[NEohioPAL]JC Superstar at Fine Arts Gets Rave Review!

Wed Jun 25 22:34:03 PDT 2003

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"'Superstar' nothing short of a super show"

Wow.  The Fine Arts Association's current advernturous production of "Jesus
Christ Superstar," which runs weekends through the end of the month in
Corning Auditorium, is nothing short of breathtaking.

Masterfully, the classic Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is updated,
with its popular storyline and musical selections intact, but the set and
mindset is pure millennium sheen.
    From the powerful PowerPoint opening, detailing the 2000-some years of
Christianity and the powderkeg that is its homeland, the Middle East, to the
gritty urban wasteland stage replete with discarded construction equipment
and spray-painted graffiti, the story of Christ is set in the 21st century
for the MTV generation to revere.
    The creative synergy between director Fabio Polanco and production
designer Ben Needham is obvious, as the power and the politics that permeate
"Jesus Christ Superstar" are explored in subtleties that raise the effort
into the ranks of professional theater.
    Plus, Polanco's cast is superb, with emotion in every scene, including
compelling singing and top-notch choreography.
    Specifically, the latter is flawless with complex dance moves coming
across as effortless.
    Naturally, Jesus (Michael Snider) wails with a piercing falsetto for his
people. Mary Magdalene (Laura Rightnour) softens hearts and Judas (Eric
Arthur Neumore) plots his betrayal.
    These three leading actors all seamlessly meld into their characters
with Rightnour's tender vocals and illuminating stage presence acting as the
glue between Snider's heavyhearted role and Neumore's internal struggles.
    With that said, Rightnour's future appears bright, while Neumore's
command of the stage (he looks similar to Justin Timberlake) is obvious.
    Not only does this smart production connect the audience to the story
but the added layers of deceit and fate are cemented throughout, again
bringing the tale into modern-day.
    Jesus' temple destruction scene is reworked to capture the materialism
in society as a stock ticker with Hebrew font ("NYSE" and "NASDAQ") find
worshippers worshipping a false idol.
    Another memorable moment is when Judas makes his deal with Annas (Ken
Kopin) and Caiaphas (Michael J. Rogan).  As the first act ends, Judas is
found with a suitcase of money handcuffed to his wrist, pulling him down
like a ball and chain that will follow him through eternity.
    As for the production's music, with the soundtrack being ultra-popular,
Polanco succeeds in changing the approach without really changing the notes.
    "What's the Buzz" has a slight rap-influence, not in the musicality or
even vocal delivery, but in mindset.
    Other progressive techniques include a dominatrix-looking Herod (Mary
Miller) and a "Matrix"-looking Pontius Pilate (David Malinowski).  The
Romans are dressed as the conservative, suit-wearing status quo, who are
insecure about all threats to the establishment.
    The one knock on classc productions that are tinkered with and set in
modern, hip times is the power and gravitas of the show is often lost.
However, the Fine Arts Assocaition's "Jesus Christ Superstar" overcomes any
such hurdles in grand fashion.  Go for yourself and find out what the buzz
is all about.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" runs this coming Friday and Saturday, June 27 & 28
at 8:00 pm and Sunday, June 29 at 3:00 pm.  For tickets, call the Fine Arts
Box Office at (440) 951-6637

 Reprinted from the Friday, June 20, 2003 TGIF The News-Herald review by
correspondent John Benson.

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<DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003><STRONG>"'Superstar' nothing short of a super =

show"</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D630521821-24062003></SPAN><FONT=20
face=3DArial> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>Wow.  The Fine Arts Association's =
current=20
advernturous production of "Jesus Christ Superstar," which runs weekends =
through=20
the end of the month in Corning Auditorium, is nothing short of=20
breathtaking.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D630521821-24062003></SPAN><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>Masterfully, the classic Tim Rice/Andrew =
Lloyd Webber=20
musical is updated, with its popular storyline and musical selections =
intact,=20
but the set and mindset is pure millennium sheen.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    From the powerful =
PowerPoint=20
opening, detailing the 2000-some years of Christianity and the powderkeg =
that is=20
its homeland, the Middle East, to the gritty urban wasteland stage =
replete with=20
discarded construction equipment and spray-painted graffiti, the story =
of Christ=20
is set in the 21st century for the MTV generation to =
revere.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    The creative synergy =
between=20
director Fabio Polanco and production designer Ben Needham is obvious, =
as the=20
power and the politics that permeate "Jesus Christ Superstar" are =
explored in=20
subtleties that raise the effort into the ranks of professional=20
theater.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    Plus, Polanco's cast is =
superb, with=20
emotion in every scene, including compelling singing and top-notch=20
choreography.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    Specifically, the latter =
is flawless=20
with complex dance moves coming across as =
effortless.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    Naturally, Jesus (Michael =
Snider)=20
wails with a piercing fa<SPAN class=3D680362622-25062003>lsetto</SPAN> =
f<SPAN=20
class=3D680362622-25062003>or</SPAN> <SPAN=20
class=3D680362622-25062003>his</SPAN> <SPAN=20
class=3D680362622-25062003>p</SPAN>e<SPAN =
class=3D680362622-25062003>o</SPAN><SPAN=20
class=3D680362622-25062003>pl</SPAN>e. <SPAN =
class=3D680362622-25062003>Mary=20
Magdalene (Laura Rightnour</SPAN>) softens hearts and Judas (Eric Arthur =

Neumore) plots his betrayal.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    These three leading actors =
all=20
seamlessly meld into their characters with Rightnour's tender vocals and =

illuminating stage presence acting as the glue between Snider's =
heavyhearted=20
role and Neumore's internal struggles.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    With that said, =
Rightnour's future=20
appears bright, while Neumore's command of the stage (he looks similar =
to Justin=20
Timberlake) is obvious.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    Not only does this smart =
production=20
connect the audience to the story but the added layers of deceit and =
fate are=20
cemented throughout, again bringing the tale into=20
modern-day.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    Jesus' temple destruction =
scene is=20
reworked to capture the materialism in society as a stock ticker with =
Hebrew=20
font ("NYSE" and "NASDAQ") find worshippers worshipping a false=20
idol.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    Another memorable moment =
is when=20
Judas makes his deal with Annas (Ken Kopin) and Caiaphas (Michael J.=20
Rogan).  As the first act ends, Judas is found with a <SPAN=20
class=3D680362622-25062003>s</SPAN>uitcase of money handcuffed to his =
wrist,=20
pulling him down like a ball and chain that will follow him through=20
eternity.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    As for the production's =
music, with=20
the soundtrack being ultra-popular, Polanco succeeds in changing the =
approach=20
without really changing the notes.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    "What's the Buzz" has a =
slight=20
rap-influence, not in the musicality or even vocal delivery, but in=20
mindset.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    Other progressive =
techniques include=20
a dominatrix-looking Herod (Mary Miller) and a "Matri<SPAN=20
class=3D680362622-25062003>x</SPAN>"-looking Pontius Pilate (David=20
Malinowski).  The Romans are dressed as the conservative, =
suit-wearing=20
status quo, who are insecure about all threats to the=20
establishment.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D630521821-24062003>    The one knock on classc =
productions=20
that are tinkered with and set in modern, hip times is the power and =
gravitas of=20
the show is often lost.  However, the Fine Arts Assocaition's =
"Jesus Christ=20
Superstar" overcomes any such hurdles in grand fashion.  Go for =
yourself=20
and find out what the buzz is all about.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D630521821-24062003></SPAN><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D630521821-24062003>"Jesus=20
Christ Superstar" runs this coming Friday and Saturday, June 27 & 28 =
at 8:00=20
pm and Sunday, June 29 at 3:00 pm.  For tickets, call the Fine Arts =
Box=20
Office at (440) 951-6637</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D630521821-24062003></SPAN><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D630521821-24062003> Reprinted from=20
the Friday, June 20, 2003 TGIF The News-Herald review by correspondent =
John=20
Benson.</SPAN></FONT></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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