In the fall of 1971 – just as Mickey Mouse was throwing open the pearly gates of Disney World Orlando and John Lennon’s Imagine was the gospel heard across international airwaves – Broadway debuted a new rock opera dedicated to one of the most familiar prophets of them all: Jesus of Galilee. Inspired by both the final period of his life known as The Passion and Bob Dylan’s ballad “With God on Our Side,” Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice explored themes of power, ego, and relationships in Jesus Christ Superstar – originally released as an LP while funding for the stage was secured. Amid religious controversy and artistic disputes, Jesus Christ Superstar would sell out nearly every show in New York City’s Mark Hellinger Theatre during its first run, ushering in a British invasion and securing its place in musical theatre history.
Cut to indigo lights on a black box stage in Santa Barbara, where Out of the Box Theatre Company rolled out a homegrown, all-woman version of the musical at Center Stage Theater – anchored by the explosive performances of UCSB alum Miriam Dance (Jesus) and seasoned artist Renee Cohen (Judas). With an appealing set configuration of streamlined risers framing a luminous cross, director Samantha Eve used gender as a starting point to navigate themes that moved beyond the politics of religion and into issues plaguing Santa Barbara today. Yes, the myriad consequences of dogma still played out in classic form, but Eve pushed further, outfitting the Sanhedrin in Palm Beach shift dresses and perfectly coifed hair that alluded to a growing, homogenous ruling class. She also tapped local drag performer Vivian Storm for the role of King Herod, driving the subject of representation home as many Central Coast artists continue to leave the area in search of more diverse environs. The cast itself could have been plucked from a United Colors of Benetton ad, daring the audience to imagine a world where no one body type, skin tone, or voice prevailed: War is over, if you want it!
Eve may not be the first director to play with the nuances of race, gender, or class in a Jesus Christ Superstar production, but as more scholars debunk many of the tired themes in Webber and Rice’s original version – including the notion that Mary Magdalene was anything less than a well-respected apostle – reimagining the nearly 25-year-old musical feels all the more relevant. As for the effects of reconceptualization? Opening night hosted a sold-out crowd filled with seasoned theatregoers, abuelitas, drama students, and a queen contingent that whooped and hollered during the entire 3.5 minutes of “King Herod’s Song.” In other words, community theatre at its finest, and a strong representation of Out of the Box’s grassroots mission.
