[NEohioPAL]Two reviews:SUPERSTAR at Near West Theatre

[RNavisjr at aol.com]

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NEAR WEST THEATRE'S CURRENT PRODUCTION OF 
"JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR" is turning heads and causing a stir of reaction. 
This is an all teen production that rides a fast train from beginning to end. 
PREPARE TO BE OVERSTIMULATED!!! Set in a futuristic police state, Mary Magdalene 
is an erotic dancer in Club Garden on Gethsemane Street, The Priests wear 
giant headpieces ala aliens in Star Wars,
Herod and his "slaves" have S&M fun with their new plaything, Jesus, and the 
"crucifixion" is completely revisioned as an electrical/gas death machine (the 
Temple in pervious scenes morphed to become a public execution chamber). 
SUPERSTAR plays for one more weekend, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 
3pm. Tickets are only $6. Call 621-3242 for reservations. REMAINING 
PERFORMANCE SURE TO SELL OUT!!!    

THE REVIEWS:
Jesus Christ Superstar @ NWT 7/20
Near West Theatre's sizzling production of Jesus Christ Superstar, running 
weekends through August 3rd , is not for the faint of heart. It is for people 
willing to engage with modern social themes of exploitation, bigotry, and 
hatred. The futuristic set, in-your-face costumes, eerie lighting, and special 
effects create a world in which the powerful are hell bent on domination and the 
powerless are often clueless victims of an overwhelming socioeconomic system.

It was hard to remember that the actors are part of NWT's teen theater. The 
performances were strong and at the same time nuanced, making me wonder how 
high school and college kids could so trenchantly portray world-weary characters.

Listening to Director Bob Navis talk about his experience engaging with the 
issues raised by the show was worth the price of admission. The brutality of 
the crucifixion scene, made all the more so by a brilliant new interpretation, 
was countered by a redemptive closing in which souls who have suffered greatly 
(Anne Frank, Oscar Romero, Mahatma Ghandi, Rumi, Elie Wiesel) shine brightly 
through their quotations. We are reminded at last what a costly and fragile 
thing redemption truly is. This show is not to be missed! 
    
Lois Annich
    
(Audience reaction) 

It's about resurrection, you know. All of this artistic craft we are engaged 
in. No matter what the medium, we are trying to bend back and grab hold of 
something. Some greater hope, some deeper longing, some thought-lost bit of 
energy. We are, by creating, trying to get a serving-no matter fleeting-of our 
original wholeness.

It is obvious to me that your "kids" are filled with revived spirit. It is 
clear to me, through their movements and singing and complete investment in 
their craft, that they are made more whole by their work in the Near West Theatre.

And I want you to know that every time I attend a performance at the Near 
West Theatre,  I am resurrected in some way too. I believe more, I feel more. I 
gain hope and energy and leave wanting to do more. I feel like the person I am 
supposed to be, unmitigated by negative pressures and inauthentic expectation. 
I am a better me, simply by sitting in your space, listening to your people, 
feeling your song.

It's amazing to me that a theater group can do all of those things for me. 
Resurrecting your audience is not in your mission statement, though I would 
wager that I am not the only person who is so personally affected by what you do.

There is a wonderful section in "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in 
the Universe" by Jane Wagner where the lead character talks about observing 
the way the audience is watching a play. "To see a group of strangers sitting 
together in the dark, laughing and crying about the same things (gave me 
goosebumps)." That is what you and your actors do for us-you create a common heart. 
And that heart, having seen your work, has more life-force and is sent forth to 
do greater things.

I am, again, grateful. Please accept my huge praise and small donation,


Jean Reinhold
Cleveland Heights


    



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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT  SIZE=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SERIF" FACE=3D"=
Baskerville Old Face" LANG=3D"0"><B>NEAR WEST THEATRE'S CURRENT PRODUCTION O=
F <BR>
"JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR" is turning heads and causing a stir of reaction. Th=
is is an all teen production that rides a fast train from beginning to end.=20=
PREPARE TO BE OVERSTIMULATED!!! Set in a futuristic police state, Mary Magda=
lene is an erotic dancer in Club Garden on Gethsemane Street, The Priests we=
ar giant headpieces ala aliens in Star Wars,<BR>
Herod and his "slaves" have S&M fun with their new plaything, Jesus, and=
 the "crucifixion" is completely revisioned as an electrical/gas death machi=
ne (the Temple in pervious scenes morphed to become a public execution chamb=
er). SUPERSTAR plays for one more weekend, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and=
 Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are only $6. Call 621-3242 for reservations. REMAINI=
NG PERFORMANCE SURE TO SELL OUT!!!</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"B=
ACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=
=3D"0"></B>    <BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#400000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00" SIZE=3D5=
 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><B>THE REVIEWS:</FONT><FONT=20=
 COLOR=3D"#400000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00" SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SA=
NSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"></B><BR>
<B>Jesus Christ Superstar @ NWT 7/20<BR>
Near West Theatre's sizzling production of Jesus Christ Superstar, running w=
eekends through August 3rd , is not for the faint of heart. It is for people=
 willing to engage with modern social themes of exploitation, bigotry, and h=
atred. The futuristic set, in-your-face costumes, eerie lighting, and specia=
l effects create a world in which the powerful are hell bent on domination a=
nd the powerless are often clueless victims of an overwhelming socioeconomic=
 system.<BR>
<BR>
It was hard to remember that the actors are part of NWT's teen theater. The=20=
performances were strong and at the same time nuanced, making me wonder how=20=
high school and college kids could so trenchantly portray world-weary charac=
ters.<BR>
<BR>
Listening to Director Bob Navis talk about his experience engaging with the=20=
issues raised by the show was worth the price of admission. The brutality of=
 the crucifixion scene, made all the more so by a brilliant new interpretati=
on, was countered by a redemptive closing in which souls who have suffered g=
reatly (Anne Frank, Oscar Romero, Mahatma Ghandi, Rumi, Elie Wiesel) shine b=
rightly through their quotations. We are reminded at last what a costly and=20=
fragile thing redemption truly is. This show is not to be missed! <BR>
    <BR>
Lois Annich</FONT></FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#8080ff" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR:=
 #ffffff" SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"></B><BR>
    </FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=
=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#8080ff" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D2=
 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><B>(Audience reaction)</FONT=
><FONT  COLOR=3D"#8080ff" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D3 FAMIL=
Y=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"> </FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" s=
tyle=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Ari=
al" LANG=3D"0"></B><BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff0000" SIZE=3D3=
 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #80ff00" SIZE=3D2=
 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><B>It's about resurrection,=20=
you know. All of this artistic craft we are engaged in. No matter what the m=
edium, we are trying to bend back and grab hold of something. Some greater h=
ope, some deeper longing, some thought-lost bit of energy. We are, by creati=
ng, trying to get a serving-no matter fleeting-of our original wholeness.<BR=
>
<BR>
It is obvious to me that your "kids" are filled with revived spirit. It is c=
lear to me, through their movements and singing and complete investment in t=
heir craft, that they are made more whole by their work in the Near West The=
atre.<BR>
<BR>
And I want you to know that every time I attend a performance at the Near We=
st Theatre,  I am resurrected in some way too. I believe more, I feel m=
ore. I gain hope and energy and leave wanting to do more. I feel like the pe=
rson I am supposed to be, unmitigated by negative pressures and inauthentic=20=
expectation. I am a better me, simply by sitting in your space, listening to=
 your people, feeling your song.<BR>
<BR>
It's amazing to me that a theater group can do all of those things for me. R=
esurrecting your audience is not in your mission statement, though I would w=
ager that I am not the only person who is so personally affected by what you=
 do.<BR>
<BR>
There is a wonderful section in "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in=
 the Universe" by Jane Wagner where the lead character talks about observing=
 the way the audience is watching a play. "To see a group of strangers sitti=
ng together in the dark, laughing and crying about the same things (gave me=20=
goosebumps)." That is what you and your actors do for us-you create a common=
 heart. And that heart, having seen your work, has more life-force and is se=
nt forth to do greater things.<BR>
<BR>
I am, again, grateful. Please accept my huge praise and small donation,<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Jean Reinhold<BR>
Cleveland Heights</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR:=20=
#ffffff" SIZE=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"></B><BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D2=
 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><BR>
<BR>
    <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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