New, improved. Now with more Jesus
Jana and I just returned from an evening out at the theatre taking in the spectacle that is/was Jesus Christ Superstar featuring Ted Neely as Jesus Christ. Neither of us had seen this before although a working pop culture knowledge of the original Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and subsequent movie production featuring Ted Neely as Jesus Christ was well in hand. Plus, I had flipped past the movie version on TV a couple of times, and knew that I was in for a lot of bell bottoms and chicka boom booms. As an added plus, the original star, Ted Neely, was starring in the role of Jesus.
Now you might ask, if Jesus was in his early thirties when he died, and the star playing him was in his early thirties (or with theatrical license, maybe late twenties), and the year of release was 1973, thirty five years ago, this would make the star, Ted Neely, playing the part of Jesus, nearly 60 years old (Apparently 65 now per Wikipedia). A sixty five year old Jesus. Hmmm. That would make him old enough to collect social security and have a house in a not-too-distant suburb ripe for gentrification that the grandkids hate to visit because there is no Fuddruckers.
After 30 years of playing Jesus, more years than most of his cast members have been alive, you’ve got to wonder what it’s like working with him. Does Ted Neely have his own dressing room that his castmates tip toe around? “Shhh, don’t wake up Jesus, I mean Ted, he’ll turn your wine back into water, he gets really pissy on Tuesdays.” I’m sure he’s probably a great guy, and very forgiving (remember, he is Jesus) but 30 years of playing Christ Almighty has got to go to one’s head. Does Ted Neely always get the front seat on the tour bus? If he raises his hands, do the crowds part and allow him to be seated first at the Olive Garden?
Needless to say, I didn’t pay very much attention to the story (I’d heard it once or twice before, but without the gay Herod and the White-pimp-suited-zombie Judas), or the thought that a black man was (and has always been) cast as Judas, one of the most despised characters in Western JudeoChristian history, but the music was alright. Oh, and Ted Neely can still apparently scream like a rock star. A sixty five year old long haired Jesus-looking rock star.
Now you might ask, if Jesus was in his early thirties when he died, and the star playing him was in his early thirties (or with theatrical license, maybe late twenties), and the year of release was 1973, thirty five years ago, this would make the star, Ted Neely, playing the part of Jesus, nearly 60 years old (Apparently 65 now per Wikipedia). A sixty five year old Jesus. Hmmm. That would make him old enough to collect social security and have a house in a not-too-distant suburb ripe for gentrification that the grandkids hate to visit because there is no Fuddruckers.
After 30 years of playing Jesus, more years than most of his cast members have been alive, you’ve got to wonder what it’s like working with him. Does Ted Neely have his own dressing room that his castmates tip toe around? “Shhh, don’t wake up Jesus, I mean Ted, he’ll turn your wine back into water, he gets really pissy on Tuesdays.” I’m sure he’s probably a great guy, and very forgiving (remember, he is Jesus) but 30 years of playing Christ Almighty has got to go to one’s head. Does Ted Neely always get the front seat on the tour bus? If he raises his hands, do the crowds part and allow him to be seated first at the Olive Garden?
Needless to say, I didn’t pay very much attention to the story (I’d heard it once or twice before, but without the gay Herod and the White-pimp-suited-zombie Judas), or the thought that a black man was (and has always been) cast as Judas, one of the most despised characters in Western JudeoChristian history, but the music was alright. Oh, and Ted Neely can still apparently scream like a rock star. A sixty five year old long haired Jesus-looking rock star.
Labels: Jesus Christ Superstar, Ted Neely, theatre, too many crying babies in my house
posted by rob at 1:35 AM
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