Lawrence.com

When Eric Mardis recounts the pivotal records of his youth, the list goes something like this: Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin ...

Jesus Christ Superstar.

"I pretty much listened to it in private," says Mardis, who will sing the part of Jesus and play guitar in the upcoming local production of the 1970 rock opera.

"When I was a freshman in high school I didn't write it in black pen across my notebook like I might have written 'Metallica Rules,'" he adds.

The original "Jesus Christ Superstar," after all, is one of the most rock-tastic records of all-time. Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan headed up an all-star cast of British musicians that energized Andrew Lloyd Webber's score with riff-driven prog rock and soaring power ballads. "The Brown Album," however, is often overlooked by contemporary audiences who may be more familiar with stage adaptations or the 1973 film.

Mardis recalls a time when he went to see a theatrical production of "Superstar" and overheard a young lady in front of him remarking that she didn't like the original album because it sounded too "dated."

"That's exactly what I love about it," Mardis says. "Everybody's trying to recapture that vibe."

Pilate's Dream

The idea that was "so crazy it just might work" was born about two years ago, when longtime friends Kory Willis and Bret Dillingham indulged in a night of libation-induced conjecture.

"We were sitting out on his screened-in porch on a summer night listening to the album and fantasizing about doing it, imagining who would get to sing what," Dillingham recalls. "It was never really serious, and then one day I ran into him at Liberty Hall and I said, 'Do you really think we could pull together some people to do it?'"

"We just got on the ball and started calling people. Some people had to be cajoled more than others."

The 15-person "cast" has spent nearly a year rehearsing the 23-song double album. Composed of local musicians ranging in age from mid-20s to early 40s, the "Superstar" team confronted the daunting task of recreating an album renowned for its virtuosity and five-star vocal performances.

"It's absolutely, by far, the most intimidating, ambitious thing I've ever tried to do," says Dillingham, who will sing the part of Judas and play drums. "I've played in bands in Lawrence since 1987 and I have never had so much anxiety about a performance as this one. The stage fright started a week ago."

The group - which features members of Split Lip Rayfield, The Midday Ramblers, Drakkar Sauna, Marry Me Moses, The Shebangs, The What Gives and more - is attempting to recreate all of the show's musical grandeur and none of its theatric or religious fervor. No costumes or stage props will be employed, and no religious dogmas suggested.

"There's a range of religious beliefs within the group, but none of that has anything to do with why we enjoyed doing this project," Dillingham says. "It's just a heavy British rock album : heavier than 'Tommy,' really. I love The Who, but I think it rocks a little harder."

Everything's Alright

While the majority of the show's cast is prone to discounting latter adaptations of "Superstar," chorus member Ashlee Broome is a tried-and-true theater nerd who saw an opportunity to introduce one of her favorite shows to a new audience.

"It's a very different experience," says Broome, who has acted in two "proper" productions of the show. "I'm always the one saying, 'Ooh, let's do this leg kick here' or 'maybe we should all wear capes' and everyone's like, 'Eh - no.'"

Broome says the production retains - even intensifies - its emotional impact when stripped of theatrics, largely due to its cathartic storyline.

"It makes me cry practically every time we have practice," she says. "When you take someone like Eric (Mardis) and you get to hear him singing emotionally charged dialogue, it just really gets to you."

The story - which focuses on the interpersonal struggles of Judas Iscariot and Jesus in the week preceding the crucifixion - has been embraced by some religious groups and derided by others.

Though it makes no explicit value judgments about Christianity, the storyline does not include the resurrection and is somewhat sympathetic to Judas.

Regardless of its theology, "Superstar" did add a level of street-cred to Christianity for younger cast members like Ted Kritikos, who discovered the album in his mom's largely conservative record collection.

"We had Simon and Garfunkel, some Beatles and 'Jesus Christ Superstar,'" says Kritikos, who was raised Methodist. "I did think, 'Well, maybe this whole Christianity thing can be somewhat cool if the guy from Deep Purple is playing Jesus.'"

Kritikos says that the story might contain some "questionable theology," but shouldn't be interpreted as a critique of Christianity.

"I don't think there's anything offensive in it," he says. "It's just an interpretation of the Bible. I'm not going to start forming serious theological opinions based on a rock opera."

The Last Supper

An early and late show is scheduled for both Lawrence and Kansas City, with proceeds going to charity. A Wichita show is also in the works to benefit Kirk Rundstrom of Split Lip Rayfield, who is undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer.

For many cast members, it will be over much too quickly.

"It's probably lasted longer than some of the rock bands we've been in because it's been totally stress-free," says bassist Paul Schmidt. "The premise is different than anything I've ever been involved in. It's not open-ended like, 'Let's form a band and write some songs and maybe we'll make it.' We have this one assignment to do and a date that we need to get it done by."

So what's next? According to Kory Willis, the group may tackle "Tommy."

"If this absolutely tanks, we'll just crawl back to our holes with our tails between our legs," Willis says. "We'll see how this goes."

The cast

High Priest - Wallace Cochran (Drakkar Sauna)

Peter - Jeff Stolz (Drakkar Sauna)

Simon Zealotes - John Cutler (The Kelihans, Tenderloin)

King Herod - Arthur Dodge

Mary Magdalene - Ted Kritikos (Marry Me Moses)

Judas - Bret Dillingham (The Shebangs, Fear and Whiskey)

Caiphas - Kory Willis (The Midday Ramblers)

Jesus - Eric Mardis (Split Lip Rayfield)

Annas - Paul Schmidt (The Midday Ramblers, Doofus)

Pontius Pilate - Jon Harrison (The Mood Swing Set, The What Gives)

The chorus - Ashlee Broome, Katie Conrad, Aimee Polson, Laura Lorson, Kit Cole

Jesus Christ Superstar factoids

¢ Philip Toubus, who played Peter in the 1973 film adaptation, went on to become a successful adult film star under the name Paul Thomas.

¢ Skid Row's Sebastian Bach portrayed Jesus in a touring 2002 theatrical production.

¢ Ian Gillan was invited to participate in the 1973 film adaptation but decided he'd be better off touring with Deep Purple.

¢ Alice Cooper sang the part of King Herod on a 1996 London cast recording but never appeared onstage.

¢ The opera was created as an album before ever being staged. The hit songs "Superstar" and "I Don't Know How to Love Him" helped convince theaters to take a chance on the potentially controversial show.

¢ "Iron Chef" chairman Takeshi Kaga portrayed Jesus in a Japanese stage production.

¢ A religious group bombed a theater in South America that screened the 1973 film.

¢ The role of Jesus requires a tenor with a range of low B-flat to high E.