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Show Park Record Thursday, February 28, 1991 Page C3 I Randy Barton stars as Jesus Christ The rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Tim Rice and Andrew An-drew Lloyd Webber opens at the First Presbyterian Church March 8 and runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m., through March 24. The production will feature Parkite Randy Barton Bar-ton as Jesus. The rock opera portrays the last few days in the life of Jesus; this production will be played in the sanctuary of the church, with its newly renovated stained glass windows. "With the popularity of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Phantom of the Opera, Superstar is enjoying enjoy-ing a comeback nationwide," director Linda Bishop said. "The storyline, the life of Jesus, makes it a classic, and the music, and early Webber work, is even more challenging than Phantom or his often performned Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat. Our musical director Jeffrey Price is pulling together an unique orchestra or-chestra with electronic in-truments in-truments as its core, plus triple keyboards piano, electronic , organ, and the church pipe organ. Add 22 singers and dancers oo stage plus a backup choir of 12,' and music will fill the sanctuary." sanc-tuary." Brent Schneider, who dances with the Repertory Dance Theater adn choreographs for Sundance Summer Theater, has choreographed a vibrantly visual piece. Bishop said, "I planned this time to make Superstar more a choral piece, but then I talked with Brent and tossed that plan out. The dance hi this show is energetic, beautiful, funny. Brent's choreography shines." Linda Bishop directed Superstar eight years ago with Unicorn Theater at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. "That production produc-tion was very successful. We extended ex-tended the run and still had to turn people away. No matter why they come for the incredible music, the inspiring religious story, to see theater in a churchthe chur-chthe do come. Maybe they come for the controversy. Eight years ago they skeptics told me this community didn't want to see this show. The were wrong. We had full houses." The revival came because of support from two performers of the '82 cast. Teri Cowan played Mary Magdelene, and Randy Barton, Bar-ton, who played Pilate, wanted to sing Jesus. "Who wouldn't want to pay Jesus?" Barton asked. Both Cowan and Barton have rr' . . ' ' ' V i ' N " ..., , , . ,V,V. .. - - .- j ... - a xr . ' j . . -b ' tm i mm.; w.7 ,m m. ! si i k 5? s If 3 1 1 & 1 1 -"v .n ua imp na 7. u rt OSCATE f STEREO Avon, Heber 654-1181 dices wrm Ml with Kevin Conr tPC 131 Randy Barton Sena Taylor eight years. With her exquisite voice and leadying-lady looks, Cowan played in La Cage Aux Folles at Salt Lake Acting Company, Com-pany, A-My Name is Alice at Theater Works West, and in Pump Boys and Dinettes at the Egyptian Theatre. Barton produces pro-duces and sings with the Sunday Night Singers at Sneaker in Park City, and he's been active with Park City Performances for years. "I was hesitant at first," Bishop said. "It's a huge show. Without a permanent company working with us, I'd have to put together some 60 people to work the show. And where would the money come from? The impetus came when Reverend Donald Baird asked me to direct something simple but dramatic for Easter. The idea grew until he and the session of the First Presbyterian Church committed to help produce Superstar. "The advantage of not working with a permanent company is and people with no affiliation show up at an open audition. Teenies and dancers call me saying, say-ing, 'I've always wanted to do Superstar.' Those people are really real-ly motivated. And we can pick the best, like 14-year-old Alexandra Mica, who has been dancing for more years already than most people. Or like Andrea Bechert, who is a graduate student in theater design at the U. Like Jon Shuman, who plays lead guitar and drums in the band Box Car Kids. Jon will play Judas. That heavy training in rock and roll and a great deal of onstage experience ex-perience give him the background. Judas opens the show, he has to capture the audience au-dience immediately, and he does it powerfully well." Jesus Christ Superstar will play March 8 through 24, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, South Temple Tem-ple and C Street, Salt Lake City. All seats are $10 donation, general admission, tickets at the door. It's never r too late to quit smoking. I 00" CaUl-8004CANCER. 1 jr. 7:30 Nightly Sat. Mat. 4:00 REG. ADM. Ideal, Heber 654-1181 Three Men Mi;ii'.m:w:unrn ' 1 k Holiday Village Mall 649-6541 J y KEVIN COSTMER AM OmOM mCTUMIS Rf HAM MON-FRI: 4:45, 8:30 SAT-SUN: 1:00, 4:45, 8:30 Awakenings :- o MON-FRI: 7:00 SAT-SUN: 2:45, 7:00 STTdPIHlY MON-FRI: 5:00, 9:30 SAT-SUN: 1 :00, 5:00, 9:30 GREEN CARD MON-FRI: 5:00, 7:00, 9:00 SAT-SUN: 1 :00, 3:00, 5:00. 7:00, 9:00 PARK CITY HOME VIDEO 1821 SIDEWINDER DRIVE PROSPECTOR SQUARE 649-2572 MOVIES GAMES VIDEO PLAYERS NOW PLAYING The Two Jakes Death Warrant Quick Change Air America Flatliners Darkman Taking Care Of Business Days of Thunder The Witches Problem Child Die Hard 2 COMING SOON Arachnophobia Wild At Heart Exorcist 3 White Hunter, Black Heart Desperate Hours Pacific Heights Narrow Margin White Palace Coming March 21 GHOST |