jesus on opening night.
"I've been waiting for this play to come around and - wow - to be playing Jesus!" Flynn says, sounding slightly awed. "The singing is vocally a real challenge; particularly for Judas and myself - we're right up there in the attic with those notes. I am starting to feel like a heavy metal singer."
The set design by Nick DaSalvo will include six-metre high industrial chain link fences, multi-layered risers and a specially designed slot for the crucifix that will be raised in the last scene. A light show for the overture had DaSalvo crowing with delight.
"I want the set, lighting, sound to be overwhelming to the senses, stimulating in every way," says DaSalva, a first year mechanical engineering student who has been part of backstage teams for shows in Cobourg, his hometown.
The costumes will be a mix of modern dress (the apostles will be wearing khakis and boots and perhaps turquoise sequins) and clothes suggestive of Jesus's time.
"I really want to bring home the universality of the show, and making the costumes something people can relate to will help," says Bishop.
"I don't want this who to appeal to just one faith. It has universal messages about love and charity, fundamental messages of any monotheistic faith."
Sock'N'Buskin performs Jesus Christ Superstar at 8 p.m. on March 14-16 and March 21-23 in Alumni Theatre at Carleton University. Call 520-3770.