The Miscellany News

On the first day of November, I decided it would be in my best interest to put down my philosophy homework and go see a show. Luckily, The Future Waitstaff of America (FWA) had me covered with their latest musical: “Jesus Christ Superstar.” The play, which debuted in the ’70s, is a seminal classic from composer Andrew Lloyd Weber. “Jesus Christ Superstar” is a rock opera based on the events surrounding the death of Jesus, beginning when he arrives at Jerusalem and ending with his crucifixion. From demanding vocals to impossibly difficult religious dilemmas, this musical is one that requires an expert team of creatives to pull off. 

For the last several weeks, performers have rehearsed for “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Rockefeller Hall classrooms—in fact, they only performed in the actual theater the weekend before the show. Fortunately, FWA had no reason to worry about turnout: I went to reserve a ticket last Wednesday and found that one night was completely booked and the other two were filling up fast. I was able to secure a seat for the Friday performance, and I was not disappointed by what I saw.

This was my first time in the Shiva Theater—I wondered briefly how they planned to pull off such a grand play in a space barely big enough for a game of tennis. I am not sure what I was expecting visually from this show, but I assumed at least one person would be in a toga. I was swiftly proven wrong as the small ensemble entered in modern clothes, bright oranges and yellows, dancing, carousing and inviting in the audience with their energy and spirit. From start to finish, I was in awe. In terms of vocals, this was one of the most impressive ensembles I have ever seen: The dynamics, the timing and the delicate yet powerful harmonies came together into an experience that was truly spellbinding.

For the soloists, too, this show is a beast. Each and every performer wowed me at different points, but the voices that continue to echo through my brain are those of Judas (Delaney Eiland ’26) and Pontius Pilate (Angela Chen ’28). Both of these roles are typically male; I found that this gender-bending created an additional layer of complexity that worked well. Eiland’s Judas is unforgettable; I’d pay good money to hear her gritty soprano at the front of a Led Zeppelin cover band. She is excellent from start to finish, but her broken weeping and raw pain after her betrayal of Jesus was something out of a movie. Her performance was dramatic, intimidating and vulnerable in all the best ways. Chen, too, stole the show. Experiencing their stage presence and raw talent, you would never guess that Chen was a freshman—I feel very fortunate to have four more years of opportunities to watch them perform. “The cast was extremely supportive: Whenever I would mess up, they would be there to tell me it was all good,” Chen said in an interview.

Extremely notable are the acting and vocal stylings of the secondary characters, from the deep bass of Caiaphas (Alden Ormont ’27) to the lightness and clarity of Annas (Jillian Cole ’28). I was not expecting to laugh during a show about the death of Jesus, but Xander Shumaker ’27 as King Herod proved me wrong—his costume reminded me of a version of Hugh Hefner who shops exclusively at Party City. The core pair of the show is Jesus (Ben Richardson ’25) and Mary Magdalene (Bailey Mahoney ’26). Jesus is a challenging character, and I commend Richardson for his tackling of it with his style of peace and precision.: In this role, he emanates a calm that feels fittingly prophetic. Mahoney’s sweetness and gentle grace made her a wonderful romantic lead. Her chemistry and truly transcendent harmonies with the bright-eyed and superbly sympathetic Peter (Danny Allan ’26) made me hope for a future performance where they play out a romance themselves.

The tireless efforts of director Molly Freer ’25 and music director Abbye Friedman ’25 paid off majorly for this show. Such a short rehearsal timeframe meant that the pressure was on; however, both directors were impressed with the extent to which each performer was willing to put in the work. “It was definitely challenging to musically balance the pit and the singers,” said Friedman. She considers the small size and enormous talent of the cast to have contributed to their success. “People really knew their stuff.” Freer took on the impressive task of directing while also playing guitar in the pit orchestra: The opening scene—Freer soloing in a lone spotlight, center stage—felt like a personal invitation into the experience of the show. The simplicity of the set—a single platform and a few props—worked well to focus audience attention amidst a complicated plot. I particularly enjoyed how soloists sang into hand-held mics, set up on stands around the stage: Freer’s interpretation of this show put the “rock” back in rock opera. 

For many cast members, this performance was their first at Vassar. Caroline Belanger ’28 has put in hard work in her role in the ensemble, and she considers her efforts worthwhile—I am inclined to agree with her. “Rehearsal has been fun: It’s definitely a time commitment, and it takes a lot of energy, but it’s been a nice way to meet more people,” said Belanger. “Sometimes at the beginning of college, if you have too much free time, it’s easy to feel not as connected to the people around you. Spending my time doing something I love has helped with that.” 

I honestly was not sure what to expect from my first theatrical experience at Vassar. I can say with full confidence and enthusiasm that this show was a fabulous introduction to the world of performing arts at this school. I look forward to seeing more from each of these creatives in the future: The dedication, passion and skill of all involved, from the backstage to the spotlight, made this a night out at Vassar I will not soon forget.