Review | Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ tells a timeless story

Filled with hilarious jokes, captivating dance numbers and stellar vocal performances, “Jesus Christ Superstar” is an updated retelling of an ancient story. Directed and choreographed by Danny Herman, Rocker Verastique and Lucas Fedele, Pittsburgh Musical Theater began its run of the renowned rock opera, “Jesus Christ Superstar” last week at the Byham Theater. 

As “Jesus Christ Superstar” is an opera, it mostly relies on songs as its form of storytelling. Musicality, even beyond vocals, took center stage in this production. With 12 actors playing 16 instruments, the show demands a multi-talented cast and expert direction by musical director Francesca Tortorello. The band was interspersed throughout the opera’s set — a three-walled scaffold structure encircled the stage. With cast members joining the band in certain numbers, either to showcase their instrumentalism or simply to move dynamically as characters, the scaffolding became an integral part of the opera’s narrative. Todd Nonn, scenic designer, took a risk in his decision to use limited, industrial design.

Actors expanded the bounds of the set as they walked through the aisles of the house during the performance. In multiple scenes, Judas sang directly to audience members and performed on the proscenium, or edge of the stage. In another scene, Jesus carried his cross through the house aisles onto the stage in the scene leading up to his crucifixion. 

There were many standout performances in Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” such as Justus Wheatley as Simon Zealotes, Treasure Treasure as Judas Iscariot, Brecken Newton Farrell as Jesus of Nazareth and Kamilah Lay as Mary Magdalene. The cast displayed outstanding vocal and theatrical performances, which brought the show’s story to life.

The brilliant musical and acting displays from the cast were complimented by the dance corps’ performances. Made up of performers Amelia Hoeffler, Erin Klocke, Hannah Ramos, Elizabeth Stefanick, Rachel Wise and Sky Wolff, the dance corps was present in almost every number in the show. The stamina and talent of these dancers become clear through their story-driven performances. 

Ben Sheedy, the show’s fight director, is a certified advanced actor combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and has been working in the field for around 16 years. 

“For the little bit which I was involved [in], it was a blast,” Sheedy said. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful group of folks, and it’s so pleasant when everyone is this talented.”

The use of props and set pieces was minimal in this production. The lack of set dressing emphasized the musicality as a mode of storytelling. In the case of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” stripping away decorative elements granted the opera a sense of timelessness. Pittsburgh Musical Theatre presented the story of Jesus and Judas as a moral tale, not just a story from the Bible. 

The lighting design in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” created by Forrest Trimble, the production’s lighting designer, further united the set with the story. Towards the end of the show, a gigantic, lit-up cross descended from the rafters, captivating the audience. Other design choices, such as the colorful lights lining the back wall of the stage and stylized spotlights, helped curate the mood of each scene.  

Ainslee Potter, a senior dance major at Point Park University, attended the April 4 production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Potter particularly enjoyed the production’s scenic and technical design. 

“I really liked the lighting and the levels they created with the scaffolding, and just like the set overall,” Potter said. “It was awesome.”

While the show’s narrative is relatively simple, prior knowledge of its biblical source material will help audience members understand its nuance. A show based on Jesus’ crucifixion story and Judas’ betrayal might lean either parodic or pious, but “Jesus Christ Superstar’s” telling lands in between the two. The opera tells the story of both Jesus and Judas, neither role clearly demonized or angelicized. 

Amelia Hoeffler, a junior at Point Park University and member of the dance corps, sees more to the story than its religious themes. 

“I think this show tells us a lot about how we treat our heroes. It invites us to see and understand religion through a different and unique light,” Hoeffler said.

Though audiences can interpret the story of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in a plethora of ways, the high quality of Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s production is undebatable. The combination of innovative technical design and outstanding performances from the cast and crew made for an entertaining viewing experience.