Fantasy Casting Call: JCSuperstar
So, I don’t know how many of you know it or not, but I freakin’ LOVE Jesus Christ Superstar. Now, this does not mean I love all musicals. I find the majority of musicals ridiculous and artificial. Many good comedy skits have spoofed exactly what I’m talking about: out of nowhere, actors will break into song and choreographed dance as if that’s perfectly normal, then lapse back into spoken acting as if THAT’S perfectly normal, too. Buffy tVS:the musical did a good send-up of that, I feel, and that’s one of the reasons I like it so much, despite the lacking vocal skills of some of our favorite characters.
But JCS is different. It has no speaking, a la Opera. Hence, the term Rock Opera. All of our story comes in lyrical form and acting. Groovy.
My relationship with JCS began as soon as I could hear my brothers and sisters playing that classic, dark-brown-leather-look LP with the gold icon of the two conjoined angels:
I have vivid memories of nabbing the keys to my brother’s bright blue Firebird and going out in the rain just so I could get in and pop-in the 8-track he had of the Original London Cast Recording. Murray Head, and later Carl Anderson shared Judas’ insanity with us in his opening lines “My mind is clearer, now.” So was mine, now that I could settle in and enjoy a good listening, skipping over Mary Magdelene’s “I Don’t Know How To Love Him”, watching the rain pelt the windshield. Throughout my childhood, no album spoke directly to me like that one did. Many years later, having no stage experience, when the opportunity drifted my way to actually BE IN a local staging of the show, I JUMPED at it! And, while I recognize that the show we all made ten years ago was strictly amateur, I will cherish it as if I had been on Broadway with my name in lights. I have made an effort to see every local production or presentation of it, ever since (Sebastian Bach sucked.). Privately, I long to play the role of Pilate, myself – it so fits my dramatic, agnostic personality.
One really geeky thing I do is to think up Dream Casts for the JCS movie I will make when I become a millionaire. It will be a fulfillment of a dream to see a movie starring Chris Cornell as Christ. He was born to play the role, IMO, as much as Ted Neely from the 1973 movie. I would direct the movie, and produce the music (with Lenny Kravitz’ help). Here are the rest of my cast picks:
JC – Chris Cornell – I’d pay good money just to hear him sing Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)
Judas – ? I have never made this tough decision – after all, it’s really Judas’ play, and the singer should be strong and have great range
Mary Magdelene – Sarah McLachlan? Amy Lee?
Peter – somebody wholesome
Simon Zealotes – Lenny Kravitz
High Preist Caiphas – Marilyn Manson? somebody evil
Second Preist Annas – ? somebody weaselly
Pilate – David Bowie – hey, he already played it in Last Temptation of Christ, so perfect!
Herod – Fred Schneider from the B-52s
So, I put it to you the audience – who would you fill in the blanks with? Who would you re-cast, supplying a different singer?
January 30th, 2005 at 1:03 pm
Wow. How may times have we had this particular discussion? Forget Fantasy Football, we’re drafting teams for Fantasy Superstar – the sport of music geeks.
H’okay. We always have, and always will agree that Chris Cornell would be the perfect Jesus. He has the range, the emotional depth, the sad forlorn eyes and even the silly little tuft of hair on his chin. Sold! Now, let’s see how the rest should pan out:
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Jesus – Chris Cornell (as previously stated, here for completion’s sake)
Judas – Lenny Kravitz. He’d make a good Simon, but I think he’d make a better Judas (he’s a little jumpy on stage, but not near jumpy enough). He’s hot a great voice and a lot of depth of soul for a rock performer.
Mary Magdelene – Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde fame. Yeah, her voice isn’t as silky as I would like, but it’s more than sultry enough to make up the difference. Imagine her singing “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” in her Janis-Joplin-with-greater-range-and-less-gravel voice. I bet you wouldn’t skip over it then. I sure as hell wouldn’t.
Peter – Chris Barron, lead singer of the Spin Doctors. He even has the “white man’s afro” for the part.
Simon Zealotes – Dave Grohl. Good energy, raw edge.
High Preist Caiphas – Dave Wyndorf, lead singer of Monster Magnet. Wow, Marilyn Manson would be fantastic too, but Dave has a au natural creepiness to his voice that just does it for me as well. An alternate would be Till Lindemann of Rammstein… have to teach him English first. Alternate alternate James “Metallica” Hetfield. Alternate alternate alternate, Rob Zombie (I just like the idea of him playing that part).
Second Preist Annas – Jack White. High nasally voice, a little rough around the edges. Good to go.
Pilate – Brendan Perry from Dead Can Dance. He’s got the potential for a lovely haunted texture to his voice. Perfect for the ruler who has seen his own fate played out for him and cannot avoid it.
Herod – Fred Schneider… wow. Good choice, I can’t argue too much about that. I would however like to toss Weird Al Yankovic in as an understudy. I’m just sayin’.
January 30th, 2005 at 1:28 pm
First off, I wanna go on record that it’s the “str8” guys who are talking about casting musical theatre.
Next, I’d really like to see Jack Black as Herod. He’d be FABULOUS!
January 31st, 2005 at 8:29 am
Judas – Daniel Glidenlow. Talk about a voice born for the part.
January 31st, 2005 at 12:06 pm
Chris Cornell IS a god!
February 1st, 2005 at 9:30 am
OK, I like the Dave Grohl, the Chris Barron, and possibly the Jack White. Johnette Napolitano is too old, I think. Should be in her 20s or 30s. Jack Black would be a good second choice for Herod. Nobody but Bowie gets Pilate, unless he backs out of the role. I’d like Rob Zombie as Caiphas, since he is kingly and dark. Marilyn might not take a “lesser” role like Annas.
I listened to Daniel Glidenlow, and he reminds me of Queensryche’s lead singer, but he may be a bit too unknown and operatic. I just remembered my favored choice for Judas – Peter Gabriel. He has a worldliness and depth of spirit that would lend itself to the character’s devotion/disdain for Christ. His voice is rich and reedy, and can go low and high. His look can be warm and open, or dark and brooding, with eyes that speak volumes either way. Judas is conflicted and powerfully emotional, and I think Peter Gabriel can display the full range of his internal conflict. Plus, he was also already involved in the Last temptation of Christ, doing the soundtrack, so he is well-versed in the material.
These have been some great suggestions! Anyone else have any good ideas for rockers to play the parts?
February 1st, 2005 at 7:30 pm
eric adams.although the white man advoidance protocol (wimap, for short) has made it quite impossible for me to be anything but unfamiliar with the parts to suggest anything further.
February 3rd, 2005 at 5:55 am
Ah, wimap.
February 9th, 2005 at 5:15 pm
Krazy and GonzO – good recommendations, both, but they don’t fit the idea I had for something of an “All-Star” cast full of higher-profile alterna-rock performers in most cases. I would, however,like to check out Pain of Salvations selections.