`Jesus' coming to Santa Ana
Screening of 1973 Andrew Lloyd Weber/Tim Rice musical will include cast members
The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana is going to be all about celebrating Jesus this weekend.
But no need to dress in your Sunday best or be ready to confess, just be ready to rock out as the independent theater marks the 50th anniversary of the musical drama film “Jesus Christ Superstar” today and Saturday.
In attendance will be Ted Neeley, who starred as Jesus; Kurt Yaghjian, who played Annas, the high priest; the film's choreographer, Rob Iscove; and set photographer, David James.
“I think the movie is as equally if not more exciting and popular than it's ever been. In 50 years, each new generation has turned their kids on to it, so it's even more fantastic to be able to do this now than it was in the very beginning,” said Neeley, who has presented the film at the Orange County theater a few times before.
Neeley and the rest of the cast will introduce the film and answer questions, then will stick around after the screenings to sign autographs and take photos with fans.
Logan Crow, executive director and founder of the Frida Cinema, expects this screening to rock even more than previous ones he's held since it's attached to an
`JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR' SCREENING
When: 7 p.m. today and Saturday Where: Frida Cinema, 305E. Fourth St., Santa Ana
Tickets: $20 at thefridacinema.org
anniversary.
“Fans of `Jesus Christ Superstar' will be celebrating 50 years of one of the greatest screen musicals ever produced alongside stage and screen legend Ted Neeley,” Crow said. “It's going to be electric; it's going to be great. We'll have people dancing in the aisles, singing along.”
The movie is an adaptation of the 1970 rock opera of the same title that turned the story of the last days of Jesus into a flashy musical spectacle featuring a memorable score by the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. “Jesus Christ Superstar” opened on Broadway in 1971 and sold out, also igniting protests by religious groups that argued it was blasphemous.
Neeley was a member of that original stage production as part of the ensemble cast and as the understudy for Jesus.
“I felt this was something special from day one of rehearsals,” Neeley said. “It was the music, no question.”
A couple of years later, it was his turn to rise when he landed the lead role in the film adaptation, which came after Neeley got a call from the film's director, Norman Jewison, asking him to come to London for an audition.
“I just fell on the floor,” said Neeley, who joined a cast of relatively unknown actors in the film.
Like the musical, the film version recounts the last days of Jesus Christ told from the perspective of Judas Iscariot, who worries that Jesus is falling for his own hype. And after Jesus has an outburst in a temple, Judas betrays him.
Shot in Israel, the rock opera mixed passionate lyrics with a contemporary slant that included slang and flamboyant dance and song numbers.
“The movie is the greatest screen adaptation of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical,” Crow said. “The music is incredible; it crosses so many genres. It's an incredible rock opera that still stands up 50 years later.”
It earned $24.5 million at the box office and was nominated for an Oscar while earning Neeley a Golden Globe nomination.
The showing at the Frida Cinema is the start of Neeley's national screening tour in support of the film's anniversary.
“It sure seems like audiences love this film. No matter where we go, people are always telling us they just saw it again and it was wonderful,” he said.