Jesus Christ Superstar

Casa Manana opened its 2016-2017 season Saturday night with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's riveting rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar, "and it's miraculously magnificent.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" loosely follows Jesus' last week on earth. But in an unusual (and in some circles controversial) twist, the story is told from Judas Iscariot's POV. Judas' paranoia and anxiety reach a climax as Jesus' humble teachings and sermons evolve into those of His deity. The musical includes pivotal events from what we now call Holy Week. These scenes include Palm Sunday, Jesus clearing the merchants from the Temple, the Last Supper, Judas' Betrayal and the Crucifixion.

Conductor James Cunningham and his orchestra bring Webber's score to life. The songs, like the story, are timeless and sound as fresh today as they did when they were penned over four decades ago. They include "Heaven On Their Minds," "What's The Buzz," "Hosanna," "I Don't Know How To Love Him" and the title song.

The musical contains some genuinely wonderful moments. Broadway vet Jackie Burns (last seen in Dallas in January's "If/Then") is positively luminous as Mary Magdalene singing "I Don't Know How To Love Him." Burns teams with James Chandler (Peter) and mournfully sings the haunting duet "Could We Start Again Please."

As the waif-like, fragile and distraught Jesus, Daniel Rowan stops the show ("Gethsemane") as he wails to God to relieve Him of His 'poison cup' before accepting His deadly fate. It's a beautifully powerful, goose-bumpy, jaw-dropping performance filled with stupid crazy high notes.

With very little stage time, Glenn Seven Allen gives us an alarming chilly Pontius Pilate who famously washes his hands of Jesus even as he allows Christ's execution to take place. And DFW favorite son BJ Cleveland blows the lid off the Casa Manana roof with his maniacally hilarious turn as King Herod who famously passes on deciding Jesus' fate.

The three leads look and sound familiar. "Jesus Christ Superstar" reunites stars Rowan and Michael Hunsaker (Judas) who appeared together in last season's successful "Les Miserables." Rowan, in full beard and Jesus-length hair, resembles Josh Groban while Hunsaker often brings to mind Ben Affleck. And Burns, one of Broadway's longest performing Elphaba's ("Wicked,") has an Idina Menzel range voice.

That brings us to the one wrong note in this "Jesus Christ Superstar:" the vocal miscasting of Michael Hunsaker as Judas. The musical is called "Jesus Christ Superstar" but since the story is sung-through in Judas' POV, the role of Judas is arguably the lead role. And since Webber wrote the play as a rock opera, the Judas role needs to be sung by a wily, provocative rock singer.

Hunsaker has a fabulously brilliant voice, as we saw last season when he soared through "Les Miserables" as Jean Valjean. And physically, Hunsaker has a dynamic and natural stage presence. But regardless of his incredible legitimate voice, Hunsaker is not a rock star and therefore his Judas is a disappointment. The only time the role and the actor thrive together is near the end in the trippy, surreal number "Superstar," which is composed with a more traditional Broadway voice in mind.

I loved Adam Koch's scenic design. The set consists of two pairs of large 'stone' slabs each one capable of retracting and protracting giving Director and Choreographer Josh Rhodes and Lighting Designer Samuel Rushen countless staging and lighting opportunities. Brad Peterson's projection design provides the 'slabs' with some moody texture.

I'm troubled by some of Rhodes' decisions though. There are several scenes where he places his large ensemble with their backs toward the audience blocking the audience from the primary stage action. And Rhodes applies an unimaginative direction for nearly every major song, placing the song and singer downstage center despite the cavernous Casa Manana stage and Koch's multiple layer set.

But the sum of "Jesus Christ Superstar" is greater than its weaker links. Webber and Rice's mega-musical rocks Casa Manana. You'll find everything's alright and leave with heaven on your mind.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" runs through Sept. 18 at Casa Manana, 3101 West Lancaster Ave in Fort Worth. For information or tickets, call 817-332-2272 or visit www.casamanana.org