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a-trick-or-two-with-lepers · 1 year

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Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC 2018) Breakdown and Review

Quick disclaimer: This is the second version of JCS that I've seen in full. I was introduced to the rock opera through the 1973 movie, and I'm not afraid to say that that is where my bias will always be, especially considering I'm more of a film buff than a theater nerd. However, I am aware that putting a feature-length film and a live recording of a performance on the same level for criticism is unfair, so I'll try to keep the comparisons to a minimum.

With that out of the way, here are my (slightly deranged) thoughts on NBC's JCS Live!

~Overture~

I can only imagine how hyped JCS enjoyers got while watching this live back in 2018. Not only is the live orchestra doing an amazing job, but the guitar players get their own time to shine on stage! This is so damn cool to see, because the guitar riffs are really what makes the song. When the "Heaven on Their Minds" riff began and we got to see one of the guitarists on stage just going at it, I knew I'd be in for a treat.

I'd like to take a moment to talk about the set design as well. One thing I know to be true about most JCS productions is that the set is almost always bare-bones - but in a meaningful way. The story relies more on the actions and emotions of its characters than the environment, which makes sense as Jesus and his compatriots were not necessarily wealthy. This remains true for this particular production. The staging is really impressive; you're never short of something or someone to look at.

Also... the outfits! I'm a sucker for leather, and this production has no shortage of it. The costumes, while aesthetically pleasing, show how much the ensemble in this play favor rebellion.

I love when casts are as diverse as possible - in ethnicity, skin color, body types, gender presentation, etc. This cast fits the bill, and everyone does a fantastic job in the overture. In fact, the ensemble this cast provides are just amazing in general. You can tell each and every one of them has oodles of experience under their belt. I have no complaints about any of their performances.

I will say, the flashing lights during the more chaotic bits were a bit much for me, but that's more due to my propensity to get overstimulated. Overall, the choices made in this section were top-notch, and I really can't be mad at any of it.

Enter: John Legend.

You know how I was really digging the costuming? Well...

Look, I understand that most productions have Jesus just looking like a normal ass dude with normal ass clothing, but was the grey shawl really necessary? Whatever, I'm not too put out by it. At least we get to see some John Legend tiddy.

It occurred to me during this part of the play that I am not a fan of live audiences. Once again, my easily overstimulated brain may be to blame, but I found myself wishing for most of the play that the audience would just quiet down. Nevertheless, I'm sure the cast was happy to be so outwardly appreciated.

~Heaven on Their Minds~

youtube

I'm gonna say this once and I won't say it again. THE MARKETING TEAM LEFT BRANDON VICTOR DIXON IN THE GODDAMN DUST. Seriously, every time I came across a video of this production on Youtube, his name was either not in the title, not in the thumbnail, or he was labeled as Tim Minchin. The poor guy is the main fucking character and nobody could be bothered to give him the credit he deserves. I understand that Legend is more famous, but seriously. That just rubs me the wrong way.

Anyway...

I'm back to loving the costuming. Judas' vest is so cool, and I love the symbolism of his tank being red. Honestly, any Judas in red has my heart immediately.

His performance here is good, but nothing I'm overly impressed by. I can understand wanting to save energy for later performances, though, and I'm definitely not offended by Dixon's singing. He's a bit stilted in his delivery, a little nasally in his vocals, and I sometimes have a hard time believing his performance. Though, I can imagine it's kind of hard to stay in character when you're struggling to be heard above the audience. I mean seriously! When Jesus did the bit where he reached out to the audience, the crowd got so loud that if I didn't know the lyrics to this song by heart I wouldn't know what Dixon was saying. It made me a bit mad, to be honest. I don't know, maybe that in itself is symbolic or some shit.

I do like Dixon's phrasing in some parts, especially when he sing-speaks the line "do you care for your race?" as well his sassy delivery of the titular line. I did not care for the way he sang "how put down we are," but he later totally nailed the original riff on "sour," which is one of my favorite vocal runs of all time. The way he interspersed the bits where he wasn't singing with spoken complaints was cute. He also did a really nice break at the "puh-LEASE" bit.

He really made the song his own. The last twenty seconds gave me chills. Dixon is clearly a very skilled performer, and though there were parts of his performance I didn't love, I overall really enjoyed watching him sing one of my favorite musical numbers.

One last thing about this part: I don't really like how Judas is singing directly to Jesus. A big part of Judas' characterization is that he is a sort of outcast-loner type, and his relationship with Jesus fails mainly because both men fail to communicate effectively. When Judas is literally expressing his concerns directly to Jesus, and Jesus outright ignores him, it makes Jesus come across as an unresponsive dick. Again, this is the first theater JCS I've seen, so I'm not sure how much of this is written in stone as part of the Broadway production. Instead of doing the right thing and researching that, I'm just going to judge the play based on how I initially responded to it.

~What's the Buzz / Strange Thing Mystifying~

I'm not sure if this is a constant in most JCS productions, but "What's the Buzz" feels too slow to me. It's a bit jumpier in the '73 version, but that may be because they were recording it in a studio rather than in front of a live audience. I will say, there's not much room for breathing in this song. Once again, though, the ensemble is doing a banger job.

I came into this not really having a strong opinion on John Legend. I really only know the one song from him ("All of Me," obviously). I've heard people criticize his performance in this, and while I'd much prefer a rock singer or seasoned Broadway performer in this role, I can't say I'm too offended by his casting. He's more focused on his voice than his acting. When it comes to musical theater, each line should be treated as its own and should portray a slightly different emotional tone. With Legend, all his lines kind of sound the same and seem to hold the same level of importance. He's also not very good at the kind of talk-singing that is usually present in this role. But, I can't deny that he sounds pretty damn good. I especially liked how he sang "Mary, oooh, that is good." Very sexy indeed.

Speaking of Mary! Who doesn't love Sara Bareilles? (No seriously, who? I just wanna talk...) I really really really love her dress, and her voice is just lovely. Very soothing and unassuming.

When Judas comes in for "Strange Thing Mystifying," he is once again portraying the perfect amount of sass and shade. I really missed the "hey cool it man :(" line from Simon, though. It's so adorable in the '73 JCS.

I really liked Legend's staccato "Who. Are. You." parts! Whoever made the decision to direct him like that knew what they were doing.

All around, there was more singing than acting going on from the main cast. In my opinion, this makes the characterization kind of weak, but it doesn't make the songs unenjoyable.

Also, I love the choreography here! Especially when they sing "when do we ride into Jerusalem?" Still can't top the '73 choreo for me, but that's a very high bar.

~Everything's Alright~

While I absolutely adore Sara Bareilles' voice, I wish she enunciated a bit more for this song, but that's just a personal preference. Her singing and her entire vibe is just so calming and gorgeous, and her runs are spot-on. Then we get to the little Judas and Jesus interaction.

In the original movie, this is the scene that made me realize, "Wow. These men really love each other." Every scene with Carl Anderson and Ted Neely is just so emotionally intense that it's impossible to look away. That is not really the case with Legend and Dixon.

Though they both sound good (for the most part), the desperation and emotional overflow is just not there. And I say for the most part because both Dixon and Legend struggle a bit with the higher notes. Dixon went for the belt, but was a bit flat. Legend opted to sing "when I'm gone" with a poorly sung falsetto, and it just. Does not fit. Whatsoever. It was a weak performance of a line that is meant to be fraught with emotion.

Also, by the end of the song, I'm pretty sure the point is supposed to be that despite Mary's careful ministrations, Jesus is still stressed and upset. But here? Nah, Jesus is just snoozin'.

Despite J and J's subpar deliveries, I enjoyed this song even if just for how Mary was presented.

~This Jesus Must Die~

Norm Lewis! I! Don't really... have a pre-formed opinion on him. So many people seem to, but I just haven't been involved in theater for so long that I'm a bit out of the loop.

Nonetheless, he is a wonderful performer. His vibrato is liquid gold. However, I was under the impression that Caiaphas is a role usually played by bass singers. Lewis is very clearly a baritone. I'm not sure I'm too happy with this choice, especially since he seems to struggle a bit with the lower notes. It's not nearly as noticeable as Legend's struggle with high notes, but I really wish we got to have a beautiful, gravelly bass voice in this role. Even without the inhumanly low tones, Lewis manages to make this role just as intimidating as it should be.

Jin Ha does a good job as Annas. I don't have much to say about his performance.

What I find particularly funny about this part is that you can tell who the stage performers are. Legend is a singer. He sings. These priests that have like, two lines each? They're PERFORMERS. They are taking their fifteen seconds of fame and milking them as much as possible, and I respect the hell out of it because it makes for some very enjoyable performances. The "What then to do about this Jesusmania?" guy killed it.

I love the costuming here as well - very cool geometric designs on the jackets.

Though I would love to say I fancied this version of the song, they didn't include the "Jesus is cool" line. And for that, this is my least favorite song in the production. (/j)

~Hosanna~

I don't have a whole lot to say about this one. It was good! Just a few little tidbits:

-Legend starting a crowd clap was cute

-This song works really well for Legend cause it's right in his register and he doesn't have to reach for any super high notes

-The key change is super cool! I LOVE Legend's runs during this part as well

-The last part where they all sing "SUPERSTAAAAR" was awesome and I can imagine them using that for a lot of cable advertisements

~Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem~

First of all: Simon's cute as hell! Look at his lil' hair!

I just love when this role is played as the most energetic, chaotic, batshit insane guy you've ever seen. And I cannot express how delighted I am to see a role in this play being done by a rock singer! Erik Grönwell's performance here is my favorite out of anyone in this play so far. His belts are out of this world.

The ensemble can't be discounted here either, 'cause they sound freaking amazing. But I've already expressed my love for them.

Surprisingly, Legend's falsetto actually works well for "Poor Jerusalem." It makes sense, though, as this part is meant to be a bit gentler and more downtrodden. He sounds really nice.

Side note: when did they change the "but you close your eyes" line to "but you live a lie?" Is that just for this version or was it changed previously? I feel like it doesn't really add anything.

~Pilate's Dream~

Not much to say here either, it's a pretty short song. I will say I really like Pilate's outfit. The colors are reminiscent of '73 version, which is an immediate like from me. I also like how Pilate looked straight into the camera at the end of the song. Pretty impactful even if I know for a fact they went to commercial break right after that.

~The Temple~

Okay. I'd die for these guitarists. I love whenever they're on stage! They're killing it!

Anyway, I found it pretty funny that the temple-goers just started dumping glitter on the ground. I wrote in my notes "Slay ig," so, slay ig.

It's pretty cool too how the "temple" is literally just a huge cross on the ground. The slow movement of the camera makes this a languid realization, which is neat.

Speaking of which, I forgot to mention that the camerawork so far has been really good. I never feel like I'm watching something stagnant, yet I still feel like a part of the audience. Good job, NBC crew.

"My temple should be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves" is my favorite part of the original movie. It's so undeniably powerful, and Neely's rock-belt is just heavenly to listen to. (He performs it live, too, so I know it isn't just a trick of the recording studio).

Legend's version of this line? Eh, it was alright. It was honestly better than I was expecting. I was really worried he was just gonna sing it the way it was written and go for the falsetto, but he instead chose to stay in his range. He also has an intentional voice break, indicating a bit of emotion, which is nice to see. I don't know why he sings the "get outs" in lowercase; it's just kind of funny.

The lepers sound really good, but when Legend is trying to sing his part over them, I can hardly hear him. What I did hear, though, was like? Really good? Super rock-sounding. Hopefully we hear more of that later...

~I Don't Know How to Love Him~

No notes. She slayed.

Yvonne Elliman supremacy, but Sara Bareilles Mary Magdalene now has a place in my heart. I'm glad I watched this production if just for her, honestly.

~Damned for all Time / Blood Money~

What can I say? The priests are spooky, the lighting is badass, and Norm Lewis is the best singer here.

As far as Judas goes, Dixon is doing exceedingly well for how ridiculously hard this song is to sing. Carl Anderson owns this song in my heart, but Dixon is not disappointing. He makes up for the lack of insane belting by adding his own runs, and it works well. I wrote in my notes that "Brandon actually looks like emotions are happening," so, yeah. Also, the BICEPS! Needless to say, I was enjoying it.

~The Last Supper~

I forgot why I wrote "Aw, gay apostles" in my notes, but going back to it, I noticed how much hugging kissing was going on between these guys. Can't complain, love a good smooch.

Mary is also in this scene, which differs from the movie. And she shows her hospitality towards Judas, which is cute. I always wished they had Judas and Mary interact more in the movie.

Legend sounds good at the beginning. Once again, this song is well within his range, and his falsettos don't feel too out of place. However, they didn't put a pause between the "when you eat and drink" line and the "I must be mad" line, which I thought was odd.

When the accusations start flying, Jesus just. Doesn't seem mad. Judas does, and Dixon completely upstages Legend in this scene.

After the apostles sing a second time, and Judas starts dishing out the insults to Jesus, I feel like it should have been more one-on-one and personal. I would've had the apostles move further away or even leave the stage for this part.

Oof. Legend singing "Get out!" in falsetto was just... not good. When the audience clapped for it I cringed so hard.

Let's see if Legend can redeem himself with the next song...

~Gethsemane~

With how bad everyone made it out to be, I was expecting Legend to completely biff it here. But to my surprise, he really stepped it up here, in both terms of singing and acting. Obviously, it was nowhere near as impactful as Gillan or Neely's versions, but I could at least see that Legend was trying. This part made me recognize that he isn't necessarily a bad actor, he just isn't consistent enough in his performance for it to be believable that he is in character.

He displayed some really impressive rock-belting midway through the song, right around where most people usually go for the g5 note. It sounds so gravelly and crisp, and I really wish he used it more during this performance. Additionally, I am very happy that he didn't go for the g5. That part usually makes or breaks the performance, and with Legend I think we know which way the egg was gonna fall.

There were some good choices made here as well as some bad ones. He still did some nasty falsettos in the latter half of the song, which actually made me laugh. Seriously, who convinced him that was okay? I feel like this would have been a well-regarded performance without that.

Overall, I'm impressed. The weak points were weak, but few, and the strong points were really strong. It wasn't nearly as poor as people made it out to be.

~The Arrest~

The kiss was nice and tender. I like the way Jesus hugs Judas afterwards too, that was very sweet. For some reason it sounded like Legend said "Judas, must you betray me with a gay?" which I thought was pretty funny.

I like how the arrest was framed as a news stint, with reporters and mics and all that. It was also pretty neat how they interspersed the solo lines with ensemble lines.

~Peter's Denial~

Peter was good, but the real standout here was that guy with the phone that sang "But I saw him too, he looked just like you." God DAMN! They went OFF!! Can he play Judas next please?

~Pilate and Christ~

Pilate is really the one bringing the camp here. He ate this up.

~King Herod's Song~

Well. What do you want me to say here? It's Alice Cooper. Do you really think I am physically, mentally, or legally capable of criticizing Alice Cooper?

I'll spare you the fangirling I did in my notes app; just know I, as well as the audience, was very happy to see this man doing his thing.

Also, as a rocker, he actually made this song fit with the rest of the play, which is truly a feat.

(Still not as good as his episode on The Muppets).

~Could we Start Again Please~

Even though I love Sara as Mary, and Peter did a good job as well, I wish they included more ensemble in this song. I feel like it's more impactful that way as it shows that there were still people who believed in Jesus. Still, I'm so glad they decided to keep this song in most JCS productions because it's one of my favorites.

~Judas's Death~

Oh no, he lost the leather vest! I'm not complaining though... 😏

This is the part where I praise Dixon for his showmanship, 'cause this man just got THROWN and he KEPT SINGING! I found that to be very impressive. Though I will say, the increase in his emotional performance seems to cause his singing to suffer a bit. To be fair, it's an incredibly hard part to sing.

Aside from Jesus going bonkers in the Temple, Judas' reprise of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" is my favorite scene in the original movie. Did Dixon live up to my expectations? Well, considering my expectations were pretty low to begin with, he exceeded them.

This is seriously the best acting I've seen in the whole play. Dixon completely sells his performance. Consider me a proud and satisfied viewer.

Although, quick PSA to the audience. You don't actually have to clap every time a man sings in falsetto, mkay? Thanks <3

~Trial Before Pilate~

This song is notorious for its difficult timing considering it's just talksingtalksingtalk *BUM* talksingtalksingtalk *BUM* for a bit. This Pilate though? Yeah, he nails it. I was really impressed by his performance. Also, when he said "talk to me Jesus Christ," that was the most sexual tension I've seen in a stage play, wow.

I don't really understand what was going on in the flogging scene, because the ensemble members were just running past him individually, but Legend was selling it. It definitely looked like he was in pain, and the lashes on his back didn't look sloppy or rushed.

Another emotional crux of the play is when Pilate basically yells "DON'T LET ME STOP YOUR GREAT SELF DESTRUCTION!!" I was a little let down by this guy's performance of these lines honestly. However, he was virtually perfect the rest of the time so I can't really be mad.

~Superstar~

THIS. THIS IS IT.

For whatever reason, Dixon just decided to turn the iconic scale up to 1000. The diamond laced fit. The dancing. The footwork. Everything about this performance was absolutely incredible, and I am just ecstatic about it. I mean, the man was full on spinning on the ground while singing. Every run he did now has a permanent residence in my brain. If you decide not to watch this version of JCS, I understand. I don't blame you. But if nothing else, please please PLEASE watch this part on Youtube. You won't regret it.

In the words of a close friend of mine, he slayed, ate it up, left no crumbs, licked it clean, you could eat off that plate again.

~The Crucifixion~

There were some lines in here that definitely weren't in the movie, and again, I'm not super familiar with the broadway play so I'm not sure how much of this was changed for this version alone. Nonetheless, Legend did a good job here. I mean, attempting to portray Jesus dying on a cross is a task to be sure, and he accomplished it.

~John Nineteen: Forty One~

There seemed to be some resurrection imagery here, so, congratulations Christians. He did the rising. (I am not religious, can you tell)?

I love me a good curtain call. They're just so joyous.

So! Was this production worth two hours of me composing my thoughts on it into a Tumblr post approximately five people will read? You tell me. I certainly enjoyed my time with it, and I hope to do this with more productions. I'm looking forward to watching both the 2012 revival and broadway productions, the 2014 Swedish one, and the 2000 movie. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for others I might enjoy or that you would like to see a breakdown of.

#jesus christ superstar #jesus christ superstar 2018 #review #jcs 2018 #jcs #john legend #brandon victor dixon #alice cooper #nbc #sara bareilles #Youtube

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hobgoblinns · 1 year

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no one asked but here’s every production of jcs i’ve seen

(or heard in the case of the concept album)

- 1970 concept album — my all time favourite

- 1973 film

- 2000 film

- 2011 village theatre production — watched as a pretty low quality ‘proshot’. not a huge fan but i did like jesus and herod. respectfully i MUCH prefer michael lee as jesus than as judas

- 2012 arena production — saw it live in 2013 in australia, then watched the film later

- 2012 broadway revival — watched in bootleg form. didn’t really enjoy it and wouldn’t watch it again

- 2014 swedish arena production — proshot

- 2017 australian production dir. gale edwards — saw this live, really loved rob mills’ performance. would kill to see it again

- 2018 nbc live concert — proshot. i watched it when it came out and since then have had absolutely no desire to ever watch it again

- 2019 st petersburg production — proshot. not my favourite but i love aleksandr and yaroslav together

versions on my watchlist:

- 1992 australian production

- 2014 bonn production

- 2015 south korean production

- 2019 tokyo concert

#this list can also be found via my pinned #if you know where to look :)#jcs posting #jesus christ superstar #hob.txt #i just felt this was necessary in case people were wondering why i talk about some versions more than others #the answer is mostly. i just dont like em

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seancamerons · 7 months

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i'm gonna come right out and say it: i loved chaotic. it was a real life real time glimpse into britney spears' life during 2004-05. it was i think on upn/presently cw and it chronicled her onyx hotel touring and a little bit after that, including the 'love' story between her and her second? husband Kevin federline and her pregnancy with sean preston. i believe it included the making of someday (i will understand). i believe the greatest hits/my prerogative coincided with this. i think i remember reading initially chaotic had a different tone in mind and was less about her romantic life, more about just generally her and her personal life. of course that remains intact, most people see it as embarrassing and stupid. (under a read more for the rest!)

i think i used to think that britney as a human at that time was going through a lot sure, the year before justin/britney's personal life was seen for the masses and he was in control of that narrative, she had just married her childhood friend jason alexander for 55 hours in las vegas that january, was promoting heavily at that for her studio album in the zone, and touring in europe for much of this documentary. she showed off the lovely room she had in a hotel, and sounded very humbled by the whole experience i recall her saying, "all this for one little person."

while self-aware, reflective and sometimes spiritual britney is a very complex individual. she surely shed the pop tart bubblegum image with the itz era and afterward. the direction i remember it giving/vibe was "britney let's loose from school girl days of bomt like its college!britney, bitch and of course what happens in college? having fun, friends, working probably, clubbing, meeting guys, parties, and doing that sort of thing." do i think it was appropriate for her age and for her sound? yes. was it mature risque and even a little naughty? you bet. did i eat that shit up, oh yes and i think even now in the zone will forever live in infamy. each track tells a story, paints a picture.

it's obvious she was heavily involved in its production, she even had favorite songs, contributed in the writing composition and credits in the liner notes, i also believe there was quite a bit of information she even helped direct or had a lot of input of what sorts of directions the videos such as "toxic" "me against the music" and "everytime" would look like. i remember seeing a short video between a segue as she performed everytime on this ABC special they did in fall of 2003, right around the time itz was released where she was playing a piano and playing the music for everytime.

for a long time it was rumored/speculated to be related as a rebuttal or even a response to justin timberlake's cry me a river which was released perhaps months before and word was getting out, her reputation was in a bad place and it was time for her to break out of the mold she was in musically and take it up a notch, push the envelope and do what she does best which is sing and perform being the entertainer but more 'her' way.

chaotic featured former alum to nsync/mmc castmate jc chazez who remained her friend at this time, her backup dancers and such, and felicia her longtime assistant and friend, who i once got to 'meet' in 2009 but that's another story.

(it was a brief hi, a smile she's just as sweet as i'd see her on tv, but i strongly think she knew i knew who she was haha without saying much and she was standing by a wall during the VIP backstage tour chatting with brett ('memba her?) I've seen britney in concerts almost 5 times, dwad in 2001, onyx in 2004, circus in 2009 and femme fatale in 2011 almost got to see a show back in 2017 i think maybe 2018 in my area when the tour came around for the last time but my BFF at the time took her stupid bf instead, unforgivable. our friendship has not been the same since. ugh.)

oh and my mom caught a glimpse of k-fed at the same concert backstage, weird and the boys sean preston and jayden were there seated around the stage with lynne, they were toddlers/little at the time. i saw them they were close to the center-right ring if i remember correctly from where i was standing. i did see her manager larry rudolph at femme fatale in a lobby i didn't get VIP that time, but i had pretty decent seats for it, but i didn't speak directly to him but i saw him in line getting a soda.)

all in all, i really enjoyed watching chaotic. best friend at the time and i bonded over britney's music, videos, crossroads, concert going experiences and such so oftentimes she comes to mind too. we used to love dressing up like in britney's style clothing/hair trends/make up and we would 'choreograph' dances to her music and we'd marathon things like that like she had chaotic on DVD so on rainy days and sleepovers we'd pop in the DVDs and watch 'em and be so interested.

a lot of people hate on it, britney herself is kind of embarrassed by it and i get that too, but a lot of it was a snapshot of what her life was like back then and how she was living, where she was and I'm sure if i watch it now, i'd laugh, cry and also be in awe like i was way back when.

a close second is for the record (2008-09) I'll talk about that another time someday. we also loved watching the HBO special from 2001, it holds a special place in my heart. total britney live, the MTV diaries, the interviews even the diane sawyer one like we had that shit down and tapes and tapes of trls, commercials, performances, tv, press things, documentaries i mean we were obsessed basically. a part of us still are. i have some things memorized, like most of crossroads i can at any given time recall some quote from the movie. i loved that britney did that stuff, even if it didn't 'work' out. I'm so proud of britney and so grateful to meet people through the britney fandoms, barmy, at concerts, and even online on fbs and tumblrs alike. for instance, @mollyhale and i have great conversations about britney spears and we have similar opinions and good thoughts regarding her and i love her so much. i cannot wait to read the memoir in full when it arrives this week. I'm also really excited to see crossroads in the movies with my bf and one of my best friends I've known a long time. britney has been a big part of my childhood, teen life, and overall existence.

i love her music, it makes me feel happy and good. i love finding a new obscure song by her, or fall in love with the songs that aren't so well known, or sing along when i hear her music on the radio, or come up on playlists. she is the top for me, and no one can speak ill of her i hate that i would go to literal 'war' so needless to say i have a lot to say about how she'd been wronged/underdog vibes and even by family/long-term boyfriends it sucked for us too the fans, because i know she didn't deserve that. i don't want to discuss the conservatorship time, but you can tell in femme fatale she was exhausted, and unhappy she didn't have the spark in her face or eyes, the songs were great and choreo but there wasn't that fire i love because she was tbh overmedicated. i hate infantilization and the narratives in regard to her mh. i do think that she has a lot trauma to work through from what I've seen in her posts, and her way of healing is speaking, and writing it out and I'm proud she's free to take those steps to reclaim herself and become independent and happy once again. it's gonna take time, nothing is overnight but she's doing fabulous. she's got an amazing legacy, so much talent, so much passion for her goals and endeavors, and she wants to burn that narrative too, she's spoken don't hat on several occasions at length on her Instagram posts as well as what I've seen in her book. she wants her fans to know who she is, where she stands because there's been a lot of buzzing over the years on that stuff and it's wonderful to feel validated and confirmed of a lot of things that weren't factually true.

i love the truth when it comes out. when i was little we'd play truth or dare, and i loved the truth but feared dare because i didn't want to be chicken but would much rather speak a truth even if it was personal, yes. truth > dare.

i'm not afraid of the truth. it will and has set her free. ✨💓

#britney spears #reality #2005 #mollyhale #i need more britney spears friends here #chaotic #2004 #00s #2000s #words #writing #kevin federline #life #music #prose #analysis

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butcharyastark · 1 year

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Speaking of jcs, can I have a rating of the musicals/ different versions?

HOWDY, IM SO GLAD YOU ASKED.

keep in mind ive only watched a handful of recordings or productions compared to other ppl but i do have Opinions on the ones ive watched. [cracks knuckles] so:

1. biased maybe because i just watched it but the 50th anniversary arena tour (circa early 2023, there have been other castings last year ik but this year's one is the one i love). i had the chance to go see it bc it was in my state this month and its the latest one i've watched but it instantly blew away all the other versions i've seen. just... the great singing of 1996 london cast and great acting of 1973 movie and creative staging like the 2018 live in concert.... it had everything and there was not a single ball dropped or a single bad or even meh actor or song or artistic decision. i am usually not one to rec ppl to go buy a ticket to an event but seeing it was the best intro to musical theater or live performances i could have ever had and AHHHHHH. sm details of this will stay in my mind forever re: jcs i can't pick one thing to deacribe bc it's Everything and i'd be here for two hours if i tried. it has my FAVORITE ending of any jcs production and idk if any other production will compare to the high intensity emotions and poetics and symbolism combined with amazing singing like this one.

2. have to go with 1996 london cast recording. i havent seen it and idk if there are even any bootleg recordings of it, but the album is The jcs album i relisten to. fucking A+++. again, maybe i'm biased bc this was my first full jcs album (as opposed to random songs), but idk if anything else but the 1973 movie studio recording album can compare purely musically to me. i love how you can HEAR the acting in the emotional singing while also not sacrificing the singing itself (looking at you 2000 movie judas), and idk i feel like it so clearly tells the story in the tone even without being able to see it, and that's fantastic. every other jcs production in terms of singing and audible acting gets compared to this one, for me. this is the one i hear in my head when i remember or mentally sing the lyrics.

3. 1973 movie. carl anderson. first official filmed jcs production. 70's outfits. meta narrative. do i need to say anything else? this was my second jcs version i consumed when i Got Into It and man im glad it was. when i first watched it, it seemed kinda just alright (probably bc im not a huge fan of movies from the 70's or 80's), but the further time goes on the more i realize this is kinda just The jcs. the classic jcs. i said 1996 london cast recording is what i compare everything else to musically, but i feel like this version is the one that every other version has to live up to. simple question: is your jcs production better than carl anderson painfully crying out "he won't listen to me!" on a mountain in the desert in a fringe outfit as jesus steps out of a tour bus, yes or no? and most of the time the answer is no.

i'm not a huge fan of older movies but the acting and music in this is top tier, the costuming is fun most of the time, the sets are neat, and the underlying metanarrative about an acting group performing jcs inuniverse for a film or smth is rlly interesting. it's the only other jcs album i have saved in my music folder besides the 1996 london cast recording. 9/10

also as a judas fan this is also the judas i compare every other judas to bc... goddamn carl anderson covers every base. desperation and anger and righteousness and tenderness and pain and bitterness and longing.... he has the range. and honestly it's got my favorite version of Superstar so far. i don't think anyone else has topped carl anderson's version yet.

4. swedish arena tour (idr the year). amazing casting, AMAZING acting, fucking incredible costumes, great singing. the only reason it's this far down this list is bc i prefer other character interpretations, but like, the appeal of bisexual vampy switch jesus who flirts with most of the apostles inbetween his main love interests of biker milf mary magdalene and legolas-in-a-mesh-shirt judas... simply cannot be understated. pretty much every artistic decision is 7 or higher out of 10. it's a very consistently good production, and a very gay one. i like the swedish translated lyrics also.

5. 2000 movie. i think everyone knows by now how bad this one is but it's so campy and jcs is inherently ridiculous as both the appeal and the concept that it loops back around to being good. it's not my fave version but it was my third jcs version and it was honestlly rlly fun to watch. what it lacks in singing, it makes up for in acting. i think Heaven On Their Minds, Everything's Alright, This Jesus Must Die, The Last Supper, and Superstar are the numbers that shine here. i think this movie is actually my favorite versions of everything's alright and this jesus must die. i really like the symbolism they try to use in this one. ik i said i genuinely think the acting makes up for the singing, but this might be higher if judas actually SANG. or if pilate was less sympathetic bc i actually hate this pilate djdjfj this version gets points for being much less antisemitic than other jcs productions with the priests, and then immediately loses them by being noticibly more racist than others in the temple. also my favorite peter is in this one. his acting in the last supper is like 25% of my enjoyment of this version.

6. 2018 live concert. full disclosure, i haven't finished this one yet, but i love it so far. i love the outfits and the staging and the energy and casting. this singing is not my favorite and i'm genuinely not sure if john legend knows how to act or if they just cast him bc he's john legend (i'll find out in the second half ig bc i also didn't like the acting of the 50th anniversary tour jesus in the first half and THEN--) but judas does a good enough version of heaven on their minds which is my main criteria for judging a jcs production in personal likes and i do Love the meta themes of casting a real superstar singer as jesus christ given the themes of the musical. i like the dynamics between judas and mary in this one. i think judas is in the closet in this one which is very sad but his outfits absolutely make up for it. it is a spectacle and a half and i'm enjoying it so far. it might get bumped up to #5 depending on how the second half goes.

7. original concept album. i know it's very weird putting the origin of the whole thing at the bottom, but that's not because it's bad, it's just not smth i'm in love with as a whole. i do need to relisten to it--actually i will do that today--but it was really good the first time i heard it, i'm just not a fan of the sound of early rock and prefer the way various versions adapt the music in progressively more modern times. objectively talented singing tho and heaven on their minds goes OFF. i may have more takes after relistening, but that's it rn.

8. i've listened to a bunch of other tidbits of assorted performances, mostly judas solos, bc as i said, i judge a jcs production by its heaven on their minds performance and i went scouring through classic and modern versions of that at one point. this is not part of the proper ranking bc i haven't listened to them in full, but i wanted to mention them here at the end. if anyone wants a list of my fave recs of that to look into:

original mexican cast (1975)

original japanese cast (1976)

mexican revival cast (1984)

original russian cast (1992)

original czech cast (1994)

jesus christ surferstar (2003)

all female jcs recording (2022)

most of these albums can be found just uploaded on youtube or even spotify which is very cool, please check them out, i had fun skipping thru them.

and uhhhh there's all the versions i've watched in full, or mostly watched, and a few of the ones i've done neither! ik this is very long (longer than i intended) but i hope this is what u were looking for and was entertaining or helpful!!

#salute emoji #my post #jcs #ask #thank u for sending this ask i got to gush abt jcs productions #rlly hope this is at all what u were asking for fjfnfn

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thattiredsock · 2 years

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Yvonne Elliman (1973 Film), Renee Castle (2000 Film), Melanie C (2012 Arena Tour) and Sara Bareilles (2018 Live Concert) as Mary Magdalene (Jesus Christ Superstar)

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trialbeforepilate · 3 years

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while i have ben daniels pilate on the mind,

#jesus christ superstar #jesus christ superstar live in concert 2018 #jcs pontius pilate #ben daniels #musical fanart #eyestrain

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spn-in-2021 · 3 years

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so what are some good musical(turned-into-film) drinking game rules?

#log.txt #i got some ofc but all input is appreciated #im gonna go get some liquor and then ill reblog w my own list sjsj #we are going to watch Cats(2019) and JCS(?? probably 2000 or 2012 arena tour)(OR 2018 live in concert)

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anditendshowyoudexpect · 6 years

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jesus, what a drama queen

#jesus chris superstar #live in concert 2018 #jesus #john legend #i don't think he's much of an actor #but good thing is jcs isn't really about jesus #and the rest of the cast is killing it #this is my blood you drink this is my body you eat #one of you denies me one of you betrays me

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mariusslonelysoul · 3 years

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The (not at all) Definite Ranking of (some) JCS Productions

I've seen way too many of these, and i wanted to do a longer post with more details, but until i get to that, have this shorter one

1. 2012 Arena Tour: the production (ensemble, band, staging, etc) is amazing, and the modern aspect adds a nice touch; Mel C as Mary M is very good, but the stars are Tim Minchin and Ben Forster. Their Judas and Jesus are simply marvelous, specially Ben Forster. Bonus point bc my mum loves it

2. 2012 Broadway Revival: Paul Nolan's Jesus is not very charismatic imo, but Chirila as Mary M is enchanting, i love her reaction to judas' death, it showcases their friendship. Josh Young as Judas is simply a religious experience, nothing more to say. Bonus points for being the first production i ever saw

3. 1973 movie: this is so 70s it hurts, and it's maybe the weirdest of them all, but it's fun. Ted Neely is a bit meek as Jesus, but smashes it in Gethsemani. Yvonne Elliman's Mary M feels quite mature and soothing. Big husbands energy, these Jesus and Judas. Don't love the pharisees though

4. 2018 Live Concert: love John Legend but his Jesus lacks some charisma too, same with Sara's Mary M and Victor's Judas. Overall a solid performance, but not my favourite. Alice Cooper as Herodes lacks that element of ridiculous. I do adore Erik Grönwall as Simon and Ben Daniels as Pilate. Bonus points for the glitter during The Temple

5. 2014 Sweddish Arena Tour: i don't speak a word of sweddish, but the acting and singing convey a lot of meaning. It is more metal than the usual rock when it comes to the music, and the characters are a bit more tough maybe. This Mary M is a badass, Judas is petty, and Jesus knows he is the Main Character

6. 2000 Film: i do not like this version, at all. The only things i kinda enjoyed were Pilate, Mary M and the cinematography

Bonus mention: Camilo Sesto's Gethsemani (in spanish). It is amazing. There's a recording on yt of him singing on live tv, and a cast recording on spotify, but i couldn't find any bootlegs

#jesus christ superstar #jcs #jesus christ superstar live arena tour #broadway #musical theatre #tim minchin #josh young #john legend #sara bareilles #ted neeley #carl anderson #camilo sesto #ola salo #peter johansson

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lochtayboatsong · 3 years

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The Jesus Christ Superstar essay absolutely no one asked for.

Last weekend, I watched the pro-shot of the 2012 arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar starring Ben Forster, Tim Minchin, and Melanie C, because it was Easter and it was up on YT for the weekend. I never managed to do my annual listen-through of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass this year, as is my usual Easter tradition, so I figured “Why not watch/listen to this instead?” It was my first time seeing and hearing JCS in full, and Y’ALL, it has been living rent-free in my brain ever since. I have a mighty need to get my thoughts out, so here they are, in chronological order by song.

1) Prologue: I love the way JCS 2012 makes use of the arena video screen. The production design and concept clearly took a lot of inspiration from the “Occupy ______” movement, which makes it feel a bit dated now. But every single production of JCS is a product of its time period, so this is a feature and not a bug.

2) Heaven On Their Minds: This is a straight-up rock song. It wouldn’t be out of place on any rock and roll album released between 1970 and 2021, and it boggles my mind that Webber and Rice were both in their early twenties when they wrote it. Also, the lyric “You’ve begun to matter more than the things you say” hits hard no matter the year.

3) What’s the Buzz: A+ use of the arena screens again, this time bringing in social media to set the tone. Also, this song establishes right from the outset that Jesus is burnt out and T I R E D by this point in the story. Seriously, can we just let this man have a nap?

4) Strange Thing Mystifying: Judas publicly calls out Mary and Jesus claps back. Folx, get you a partner who will defend your honor the way Jesus defends MM in this scene. Also Jesus loses his shoes and is mostly barefoot for the remainder of the show.

5) Everything’s Alright: Okay, this is one of the songs I have A LOT to say about. First, it’s important to know that I was a church musician throughout all of my adolescence and into my early adulthood. The pianist at the services I usually played at was a top-notch jazz pianist, and also my piano teacher for about six years while I as in high school and undergrad. (Incidentally, I had a HUGE crush on his son, who was/is a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist and also played in the church band, but that’s a story for another day.) One of the hymns we played a few times a year was called “Sing of the Lord’s Goodness,” which is notable for being in 5/4 time. Whenever this hymn was on the schedule, it was usually the recessional, or the last song played as the clergy processed out and the congregation got ready to leave, so we were able to have some fun with it. After a couple verses the piano player and his son would usually morph it into “Take Five,” a famous jazz standard by Dave Brubeck which is also in 5/4 time. Anyway, the first time I listened to this song in full, it got to Judas’s line “People who are hungry, people who are starving,” and I sat bolt upright and went “HOLY SHIT THIS IS ‘SING OF THE LORD’S GOODNESS/TAKE FIVE.’” And I was ricocheted back in time to being fourteen and trying to keep up with this father/son duo in a cavernous Catholic church while simultaneously making heart-eyes at the son. Final note: This is the only song in the musical to feature all three leads (Jesus, Judas, and Mary Magdalene) and is mostly Jesus and MM being soft with each other in between bouts of Jesus and Judas snarling at one another.

6) This Jesus Must Die: I LOVE that all the villains in this production are in tailored suits. LOVE IT. Also, Caiaphas and Annas are a comedy duo akin to “the thin guy and the fat guy,” except in this case it’s “the low basso profundo and the high tenor.” Excellent use of the arena video screen again, this time as CCTV.

7) Hosanna: My background as a church musician strikes back again. It honestly took me two or three listens to catch it, but then I had another moment of sitting bolt upright and going “HOLY SHIT THIS IS A PSALM.” Psalms sung in church usually take the form of call-and-response, with a cantor singing the verses and the congregation joining in for the chorus. If I close my eyes during this song, I have no trouble imagining Jesus as a church cantor singing the verses and then bringing the congregation in for the “Ho-sanna, Hey-sanna” chorus.

8) Simon Zealotes: This is part “Gloria In Excelsis” and part over-the-top Gospel song. Honestly it’s not my favorite, but it marks an important mood change in the show. The end of “Hosanna” is probably Jesus at his happiest in the entire show, and then Simon comes in and sours the mood by trying to tip the triumphant moment into a violent one. Jesus is not truly happy again from this moment on.

9) Poor Jerusalem: Also not my fave. It kinda reads like Webber and Rice realized that Jesus didn’t have a solo aria in Act I, so they came up with this. But it has the distinction of containing the lyric, “To conquer death you only have to die,” which is the biggest overarching theme of the story.

10) Pilate’s Dream: Pontius Pilate might be the most underrated role in this entire show, and I love that this production has him singing this song while being dressed in judge’s robes.

11) The Temple: The first half of this is one of the campiest numbers in Act I, at least in this production, and it’s awesome. The second half is one of the saddest, as Jesus tries to heal the sick but finds there are too many of them. Also the whole scene is almost entirely in 7/8 time, which I think is just cool.

12) I Don’t Know How To Love Him: Mary Magdalene’s big aria, and one of the songs I knew prior to seeing the full-length show. This production has MM taking off her heavy lipstick and eye makeup onstage, mid-song, which is kind of cool. Melanie C says in a BTS interview that MM’s makeup is her armor, so this is a Big Symbolic Moment.

13) Damned For All Time: The scene transition into this song is played entirely in pantomime, and I love it. The solo guitarist gets to be onstage for a bit, A+ use of the video screen again to show Judas on CCTV, etc. Love it. And then this song is Judas frantically rationalizing what he’s doing, and what he’s about to do, with Caiphas and Annas just reacting with raised eyebrows and knowing looks.

14) Blood Money: This is where the tone of the show really takes a turn for the dark. I think this might be one of Tim Minchin’s finest moments as Judas, because his facial expressions and microexpressions throughout this scene speak absolute volumes. And the offstage chorus quietly singing “Well done Judas” as he picks up the money is a positively chilling way to end Act I.

15) The Last Supper: Act II begins with major “Drink With Me” vibes. (Except JCS came WAY before Les Miz, so it’s probably more accurate to say that “Drink With Me” has major “The Last Supper” vibes.) Jesus and Judas have their knock-down, drag-out fight, and it’s honestly heartbreaking, thanks again to Tim Minchin’s facial expressions. A well-done production of JCS will really convey that Jesus and Judas were once closer than brothers, even though their relationship is at breaking point when Act I begins.

16) Gethsemane: This is Jesus’s major showpiece and one of my faves. Jesus knows he has less than 24 hours to live, he knows he’s going to suffer, and worst of all, he doesn’t know whether it’s going to be worth it. It’s an emotional rollercoaster to watch and to perform, and it goes on for ages: something like 6 or 7 minutes. Fun fact: the famous G5 is not written in the score. Ian Gillan, who played Jesus on the original concept album, just sang it that way, so most subsequent Jesuses have also done it that way. Lindsay Ellis has a great supercut of this on YT. John Legend notably sang the line as written during the 2018 concert.

17) The Arrest: Judas’s Betrayer’s Kiss is played differently across different productions. The 2012 version is pretty tame - I’ve seen clips and gifs of other productions, including the 2000 direct-to-video version, where they kiss fully on the mouth and have to be dragged apart by the guards and it is THE MOST TENDER THING. Then the 7/8 riff from “The Temple” comes back and the 2012 version lets the video screen do its thing again as Jesus is swarmed by reporters.

18) Peter’s Denial: Not much to say about this one, as it’s basically a scene transition. But it’s a significant moment in the Passion story, so I’m glad they included it.

19) Pilate and Christ: The 2012 production continues with the theme of Caiaphas, Annas, and Pilate all being bougie af, since Pilate intentionally looks like he just came from tennis practice during this scene. Also he does pilates...hehehe.

20) King Herod’s Song: Tim Minchin says in a BTS interview that JCS works best when Jesus and Judas are played seriously and the rest of the production is allowed to be completely camp and wild and bizarre all around them, and he is bloody well CORRECT about that. Case in point: King Herod. There is not a single production of JCS that I know of where Herod is played “straight.” He’s been played by everyone from Alice Cooper to Jack Black, and everyone puts a different zany spin on him. In JCS 2012 he’s a chat show host in a red crushed velvet suit, who is clearly having the time of his LIFE.

21) Could We Start Again Please: This is another of my faves. Just a quiet moment where MM, Peter, and the disciples try to grapple with the fact that Jesus is arrested and things are going very, very badly. This is also my favorite Melanie C moment of the 2012 show. Her grief is very real, and the little moment she has with Peter at the end is very real.

22) Death of Judas: This is basically Tim Minchin screaming for about five minutes, and incredibly harrowing to watch on first viewing.

23) Trial Before Pilate: Possibly my single favorite scene in the entire 2012 production. This is another harrowing watch, but there’s so much to take in. The “set” that the entire show takes place on is essentially just a massive staircase, and the people with power are almost always positioned above the people without power. In this scene, the crowd shouting “Crucify Him!” is positioned above Pilate, which is a very telling clue to Pilate’s psychology during this scene. Jesus is at the very bottom of the stairs, of course. Excellent use of the video screen once again during the 39 Lashes, to show the lash marks building and building until the entire screen is a wash of red. Pilate’s counting also gets more and more frantic, especially starting around “20.” And all the while the guitar riff from “Heaven On Their Minds” is playing. Jesus’s line “Everything is fixed and you can’t change it” is played quite differently in different productions - here it’s defiant, but elsewhere (in JCS 2000 for example) it’s almost tender, like Jesus is absolving Pilate for his part in the trial. But it always ends the same - with Pilate almost screaming as he passes the sentence and “washes his hands” of the whole sorry business.

24) Superstar: The most over-the-top number in the show. Judas, who died two scenes ago, comes back to sing this. There are soul singers. There are girls in skimpy angel costumes. The parkour guys from the prologue are back. Judas pulls a tambourine out of hammerspace midway through the song. And Jesus is silently screaming and crying as he gets hoisted onto a lighting beam while all this is going on.

25) The Crucifixion: More of a spoken-word piece than a song, it’s Jesus’s final words on the cross over eerie piano music, and another harrowing watch.

26) John 19:41: An instrumental piece in which Jesus is taken from the cross and carried, at last, to the top of the stairs, before being lowered out of sight as the video screen turns into a memorial wall and everything fades to black.

So. I know I’m anywhere from three to fifty-one years late to this particular party, but I am on the JCS bandwagon now and I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. :)

#jesus christ superstar #jcs 2012 #jcs is all i have been thinking about all week sorry not sorry #ben forster #tim minchin #melanie c #andrew lloyd webber #tim rice

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tarry-a-lot · 4 years

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Howdy, JCS 2018 live review

Jesus Christ 2018! What a blast this will be probably longer then the other two I wrote out (which I also may have privated because last week my nerves were really bad and I started panicking and overthinking so.. yeah not sure if I’ll repost them, honestly probably won’t)

Note: I have only watched JCS 2000 and 2012 arena and have yet to watch the 70′s movie. I’ve also watched each version with my dad because I’m currently home with my parents and he was the on that got me into JCS (he was only familiar with the 70′s movie before this).

So I have to say right off the bat, why did no one tell me how pretty the stage is? Like damn it’s like an abandoned church being worked on for renovation or something, stage was probably one of my dad and I’s favourite part, I liked 2012 stage a lot but I think 2018 has to be my favourite (not to say the others were worse just personal preference)

I would say my one major complaint I have for this version is direction. Everything else like the choreography and staging was really impressive and well done but I just felt they didn’t give enough focus and development of Jesus and Judas’ relationship. Like blood money felt so sudden despite it being in the same place as any other production. I mean this is not new, I personally find quite a few productions sometimes lose Judas until blood money setting up for the betrayal. Like maybe because of it being a live show they couldn’t fit extra scenes like the 2000 ver. which is completely understandable, so it would have been more up to the actors really bringing it for the scenes they were together, I think Dixon did a wonderful job but I find Legend was a bit lacking (not really a complaint, he’s not an actor so I was pleased with what he did despite it not being his specialty) resulting in me not feeling as sad as I could have been for Judas during his death/damned for all time.

Rather than bullets I’ll split it by character (sorry for the paragraphs I just have a lot of thoughts)

Jesus: Not the best actor but honestly John Legend seems like such a nice man and his face just exudes soft and gentle so he pretty much already has the traits someone would associate with Jesus so no major complaints there. He also is famous so it added to the star factor of Jesus when the crowd is hyped for his appearance, honestly the crowd’s excitement throughout the show was wonderful. His singing style is so pretty and really suits the songs. I do think the belting or lack of belting was definitely a weak point; it seemed like his falsetto notes were a bit off which makes me believe perhaps it wasn’t the best day vocally for him, which sucks but you know that’s natural and it happens. While some notes weren’t the best I was still very impressed how he kept going without any major falters, like gethsemane? he must have known the notes were going to be questionable, for throughout act 1 he was already struggling, but Legend kept going and made, in my opinion, quite smart decisions for how he was going to sing the song. He didn’t do the first signature high note at “why” which may have been disappointing to some but I think if he knew he would struggle with the note that day it would have weakened the impact of the song more if he went for the high note and failed, also other actor’s have also not done that note in the past and still have a wonderful gethsemane (example being Evan Tyrone Martin who did one of my favourite versions of gethsemane). Instead of the high note for “why” Legend saves it for the later part of the song which is more emotional so honestly you could mask a more wispy high notes as emotions rather than lack of ability/an off singing day. Also one final thing, him going down for the last line I also thought was a great choice for him because it’s always best to end strong. One thing about acting, I wish the director told Legend to express more with his hands and body rather than just his shoulders and neck/head. While the high emotion parts weren’t the best acted, I appreciate Legend’s effort and overall thought he was an enjoyable Jesus, he is such a soft Jesus.

Judas: Dixon is so talented what the hell? His heaven on their minds is more subdued then I'm used to it being but it makes sense to his interpretation of Judas who I find more calm but frustrated while others like Minchin and Pradon had more of a panicked and scared side to them, both versions I think work. Dixon’s Judas’ death is one of my favourite versions singing wise, staging was minimal but Dixon’s acting was great so it was actually nice just to focus on him. It’s tv so the death was a bit anticlimactic the falling ladder was meh but again it’s tv not their fault. Wish he had more interaction with Jesus but not Dixon’s fault. Dixon is just so talented and wow, a great Judas.

Mary M.: A SOft, sweet Mary, really suits Legend’s Jesus and I also liked how she was nice to Judas despite him being a bit of a prick to her. I liked her dress and her singing suited the songs really well. Not the most emotional in her singing though she did show emotion in her face, but I'm not that mad I thought overall she was lovely, I would listen more to Bareilles Mary M.

Peter: A soft looking boi, why are so many of the characters soft in this version? He has a lovely voice and sounded nice with Mary on Could we start again. I liked how he really exuded this kind of young excitement and I liked his interactions with the other disciples in the background.

Simon: A soft punk boi? Nothing against the actor, just against the director but the Simon Zealotes song staging was weird, like choreography was fine but it was more like Simon’s concert time rather than Simon trying to start a riot. While that scene wasn't the best executed in my opinion I thought he still was a lovely Simon. I really liked him spray painting Jesus’ name at the start if my memory serves me correctly. Despite his more punk look he still was hugging everyone and seemed so sweet but like also strangely violence loving which I think suits Simon so overall really liked this aggressive but sweet Simon.

Pontius Pilate: Honestly I think my dad and I have just a love for an extra Pontius Pilate, because we really liked the 2000 interpretation but this version was also great. He’s not as good of singer as the 2000 version but his acting was wonderful and such a joy to watch. Also you’d think his costume wouldn’t work because it’s strangely tacky but it looks so good on him for some reason?

Herod: He’s literally Alice Cooper. Could have been a bit flashier but still fun. The acting and singing wasn’t the best version I’ve seen but I think the star power and general vibe of Alice Cooper is kind of enough to carry the scene enough, the crowd’s excitement really helped the scene in my opinion. I really liked Alice Cooper just having fun with the applause at the end.

Caiaphas and Annas: For some reason my dad really loved Annas in this version, like whenever he came on my dad was just super hyped but hey he was a great Annas. Also those costumes!!!??! wow just wow, they look so cool!!!! Not my favourite Caiaphas but I’m a sucker for Norm Lewis so I was just happy to see him. I really liked how in Hosanna Caiaphas is on the same level as Jesus and the disciples and sings directly to them eye to eye, which gave off more the vibe that Caiaphas is not stopping them because he’s some leader looking down at them and trying to crush them but more someone of the same community trying to bring an end to a disturbance that is concerning to him.

Ensemble: All so talented, I only really knew Heath Saunders and Mykal Kilgore but it was fun seeing them in the background. I kept pointing them out whenever they appeared because I was excited. Like I said before I liked how the disciples seemed to get along and hug each other a lot. I also really loved the trio during “Superstar” with the silver dresses, I really liked how they even added silver to their hair, they were lovely and really pretty. Also the musicians coming on the stage and the guitarist on the scaffolding were great!! really added to the show

Overall, I really liked this version, but my favourite part was the set change during the crucifixion. To preface this I have been very fortunate to watch both Hadestown and Phantom of the Opera before, and during Hadestown, while I cried due to plot stuff, one of the reasons I cried was at the end of act 1 there are these swinging lamps and the set grows/parts and I cried because it was so pretty and just wow. During Phantom the only times I cried was the opening overture where the chandelier is revealed and when they descend to the Phantom lair for the first time and the stairs appear and disappear from the wall and the whole boat thing. What I’m trying to say is I love sets moving and beautiful imagery created by sets, I just really like sets okay. So at the end when John Legend is on the cross and it starts to get raised I first thought, are they just going to lift him up and away because uhh... ?? BUT THEN THE F*CKING WALLS SPLIT AND THE GAPS CREATE A CROSS LIKE THE F*CK I CAN’T AHHHHHHHHHHHHH YOU DON’T UNDERTSAND HOW EXCITED I WAS MY MIND WAS BLOWN I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!!!! (does it really matter that i censored this? not really, just feels weird to just write out f word despite using it a lot)

it really reminded me of Tando Ando’s Church of Light, really exciting stuff

haha that’s all, I really liked this version and just A+ overall

#jcs #jesus christ superstar #jcs 2018 #ramblings

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acsversace-news · 6 years

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OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES

The Alienist The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Genius: Picasso Godless Patrick Melrose

What should win: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (or, really, Twin Peaks: The Return) What will win: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story is easily the most high-profile show among these nominees, and almost certainly the winner as well. It’s a well-deserving choice, even if it’s frustrating that this category is lacking in stiff competition. The biggest snub here is definitely Twin Peaks: The Return, which might have proved just a little too out-there for Emmy voters. Still, it’s bizarre to see that high-profile series ignored over less-discussed shows like Godless, The Alienist, Patrick Melrose, and Genius: Picasso. But we’ll try not to hold that against Versace when it takes home the award.

If we voted: An even bigger mystery than “who drew the dicks?” is “why did American Vandal get so little love from Emmy voters?” We would’ve loved to see that wonderfully original series nominated along with The Terror, Alias Grace, and of course, Twin Peaks: The Return. —Caroline Siede

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR – LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE

Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso Darren Criss, The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose Jeff Daniels, The Looming Tower John Legend, Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert Jesse Plemons, “USS Callister” (Black Mirror)

What should win: Darren Criss, The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story What will win: Darren Criss, The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

It can be hard to be the runaway favorite in a category. Darren Criss’ inevitable win feels a little unexciting at this point, even though he’s more than deserving of the award. He delivered a truly captivating performance as serial killer Andrew Cunanan, flipping from charming to terrifying at the drop of a hat (or the drop of a bag of concrete). But the biggest story here is a snub: Where’s Kyle MacLachlan?!? MacLachlan’s multi-faceted performance on Twin Peaks: The Return definitely deserved some love from Emmy voters. On the other hand, we’re thrilled to see John Legend recognized for his soulful turn as Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert. Long live the live musical, and long live Agent Dale Cooper!

If we voted: In addition to MacLachlan, we would’ve loved to see a little more love for the Paramount Network’s Waco. Both Taylor Kitsch and Michael Shannon gave great performances in the little-seen miniseries about the Waco siege against David Koresh and his Branch Davidians. —Caroline Siede

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS – LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE

Sara Bareilles, Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert Penelope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Judith Light, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Adina Porter, American Horror Story: Cult Merritt Weaver, Godless Letitia Wright, Black Museum (Black Mirror)

Who should win: Judith Light, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Who will win: Penélope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

This category is an embarrassment of riches, and depending on how potential sweeps start shaping up, it could go many ways. Given the Emmys’ past love for American Crime Story, and Penélope Cruz’s strong performance as Donatella Versace, she’s likely to walk away with the award. A more interesting choice would be Judith Light, for the less flashy but equally compelling role of Marilyn Miglin. Light is gripping as Miglin, and the intensity of her performance helps pivot the series from its glitzier early episodes to its increasingly darker, more devastating later run.

If we voted: It boggles the mind that industry darling and Emmy fave Laura Dern wasn’t nominated for her work as Diane on Twin Peaks: The Return. Julia Ormond and Rebecca Liddiard were also great this year in Howards End and Alias Grace, respectively, but come on, guys. Laura Dern! —Kate Kulzick

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR – LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE

Jeff Daniels, Godless Brandon Victor Dixon, Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert John Leguizamo, Waco Ricky Martin, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Michael Stuhlbarg, The Looming Tower Finn Wittrock, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Who should win: Brandon Victor Dixon, Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert Who will win: Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

I mean, did you even see JCS Live? Brandon Victor Dixon’s Judas blew John Legend out of the water with every sequined tank top, black leather vest, and wailing high note he could muster. He’s already a Tony-caliber performer, so it’s thrilling to see his considerable talents translated to the small screen in equally exuberant ways. Still, we think Edgar Ramirez’s small but mighty turn as Gianni Versace in American Crime Story (and his higher profile as an actor) might win out in the end.

If we voted: Since we’re committed to our heartfelt stan for Twin Peaks: The Return, we’d like to remind you that the late, great Harry Dean Stanton was in it, and he sang a lovely blues song, and that should make you very happy. —Clint Worthington

#acs versace #consequence of sound #darren criss #penelope cruz #judith light #edgar ramirez #article #awards talk #emmys 2018 #july 2018

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