Sweet Jesus!

Forgive the blasphemy, but Sweet Jesus! I finally saw a live production of Jesus Christ Superstar last night, and it was amazing. It starred none other than Ted Neeley, the star of the Norman Jewison film from 35 years ago. Let me say that again, people. Thirty Five Years Ago. 

This is important, because I took my lovely goddaughter to the show. She is eleven. The same age as I was when the movie came out. 

Oh, excuse me, I have to take a call. 

I'm back now. 

It was Father Time. He said, "Tick, tick, tick." 

What a jerk.

So, anyway. At the tender age of eleven, I completely memorized the soundtrack to JCSS. And, I still remember Every. Single. Lyric. You could throw me on the stage and I could spit out any role: Mary, Jesus, even Caiaphas. I'll admit, last night it was hard (HARD) not to sing along, but I managed to reign in my fervor and just lipsync the parts. I think the woman next to me thought I'd had a bit too much holy wine, but I didn't care. I was in heaven. So to speak. 

Lest you think I'm a religious person, I'm not. Sure, when I was eight I wanted to be a nun, but ever since, not so much. Now, I appreciate this story for its heroic quest qualities, and as hero quests go, it's a doozie.  A nearly impossible but noble goal. Deception and betrayal. Unrequited love. A test of the heroes mettle. 

And Ted Neeley? At sixty-something Ted's a tad old to play the 33 year old Jesus, but hey, it was TED. He was a wizened Jesus, a Gandolfian Jesus, perhaps even a Dumbledorian Jesus, but his voice still rocks. 

I loved it.