Jesus Christ Superhoot, Cannibal Club, July 25, 1989

Jesus Christ Superhoot

Cannibal Club, July 25, 1989

When a friend told me that Kathy McCarty was staging Jesus Christ Superhoot, I was a little apprehensive. "A perfectly great rock opera," I thought, "it's really a great parody already." Not to worry. McCarty's production was true to the original album down to the last nail in the cross. I know. Casting by McCarty was brilliant. Rich Brotherton was suitably tortured and scummy as Judas. Paul Swift did justice to the patented tormented rock artist screams/croons of Jesus. McCarty plucked the plum role of a cigarette-smoking Pontius Pilate for herself. And Kris McKay as Mary Magdalene quite simply knocked 'em dead. Also notable was Steve Chaney as the high priest Caiaphas, resplendent in a black paper-bag hat. Some people may have felt it was a ragtag, slapdash production. Ragtag? You bet! The best costumes are always those that you have spent at least 15 minutes agonizing over the day of the play. Jesus and Judas were standard rock opera hero/anti-hero in blue jeans; Jesus with a shirt, Judas (the knave) without. And who would've guessed that was Gretchen Phillips as the evil Annas behind that Woolworth's beard? And Pontius Pilate in his smoking jacket! Genius! But slapdash? No way. Rich Brotherton had every last lick down pat. It helps when the audience can feed you lines, too. (I obviously wasn't the only one who had memorized the double-album set.) I had a great time, and I didn't wimp out halfway through like some of the audience (but not many) did. The room was packed; everybody called for Pilate to "Crucify him!" at the proper time; the dog was a nice added touch. So for a job well done, I say, "Hosanna" Kathy McCarty!