Review: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at TheatreWorks New Milford

They say that limitations encourage creativity, not stifle it. It’s one of my favorite parts about theater: You can make anything happen. It may not look the way you envisioned it, it may not be smooth, sleek, and streamlined, and it may not be the most spectacular way to get it done, but with the right people, you can make it happen. That type of mentality breeds creativity and what comes out the other end can be pretty special.

When I heard that TheatreWorks New Milford was going to stage a production of Jesus Christ Superstar, this thought was the first thing that went through my mind. Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber that follows the passion of Christ through the Last Supper, his betrayal by Judas, and his crucifixion. It’s a large production with a huge cast and the potential for spectacle. For anyone who hasn’t gone to TheatreWorks in New Milford, it’s a beautiful, intimate space, but doesn’t exactly have a lot of room to spare. One of the many limitations for a production of this scale.

Under the direction of Francis A. Daley and production design by Leif Smith, however, the cast and crew of Jesus Christ Superstar took those limitations and made the most of it, to put together a powerful production. Their biggest success was in their set design: Construction by a team of Smith, Shagbargh Hickory, Devon Langworthy, Matt Travis, and Nate Travis, the set transformed the stage into a sprawling landscape of grandeur and versatility. The burlap walls created a sandstone-like texture, while the hanging pillars allowed the cast to change locations with relative ease and speed. Lastly, the sliding blocks of varying heights created a sense of height and depth that gave the cast more room to play in.

Speaking of the cast, due to the limitations of the space, they had a much more difficult time but were able to create some beautiful moments in the process. The ensemble, first and foremost, had the added challenge of being onstage for most of the production; either remaining part of the scene as the poor and homeless on the streets, or by tucking themselves into the corners of the wings and observing the goings-on as a spectator so as not to distract the audience. While they were actively engaged in the story, however, their crowd-mentality and the way they interacted with each other created a sense of comradery and unity which pushed the main characters forward in their individuals goals, drives, and trajectories.

I think the biggest struggle for the cast was the sound. Due to the physical constraints of the space, TheatreWorks has a hard time balancing the music with the vocals while still allowing both to be heard without microphones. Plus, many of the roles and just really high pitched, which is hard to sing in general. Put the two together, and you end up with a scenario where it was really difficult to hear the soloists- particularly Judas, who serves as this production’s narrator. Judas, played by Joseph Re, and Jesus, played by Dylan Ryan, were the perfect foils of each other. Re’s bad-boy, punk rock attitude was portrayed in perfect contrast to Ryan’s purity and devotion. Even the understudies for the evening, Randy Watkins for Pontius Pilate and Victoria Arnold for Mary Magdalene, came ready to rock. Pilate and Magdalene are not easy roles to step into; both of which having a recognizable solo in the show- “Pilate’s Dream” and “I Don’t Know How To Love Him,” respectively. They suffered from the same sound balancing issues as the rest of the cast, but they didn’t let that stop them.

This determination from the entire production created a beautiful production despite its challenges and limitations, and one that left the crowd enthralled throughout the evening. Jesus Christ Superstar runs for 2 more weekends, with shows on December 20-22, and December 27-28, with all shows at 8pm except for the 22nd, which is a matinee at 2pm. You can purchase tickets here and, if the rest of the run is anything like what I saw, tickets are selling fast.

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