The Show:
Jesus Christ Superstar is an important show in
theatre history. It was written by Andrew
Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice and was first
released in October 1970.
It is still very popular and is regularly
performed by professional and amateur
companies.
The show has a liberal interpretation of the
Bible story and has caused some controversy
over the years. Protests have sometimes been
very strong - there has even been a case of a
theatre being deliberately burned down
where Superstar was being staged.
The Characters:
The three main characters are Jesus,
Judas (one of Jesus‘ Apostles, who
acts as a kind of narrator) and Mary
Magdalene (an ex-prostitute who
changed her ways because of Jesus).
Other main characters are Pontius Pilate,
Herod, Caiaphas and the Jewish Priests. The
Apostles also feature. These were a group
of twelve disciples (close followers) of Jesus
who were sent out to spread the word of the
gospel.
The Story:
The work tells the story of the last seven days
of Jesus’ life. It describes his entry into
Jerusalem and the fear and hostility that his
preaching and popularity cause among the
Jewish religious leaders. The Chief Priest,
Caiaphas wanted Jesus killed because he was
challenging traditional beliefs. Caiaphas also
believed that Jesus’ followers’ claim that he
was the Messiah was blasphemous
(disrespectful to God).
Jesus stirred up huge emotions among his
followers in the three years that he was a
preacher. They believed he was the son of
God (the Messiah) and that he would free
Israel from the Romans.
Judas betrays Jesus by telling the Priests
where they will find him – in the Gardens of
Gethsemane, (following the “Last Supper”).
Jesus is arrested and taken to Pilate, a Roman
governor who sends him on to Herod, king of
the local region Judea. Herod decides that the
Romans should deal with Jesus since they
have overall control of Israel so Jesus is sent
back to Pilate who first orders him to receive
thirty nine lashes and then, due to pressure
from the Jews, has him crucified.
Crucifixion was a punishment that was
normally reserved for criminals. It involves
nailing the victim to a cross made of two
pieces of wood and leaving them to die a
slow and agonizing death.
Judas is filled with remorse for
betraying Jesus and commits
suicide. However in the show Judas
return at the end to sing the well-
known title song “Jesus Christ
Superstar”.
Rock Opera:
Rock Musicals and Rock Opera were first written
in the late 1960’s. Examples are Hair, Joseph and
Godspell.
Rock Opera combines the structure of opera with
elements of rock music. Some of these are listed
below:
Opera Rock Opera
Recitative Amplified guitars
Aria Drum kit
Ensemble Amplified voices
Chorus Syncopated rhythm
Overture Improvisation
Orchestra Electric Keyboards
Most often there is no spoken dialogue in rock
opera, everything is sung. Because of the loudness
of the instruments the voices need to be amplified
(or ‘mic-ed’) in order to heard. The singers use
rock -style singing rather than the classical style of
opera.
Sometimes the band will include orchestral as well
as rock instruments.
Overture:
The term Overture comes from Opera. An
overture is a piece of music that begins a
concert or show. The job of the overture is to
set the mood of the show and, sometimes, to
introduce the musical themes that will be
used later in the performance.
Listening Questions:
1. Which instrument plays the solo at the
beginning?
2. Describe the singers’ music which comes
in at the end of the piece.
3. Write down four words that describe what
you think the mood of the show is going to
be after having heard the overture.
Heaven On Their Minds:
This is the first vocal number of
the show. Here are some of the
lyrics (words) that are sung,
read them through:
My mind is clearer now
At last, all too well
I can see where we all soon will be
If you strip away
The myth from the man
You will see where we all soon will be
Jesus!
You’ve started to believe,
The things they say of you
You really do believe
This talk of God is true
And all the good you’ve done
Will soon be swept away
You’ve begun to matter more Than the things
you say
Listen Jesus I don’t like what I see
All I ask is that you listen to me
And remember – I’ve been your right hand man
all along
You have set them all on fire
They think they’ve found the new Messiah
And they’ll hurt you when they find they’re
wrong
I remember when this whole thing began
No talk of God then we called you a man
And believe me –
my admiration for you hasn’t died
But every word you say today
Gets twisted ‘round some other way
And they’ll hurt you if they think you’ve lied
Nazareth your famous son should have stayed
the great unknown
Like his father carving wood
He’d have made good-
Table, chair and oaken chest
Would have suited Jesus best
He’d have caused nobody harm
No one alarm…
Interpretation Questions:
1. Which character sings this song?
2. What does right hand man mean?
3. Name Jesus’ home town.
4. Why is the singer telling Jesus to
be careful?
5. What does the line “You have set
them all on fire” mean?
6. What line suggests that the singer does
not believe that Jesus is the Messiah?
Listening Questions;
The piece is based on an Ostinato – a
repeated musical idea that is played
throughout. In this piece the ostinato is
introduced right at the beginning.
1. Which instruments play the ostinato?
2. List two ways that the word “Jesus” is
emphasized by the singer.
3. There is a short instrumental break after
the singer’s introduction. Which
instruments join in for the first time here?
4. How many beats are there in each bar in
the introduction and the first two verses?
5. How many beats in each bar for the
bridge section – where you hear
“Nazareth your famous son should have
stayed a great unknown…”
6. When the singer sings “if we go too far”
and “it’s all gone sour” his music is
marked ad lib. Explain what you think this
means.
7. List the three main instruments that play in
this song. State whether these are rock or
classical instruments.
8. List three other instruments that play in
Answer these questions after you have read
the information sheet.
1. Andrew Lloyd-Webber is the composer of
Jesus Christ Superstar and Tim Rice is the
lyricist. What is the difference?
2. Explain the difference between amateur
and professional theatre.
3. What does Messiah mean?
4. Why do you think some people did not
like the show when it first came out?
5. Which empire controlled Israel at the
time?
6. Why did Caiaphas want Jesus killed?
7. Who betrays Jesus?
8. How does Judas respond to the crucifixion
of Jesus?
9. Write your own definition of Rock Opera.
10. Look at the list of instruments in the show
divide them into a list of Rock and
Orchestral instruments.
Design a set for a stage production of Jesus
Christ Superstar. You need to consider the
following in your design:
• An area needs to be set aside for Jesus and his Apostles where they can sit down,
sleep and talk.
• A cross is needed for the crucifixion.
• The Jewish Priests need a platform that separates them from the other characters.
• Pilate, the Roman Governor, needs an elevated area.
• Some floor space needs to be kept flat for dancing.
Try and give an indication of height in your
design and remember to mark the exits and
entrances clearly.
this song. State whether these are
classical or rock instruments.
9. What style of music is this piece?
Hosanna:
This vocal number is sung by Jesus, Caiaphas
and the Chorus – who represent Christ’s
followers. The song depicts Jesus’ triumphant
entry into Jerusalem. The word Hosanna is
Hebrew for “Lord, save us”.
Listening Questions:
1. Which brass instruments are heard in the
introduction?
2. What kind of mood does the chorus create
when they sing “Hosanna”?
3. Describe the pitch of Caiaphas’ voice.
4. Which instruments accompany Caiaphas’
singing?
5. Who are the “rabble” that Caiaphas refers
to?
6. When does the music slow down?
7. When does the music change key into a
higher pitch?
8. What kind of mood does Jesus create in
his solos?
You may have noticed that certain sections of
“Hosanna” were similar while others had
different musical material. Use letter “A” for
the sections that were similar and “B” and “C”
for those that use different musical ideas.
Which of the following represents the
structure (or form) of the song:
A. ABACAB
B. ABACACA
C. ABACA
Jesus Christ Superstar:
This song is probably the most well-known of
the music in the show. It comes near the end
of the show. Judas is the main singer in this
song.
Listening Questions:
1. This is an example of a title track. Why?
2. List three orchestral instruments that you
can hear in the introduction.
3. What style of music is heard when Judas
sings with the female backing singers?
4. Describe the tempo (speed) of the verses.
5. Where is the quietest section of the piece?
6. Where is the loudest section of the piece?
7. What is the overall mood of this piece of
music?
8. What is Judas’ attitude to Jesus in this
piece?