UMaine’s ‘Jesus’ lets the Son shine

Few historical figures today are as popular – from the White House to the race-track to the movie screen – as Jesus Christ. So it was only a matter of time before someone revived the 1971 rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which opened last week and runs through Feb. 26 at Hauck Auditorium at the University of Maine in Orono.

The ’70s, however, were very different times from ours. When “Superstar” originally showed up on Broadway, Jesus was depicted as a hippie, and his ragtag team wore headbands and fringe. It was just past the age of Aquarius, and juiced up electric guitars wound out the score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, both of whom were in their 20s at the time. When the movie came out in 1973, the Apostles and their band of outsiders arrived onscreen in a psychedelic bus. It was a happy era for Jesus freaks, the name some Christian youths benignly gave themselves back then. Talk about letting the sun – or Son – shine in.

The UM production of “Superstar,” directed incisively by Sandra Hardy, is a reminder of how far we’ve come from those days. Hardy doesn’t miss the opportunity to comment on our own times of media hype, prisoner torture, retro fashion and hip-hop culture. She creates a politically jittery environment onstage with distant echoes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the American-Iraqi debacle. The flogging of Christ is perhaps one of the most wrenching scenes ever staged at Hauck – and not only because of the (fake) blood and (fake) brutality but because of the (real) Abu Ghraib scandals. It’s not anywhere near as graphic as Mel Gibson’s film “The Passion of the Christ,” but it’s painful – patriotically speaking – to watch.

It would be absolutely wrong, however, to focus on that one scene as representative of this production of “Superstar.” Indeed, what marks this show is that rare ebullient theatrical energy that college campuses are so capable of delivering and that Hardy has made her signature style as a director. In this show, that zeal is apparent in Jason Poisson’s back-flipping acrobatics, the slick girl-group choreography by UM grad Joseph Ritsch, Derek Francis’ Las Vegas portrayal of Herod, the extraordinary vocal presence of Hans-Stefan Ducharme (Pilate), Matthew Bessette (Caiaphas) and Nestor Gonzalez (Peter), and the sharp ensemble work of more than 50 performers who effortlessly layer themselves on Art Rosch’s sparse pyramidal set as a group and express themselves individually through Lex Liang’s indie-altie-hipster-“Rent” costumes. With two screens that offer broadcasts of TV-news clips commenting on Christ and his rise to fame, video producer Amber Callahan proves that live theater doesn’t always have to be live to be provocative.

In the lead roles, Joshua Schmersal plays Christ as more anguished than magnetic, and Dominick Varney’s Judas is frustrated, villainous and somehow still sympathetic. Both Varney and Schmersal have amazing voices, but the range of this score is all wrong for them, and the miking doesn’t help. The score is right, however, for the rich tones of Rebecca Bailey, as a wayfaring Mary Magdalene. The real music star of the show, however, is music director Danny Williams and his religiously rockin’ band in the pit. One word: electric.

Some may find the political overlays of this “Superstar” production a bit heavy-handed. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed in more than 30 years: The show has always caused some stir. But those who count themselves – or at one time counted themselves – among the legions of fans for this rock’n’roll Jesusamania will be a blast from the past.

The School of Performing Arts will present “Jesus Christ Superstar” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23-25 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 26 at Hauck Auditorium at University of Maine in Orono. For tickets, call 581-1755. Alicia Anstead can be reached at 990-8287 and aanstead@bangordailynews.net.