Jesus Christ Superstar 50th Anniversary Tour | Baltimore, MD

Who: Amy & I
What: Jesus Christ Superstar - the touring revival of Andrew Lloyd Weber's 1970 rock opera
When: December 2019
Where: Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore, MD
Why: What's the buzz, tell me what's a-happening...
Thoughts:

My first exposure to Jesus Christ Superstar was the live concert starring John Legend in 2018. While these Broadway telecasts are notoriously bad (and yet, I continue to watch), this one...wasn't.

It was good. Good enough that 4 days after it aired, a new 50th anniversary national touring production was announced. Good enough that 2 weeks after it aired, it was what the audience was discussing all around me as I sat in the Vivian Beaumont theatre waiting for the matinee of My Fair Lady to begin.

The tour launched this past October, making it to Baltimore this past December, and...wow.

Admittedly, I don't have a theatrical production to compare to, but this production was stunning. Full of symbolism, creativity, and insane talent, I am so glad it was my last show of 2019 because it truly ended the year with a bang!

I'm always cautious to not give anything away in my reviews, but I will say this: Jesus got a standing ovation. After a song in the middle of the show. That kind of thing does not happen. Baltimore is generous with standing ovations post-show (not nearly as generous as DC who stands for anyone who sets foot on a stage, but still), but to get on your feet and cheer mid-show? You know it's gotta be good!

Get to a performance near you. Enjoy the 90 minutes, no intermission momentum. Check out the insane bios of the cast in your Playbill. Indie musician? Check. Broadway performers? Check. America's Next Top Model contestant? Yeah, they've got that too. I  tend to follow one or two performers after each show if someone catches my eye, but this time? I followed the whole freaking cast.

JCS was my final show of 2019 and I can definitely say it wrapped up my 30-show year with a bang! While it seems like a show that can be controversial, the theatre was packed and you could hear a pin drop at the end - the production is that good. I hope you have the opportunity to see it in a city near you!