2000-10-27

Passion Plays

Last night we sang through the show with the full band for the first time. It was pretty excellent. I think it really revitalized the cast, having that booming band behind us.

Sunday we'll actually have a good deal of the sets and lighting in place. We've started working with the props, and we're having the final fittings for costumes this weekend, too.

I love being part of a show as it all comes together. The process, I think, is more why I do theatre than a love of performing.

And I admit it, I'm a total chump for Jesus Christ Superstar. I think most of Andrew Lloyd Webber's stuff is drivel, but I never turn down a chance to do this particular show.

I always find it amusing to hear the radical Christian Right go off on how blasphemous Superstar supposedly is. That and Godspell. I was brought up Catholic and my family are all performers. We always had the soundtracks and sheet music for these shows in our house. My mom is about as Catholic as you can get, going to Mass as many as three times on any given Sunday, and she's a huge fan of both musicals.

I don't quite understand what the fuss is about.

I've read the literature of the nay-sayers, and I think it's a lot of bloated bombast, really. I don't think I'm imperiling my immortal soul by being a part of this show any more than I think that the show itself is blasphemous. I don't think either show mocks Christianity, or Christ. A bunch of us went out the other night after rehearsal and got to talking about the bum rap Superstar is still getting after 30 years, and Gary made a really good point about how, for most of us, it was our first real introduction to the Passion Play, and even if you were raised Catholic, shows like Superstar and Godspell only helped to improve your understanding of it. Whether you believe in Christianity or not, it's a powerful story.

And it rocks.

lisamcc at 20:39:17

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