Sing out for yourselves for you are blessed! Blessed to hear the stellar talent performing live on stage for the final production of the Children’s Playhouse of Maryland 2022/2023 season. Closing this season with a bang, their production of Jesus Christ Superstar is nothing short of stunning; it will give you chills, bring tears to your eyes, and make you thunder with applause by the time the show reaches its conclusion. Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt, with Musical Direction by Charlotte Evans Crowley, and Choreography by Rachel Miller, this sensational production is showcasing a fine cast of superstars, delivering the Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice musical in all of its finest rocker-music glory.
Technical Director as well as Set Designer Diane M. Smith has built a physical set for this production of Jesus Christ Superstar and it is a wonderful component to this excellent show. The grungy brick-walled background with boarded-up windows (by way of Scenic Artist Rachel Miller) gives the illusion of a desperate and derelict modern-day city-sidewalk. It could be downtown Baltimore, which lends an air of relevant modernity to the production from an aesthetic point. There’s also a scaffolding-platform, which gets used frequently, not only by the actors who race up and down the stairs to stand on it, but as a shell-shelter to hide the live, on-stage five-person band! This is a true rarity for a CPM production, as many of the productions feature pre-recorded tracks and lone live percussionist Lisa Wood. Accompanying Wood on stage is Musical Director Charlotte Evans Crowley on keys, Jarrett Rettman on keys2, Joe Napolillo on guitar, and Greg Bell on bass. It’s an extra delightful treat for these young performers to have live orchestrations for this edgy, wild, rock-n-roll-concept musical. And it only serves to enhance their superb performances throughout the production.
Lighting Designer Ed Lake reinforces the rock-concert vibe with some of the most tricked-out lighting effects seen in recent history at CPM. Particularly during “Superstar” and “Simon Zealotes”, Lake’s illuminating tactics really amp up the visual experience. And during “The Temple” you get an almost zombie-like feel toward the end of the number with Lake’s lighting effects. Adding to the impressive aesthetic of the show, you’ve got Costume Coordinator Robyn Alvarez who stitches together this concept of ‘modern-day-street-Jesus’, tying together the notion of ‘it’s happening here and now’ that Diane Smith and Director Liz Boyer Hunnicutt have set down for this production. Smith, Hunnicutt, Crowley, Alvarez, and choreographer Rachel Miller have created something extraordinary when it comes to all of the production components for these young performers. Miller in particular really has the high-octane, high-energy vibe going with her splashy, flashy dance routines, particularly those seen during “King Herod’s Song” (featuring CPM Alumni Tiffany Lynn Zellner as Herod) as well as during “Simon Zealotes” and “Superstar” (the big three numbers where the expectations for exceptional choreography sit in this show…and of course Miller and the dancers of the production deliver!)
The ensemble, as is with any ensemble at a CPM show, is chock-a-block with talent. Everyone is moving, grooving, singing and dancing, and above all telling the story of stories in this production. Featuring Daniela Alvarez, Xander Bell, Linda Brown, Lillian Colon, Christian DeBaufre, Angelina Ferris, Mason Foard, Emily Foggo, Rylan Hamburg, Ethan Howard, Natalie Kelly, Liam Lange, Julia Morgereth, Kara Neat, Lilah Peinado, Kailyn Quince, Colton Roberts, Gracie Roberts, Myles Taylor, Clover Wellons, and Jayde Wild, the powerhouse sounds, the intense enthusiasm, and impressive narrative story-through-song that arises from this ensemble is nothing short of stupendous. At this performance, Lillian Colon, Liam Lange and Ethan Howard, serve as the three priests who assist Caiaphas and Annas in their pursuit of persecution, looking ever cryptic in the black-hooded, ninja-esque, jumpsuit robes (shoutout to Robyn Alvarez and her clever costumes!) Colon has an impressive voice which really resonates during “This Jesus Must Die” and we see her again, only this time as an Angel alongside Clover Wellons and Gracie Roberts, next to the soul girls (at this performance) Kara Neat, Lilah Peinado, and Kailyn Quince, all six of whom really give it the old-razzle-dazzle on warp-speed during “Superstar.”
Clover Wellons, whose primary role is that of the aforementioned Caiaphas, does an exceptional job of channeling frightened fury into both “This Jesus Must Die” and “The Arrest”, her voice really sending a message in both of those numbers. Colton Roberts, who plays Annas, has one of the most surprising and extraordinary sounds of the production. It’s a smooth, resounding tenor that blasts its way through both of those aforementioned numbers; Roberts is notably praiseworthy for his impressive talents featured in this performance. Bouncing with soul in her own right, Kailyn Quince is featured as Simon and gets to sing the huge solo “Simon Zealotes” with such tenacity, you’ll be clapping and thumping your foot right along with her effervescent performance. Quince convinces you that she’s one of the disciples and you never question that, even though she’s a girl playing it as the scripture wrote it.
Myles Taylor, also of the ensemble, doubles up as Pilate, who when we first see him is somber and curious. Delivering “Pilate’s Dream” you get this mellow sense of unease drifting out of Taylor’s voice, as if the dream he’s recounting to the audience has truly disturbed him on some deeper, spiritual level. When he appears later as Pilate, during the “Trial Before Pilate/39 Lashes” there is a heavily-guarded front that he’s putting up as the audience chants in perfect harmony and horrifying anger things like “our only king is Caesar” and “Crucify him!” (meaning Jesus.) Taylor has a strong voice that is well-suited for this particular role.
Xander Bell, who plays the denier Peter, has an almost aloofness to his characterization, which makes it that much more alarming when he does— as Jesus predicted he would— deny him. Bell’s voice is the perfect vocal compliment to Mary Magdalene when they duet together for “Could We Start Again Please.” Bell also has animated facial expressions that make his “denier” scene quite intense. When coupled against Mary Magdalene (Sophia Koman) there is a platonic familiarity that speaks volumes of friendly the pair are, sharing their mutual compassion and care for Jesus.
As the ‘red-marked’ woman, Sophia Koman has an exquisite handle on those higher soprano sounds. It almost seems unfair that everyone familiar with the show comes in with the preconceived notion of Sarah Brightman in the back of their minds when it comes to Mary Magdalene, but Koman more than holds her own, expressively giving all of the emotions and sensations that accompany “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” without the need to push the platonic-romantic nature of her involvement with Jesus. (It’s six of one, half-a-dozen the other when it comes to productions of this show as to whether or not there is a hard push for Jesus & Mary, and Koman under Hunnicutt’s meticulous eye, finds a good balance of platonic, friendly love and caring, delivered flawlessly with her beautiful voice and body language.) When Koman sings “Everything’s Alright” you really believe her. There’s something about the earnest way she approaches the number that not only calms Jesus in his tracks but also convinces the audience that things might just be fine, they might just be okay, and to just roll with it. She possesses an honest charm and a mellifluous sound that encourages peace when she sings.
When the iconic intro-ring of “Superstar” starts, I highly encourage you to look to house left in the darkness and find Judas (Emma Hammett) on the staircase about three-quarters of the way up into the house. Because she’ll be lounging up on the handrail, with an acrobatic trick that next-to-no-one gets to see before she makes her superstar-style entrance to “Superstar.” (I can see why Robyn Alvarez didn’t put her in a full-on-sparkle-suit because she’s so much gosh-darn-intense-sparkle all on her own, if Alvarez had done her head to toe in sequins, she’d blind the audience.) Hammett blasts the hell out of that number, owns and slays, and gives such a high-energy performance in this moment alone it’s exhausting just to watch her singing and dancing, let alone comprehend the energy going into the routine here. Hammett as Judas is truly like the title says, “SUPERSTAR” because she’s an emotional rollercoaster stationed at the top of Mt. Everest rolling at warp-speed from start to finish. “Damned For All Time” is a brutal reckoning that Emma wrestles with from start to finish (I can honestly say in the almost dozen JSC’s I’ve covered, both professional and community, she’s the first Judas I’ve ever seen ‘not be okay’ with the betrayal. You watch her struggle with it, but there’s never a moment where she’s 100% okay with it. And that’s a wild, invested choice that is honestly refreshing to see.)
Much of Hammett’s interactions are paired opposite of Jesus (Sammy Jungwirth) and the hardcore, BFF-Bromance between the pair is so intense and ferocious, it’s palpable. Even when— no, especially when they’re at odds. When Hammett and Jungwirth nearly come to blows, you can feel the struggle of the apostles trying to hold them back from one another; it’s wild. And when they share that moment of betrayal-acceptance during “The Last Supper” it’s— as they say— ‘all the feels’ truly worth an ugly-cry because they are both so honest, open, and expressive in that moment. Hammett starts with that vocal inferno firing directly off at Jesus, and Jungwirth spins it right back, with that guilt-forcing acceptance and somber sobriety in his voice.
Jungwirth, as Jesus, is a shining sensation. That blasting rocker-top-tenor sound sends chills up the spine, and thrills to the pulse of the music. He literally stops the dance (shoutout to Rachel Miller and her hand-jive-esque movements featured during “What’s The Buzz?”) with his voice, which is exactly what you expect when you hear Jesus cut his way into that song. Jungwirth’s versatility knows no bounds as he goes from rocker-Jesus, to heavy-and-grounded during “Poor Jerusalem.” For as high as Kailyn Quince is taking you in “Simon Zealotes” is as low as Sammy Jungwirth brings you when he starts “Poor Jerusalem” (the numbers dovetail into one another.) And it’s a whole body shock to feel the difference. His vocal range is incomparable and he hits those top-contra tenor notes in a way that just gives you indescribable feelings; it’s an astonishing feat to behold. Jungwirth’s solo, “Gethsemane” is a soul-searing experience that shakes you to the core.
It’s a remarkable effort all throughout the performance from everyone in the cast. Watching the outcome of Jesus Christ Superstar with this cast is particularly difficult as they make it so emotional and so real. Liz Boyer Hunnicutt, working with Rachel Miller, even takes the “39 Lashes” in a more interpretive direction by having each of the dancers ‘dance-a-pose’ as Myles Taylor’s Pilate counts; Jungwirth reacts in such a way to each number that they might as well have whips in their hands. It’s brutal and so very convincing; you’ll shudder and shed a tear. And this may honestly be the first Jesus Christ Superstar who physically symbolizes the resurrection with an actual shattering of the (very impressive, if I might add) cross upon which Jesus is crucified. It’s a whole emotional maelstrom from “39 Lashes” to “Crucifixion” with an insane, bounce-step-pause of “Superstar” played out by Judas, the Angels, and the Soul Girls.
This is the production of the CPM season, hands down, no contest. And it might seem “too adult” or “too complicated” for young performers, but this cast of 25 extraordinarily talented singing, dancing actors, is on par with a great number of professional theatrical endeavors; they deserve your support and you’re missing out if you skip over their impressive production.
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours with one intermission
Jesus Christ Superstar plays through May 21st 2023 with Children’s Playhouse of Maryland in the Lecture Hall of the Administration Building at the Community College of Baltimore County Essex Campus— 7201 Rossville Boulevard in Baltimore, MD. For tickets call the box office at (443) 840-2426 or purchase them online.
To read the interview with six graduating CPM-Seniors who are a part of the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar, click here.
