Venice Theatre

‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ is rock-solid rock musical

By Kim Cool
Features Editor, Venice Gondolier-Sun
July 30, 2011

Directed and choreographed by Brad Wages, Venice Theatre’s summer stock production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" is proof of the value of the theater’s five-year-old summer program and its depth of talent.

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, this story of the last days in the life of Jesus Christ lives up to every expectation and then some.

From the moment the curtain is raised until the final curtain call, Wages’ direction and choreography showcase the strengths of this cast and actually enhance what already is a fabulous musical. Having dancers such as Dan Smith (Simon Zealotes) doesn’t hurt. He was hitting the mark and inspiring his fellow players from day one of rehearsals. I could see that for myself when I stopped by to gather information for a previous article about the summer stock program (July 23 Our Town).

In his tall black boots and silver-vested costume, Tony DeNiro owns the stage as Judas Iscariot, who would try to move Jesus’ disciples in a different direction, finally betraying Jesus yet ultimately blaming God for using him (Judas) in this manner.

With her stunning voice and stage presence honed over many years on Venice Theatre’s stage, recent high school grad Kaitlyn Terpstra held the audience spell-bound during her delivery of "I Don’t Know How to Love Him." Last summer she gave us an equally stunning performance as Annie Oakley in "Annie Get Your Gun." Watching her grow up at Venice Theatre and develop her talents to this extent is one of the joys of my job as a critic.

As Jesus, Sam Garvin gives a performance nothing short of miraculous, given the terrible hit-and-run accident in January that took the life of his best friend and left him with a broken leg and several other serious injuries. I had chills when he sang "I Only Want To Say (Gethsemane)" because he sounded so much like Michael Crawford singing the song on my "Michael Crawford Performs Andrew Lloyd Webber" CD.

Garvin, who will be a junior at Booker High School, exhibited physical strength to match his acting and musical talent in the final scene on the cross. For what seemed like nearly five minutes he emoted while also holding himself on the cross in one of the most powerfully moving numbers in the show.

The company’s biblical studies with Associate Rector Earl Beshears of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church paid off too in the emotion every player was able to depict throughout the performance.

Paying homage to Venice’s circus history is the lavish number built around "King Herod’s Song." Kelly Leissler is excellent in this major role. Webber music, Wages choreography, costumes by Karly Tufenkjian and yet another reinterpretation of the modular set make for a knock-out number. This and every other number were enhanced by that set, the result of a lot of labor by the hard-working construction crew working and scenic designer/technical director John Andzulis, lighting designer/assistant tech director Derick Kitson and sound designer Gabriella Gorka. Michelle Kasanofsky is the production’s very fine musical director.

There are three adults in the cast: Phil DeNiro (Tony’s father), William Czarniak as a priest and Wages, who portrayed a powerful Pontius Pilate with huge emotion.

Matthew Scott Robinson plays the role of Peter with Emily Ross as Annas. The ensemble includes Madison Andrew, Megan Bartek, Mimi Bertha, Rachael Burtram, Mariah Colette Cochran, Hunter Cross, Charlotte Crowley, Jasmine Deal, Sydney Deal, Aimee Dickens, Lindsey Edwards, Stacy Gilson, Alexis Jackson, Madeline Kaus, Jason Messer, Cole Murray, Patience Patrick, Emily Ross, Amber Lee Todoroff and Logan Yates.

Productions like this are why Venice Theatre is held in such esteem throughout the United States and is of such value to this community. Don’t miss it.

The summer production is sponsored by Boone, Boone, Boone, Koda & Frook P.A.