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Davies in the wings for ‘Preservation’ Globe 1998

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Boston Globe: Living | Arts
Davies in the wings for ‘Preservation’

By Jim Sullivan, Globe Staff, 10/02/98 | The Boston Globe Online | Boston.com

Ray Davies, singer-songwriter for the Kinks, wrote the pair of conceptual albums ”Preservation Act 1” and ”Preservation Act 2” a quarter-century ago. The Middle Ages of rock ‘n’ roll, if you will. So, go ahead: Blow the dust off the old RCA records, or better still, pick up the re-releases on Velvel with bonus tracks. Some good tunes, but maybe it’s all a trifle dated …

A ”reform” politician, who is himself clandestinely corrupt, is challenging a glib leader who has long been morally bankrupt for the control of ”the Village,” once a happy little spot now gone to rot. The common people’s lot? To be doormats and pawns. The politicians’ ultimate aim? To line their own pockets and zombify the public. There are moments of hope and some brilliant melodies at work, but it’s a persuasively cynical and cyclical work, one that does not portend well for the people.

Which would make ”Preservation” about as topical as today’s paper.

Davies, on the phone from New York, references not the political travails in the United States, but what has happened in his native England. ”I was the most depressed person,” he says, about Labor Prime Minister Tony Blair’s coming to power, taking over from the conservative John Major. ”There will always be a new Tony Blair or somebody, a Mr. Right coming in and turning out the same as everybody else.”

”Preservation” has long been a favorite of Boston Rock Opera co-founders Mick Maldonado and Eleanor Ramsay. The group staged a one-night-only performance of ”Act 2,” which is where most of the ”action” happens, in 1993 at the Middle East in Cambridge. The company will be kicking up an expanded, revamped ”Preservation” (both acts) for six nights, Fridays and Saturdays, at the Tower Auditorium, Mass. College of Art, eleanor1 Huntington Ave., beginning tonight at 8:30. Maldonado has the lead as the venal Mr. Flash; Brian Gottesman is the so-called reformer Mr. Black; Letters to Cleo singer Kay Hanley plays a floozy named Belle. It’s directed by Jane Bulger and Ramsay.

”I went up to see Eleanor a few times when I was in Boston,” says Davies, who generally splits his at-home time between New York and London, ”and gave her my blessing because it’s good she’s got the energy to keep going with it. I stopped by to see a staging last weekend, and I was quite impressed with what they were doing. But it’s their production. Not to be confused with me doing a Pete Townshend.”

Ramsay says some cast members’ hearts skipped beats when they found out Davies was going to catch a rough run-through. ”He had some very constructive comments,” Ramsay says. ”Ray was filled with ideas – there were some changes, and he encouraged us to go with some ideas we had but were unsure of.”

”I think I tuck myself away,” says Davies, of his on-set presence. ”I’ve been in these situations before and it is difficult to have the person who wrote the piece there. But after a while they’re so concerned with what they’re doing it’s difficult to think about what the author thinks. They’re stuck in the middle of it and they’re on their own journey.”

Davies pooh-poohs his contributions – ”I can’t compliment the musical performance highly enough” – noting, with a chuckle, that he was primarily concerned that Maldonado wasn’t making the dastardly Mr. Flash evil enough. He was pleased that the show had been sufficiently ”de-Kinked,” and he also tweaked the ending a bit.

The Kinks toured the United States only once behind ”Preservation,” in 1974, and did a just a weekend of shows at a London theater.

A second story, one that rides alongside the political theme, says Davies, is the tale of ”Preservation”’s Tramp, the everyman/observer who is ”an alcoholic, a beggar, really. It’s also one man’s struggle to get his life together. I love the element of somebody trying to do some personal or trival things against this big backdrop. The parallel is that the things that bring Flash down are there in [the Tramp’s] personal life.”

Davies, dubbed by some as the godfather of Britpop for his influence upon Blur, Pulp, and Oasis, is the master of writing about flawed characters, with many of the songs being self-critical.

Davies says the problem with staging ”Preservation” is that 1) it wasn’t written for the stage, and 2) was in fact written under pressure. The Kinks’ recording contract, the band’s commitment to deliver new music, forced Davies to move ”Preservation” along the pipeline faster than he would have liked. Some of the linking segments, he suggest, need work. At the time, he says, ”I didn’t have much time to sit around, do workshops, and get fancy directors in. You just have to put the thing up and go out.”

What Davies has gleaned from the rock opera group’s rehearsal is this: ”I was amazed how the music carries the story.”

This story ran on page D12 of the Boston Globe on 10/02/98. © Copyright 1998 Globe Newspaper Company.

Cherone’s Jesus raises ‘Superstar’ spirit Globe 1994

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The Boston Globe, April 4, 1994

Cherone’s Jesus raises ‘Superstar’ spirit

STAGE REVIEW
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

Produced by T Max and Eleanor Ramsay, directed by Mary Feuer, musical direction by Stephen Silbert. Starring Gary Cherone, Doug Thoms and Jodi Sussman. At: The Middle East Downstairs, Saturday afternoon. Repeats Arpil 6, 7, 10 and 11. In Providence at the Living Room April 13.

By Jim Sullivan, Globe Staff

This Easter, there almost wasn’t a “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Middle East. If it weren’t for the enthusiasm of Extreme singer Gary Cherone – the new guy who plays the title role, the closest thing to a rock superstar this local production has yet seen, and the first straight, white male, bare-chested-by-crucifixion-time Jesus – this might have been a dark Easter. And since it’s probably the nearest many rockers get to a religious experience, well, hey, . . .

“We were talking about taking a year off,” said associate producer and apostle/ensemble player Eleanor Ramsay Saturday afternoon between acts of the sold-out performance. “But then Gary, who saw the show last year, called up and wanted to do it. And we said, ‘Wait, we’d be nuts not to do this.’ “

“He turned the tide around,” added Bill (Pontius Pilate) Goffrier, who admitted he probably would have passed if Cherone hadn’t stepped in.

“We’re all more confident, more intense,” said Doug (Judas Iscariot) Thoms. “Gary’s awesome, and he’s an incredible team player. He knows this material cold. More than just being a rock star, he brings a real dignity and grace to it.”

Indeed, this year’s “Superstar” – less campy than earlier conceptions – is the best yet; most of the rest of the show’s run is sold out. Cherone – who has the lean, artist’s-rendition-of-Christ body, the long flowing hair and the scruffy beard – is perfect. He is serene, angry, tortured, perplexed – all in the right proportions. He also has the arena-rock pipes, similar to those of Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan, who sang on the original album. Moreover, Cherone knows his way around a stage. And the spirituality that winds its way through Extreme can be found here in Cherone’s acting and singing. Might as well say it: This was the role Cherone was born to play.

T Max, publisher of the Boston fanzine The Noise, began staging “Superstar” four years ago with an assemblage of various Boston rock notables. The idea was to put on a version of the hoary Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice rock opera and cut it with a knowing, humorous punk-rock edge. Face it, the “Superstar” score is not without its schlock-rock components. Rock fans long ago learned what the Broadway crowd learned with “Evita” and “Cats”: Webber writes insanely catchy melodies but his metier is melodrama, his bailiwick is bombast and his oeuvre is overkill. The downside of going to any “Superstar” production is that the songs will run around your brain for weeks afterward.

Cherone got the glory during Saturday’s two-hour performance, but Thoms got to romp and stomp and ultimately hang and come back from the grave for yet one more song. (This, by the way, is one of the things that upset the traditionalists back in the early ’70s, that Judas was a halfway likable antihero; that and the fact that the opera ends with Christ’s death and omits a resurrection.) Thoms tore through “Damned for All Time” and “Blood Money.” Jodi Sussman, taking her first crack at Mary Magdalene, filled Miss Xanna Don’t’s shoes well and put a powerful spin on “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.” The apostles fawned, got drunk and behaved like sycophants and boors. Towering Mick (Caiaphas) Maldonado and naval-suited Bill (Pilate) Goffrier each shone as bad guys: Maldonado had the best look of disdain and Goffrier had the best leer. Great exasperated Caiaphas line: “How do you deal with a man who is bigger than John was when John did his baptism thing?” Pat McGrath played the evil, beer-swilling clown Herod replete with fake urine stains on his pj’s. The money-changers in the temple passed out Ten Plagues Insurance Co. policies to audience members. Policeman Mikey Dee once again sported an LAPD shirt as he beat Jesus, who earlier had a “Flog Me” sign attached to his shirt.

OK, there was black humor. But there was lump-in-the-throat drama, too. At the end, Cherone struck a chilling pose on the cross; the disciples sat silently, mournfully, and, yes, the pain and loss spread through the hushed room.

The choreography and direction were sharp; the band, the Buzz, was top-flight; the only flaw was some dim lighting.

Since this is a ’70s-rooted production, we might as well pull another ’70s line out of the closet: As the Doobie Brothers might have it, this Jesus was just alright with me.


Abbey Road Globe Review: 05-05-01

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MUSIC REVIEW | THE BOSTON GLOBE
Abbey Road’ sings at Lilli’s
By Jim Sullivan, Globe Staff, 5/5/2001

SOMERVILLE – The MC, T Max, wearing top coat and tails and waving a cane, took the stage at the onset of Boston Rock Opera’s rendition of the Beatles’ ”Abbey Road” Thursday at Lilli’s and proclaimed: ”Mikey Dee is in the house!” Indeed, he was. And he was in his element. The Boston rock scenester, paralyzed by a brain-stem stroke last year, was in his wheelchair at the left side of the stage. It was his first club outing since the stroke, and Dee beamed as friends made their way over to say howdy.

Shortly, Boston Rock Opera – the ambitious company of which Dee has played a part – began ”Abbey Road.” ”Come Together,” sung by Peter Moore and Linda Viens, took on a double meaning, considering the situation – both in the chorus (”Come together, over me”) and in a line like ”Hold you in his armchair/You can feel his disease.”

BRO, more than two dozen strong Thursday, has tackled ”Sgt. Pepper” in a theatrical fashion. ”Abbey Road,” which the troupe rehearsed seven times, was done without theatrical fanfare. They played the 17 songs in order, with a variety of singers swapping lead roles and some gorgeous choral singing, especially in ”Sun King,” ”Carry That Weight, ” and ”The End.” Part of the pleasure simply came in hearing this audacious work played live, especially the song-suite from side two where the band was cranking. Gary Cherone, formerly of Van Halen and Extreme, took BRO down that home stretch superbly. Kudos, too, to guitarist Mike Loce, who channeled George Harrison during the closing guitar blitz, and drummer Larry Dersch, who expertly executed Ringo Starr’s short and simple, but delectable, drum break.

”Abbey Road” was the Beatles’ final studio album and it presented the group in all its diversity. Thursday, we heard the primal, screaming blues John Lennon loved in ”Oh! Darling,” sung by Corin Ashley, and `I Want You,” sung by Brian Gottesman. On the record, the first side ends abruptly – as if the tape runs out – and the BRO band, led by guitarist Mick Maldonado, jerked the squalling blues-rock to a halt perfectly. Of course, it did wrap up with the classic line ”And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” (That, plus T Max’s singing the ditty, ”Her Majesty.”)

This was all rendered in a jolly manner, with BRO being faithful to the arrangements and attitude. May all the Mikey Dee benefit shows – they run through Sunday – have such a warm vibe.

This story ran on page 07 of the Boston Globe on 5/5/2001.
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.

 

Electric, Star-Studded “Superstar” Globe 1996

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The Boston Globe © 1996 Globe Newspaper Company
April 5, 1996, Friday, City Edition
Electric, Star-Studded “Superstar”

STAGE REVIEW Musical in two acts by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice; Directed by Jane Bulger and John Whiteside. Music direction, Rich Gilbert; Set Design, Kathy Rosen. Presented by Boston Rock Opera at The Lansdowne Street Playhouse, through April 20

By Jim Sullivan, Globe Staff

“Everything by Andrew Lloyd Webber gets trashed.” – Kay (Mary Magdalene) Hanley, in an interview.

Rarely have truer words been spoken. The 800-pound gorilla of contemporary musical theater is a cash cow for the industry and a punching bag for critics. But it’s not going to happen this time. The Boston Rock Opera’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar ,” the big early splash by Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, is a delight: Hard-hitting and somber at times, a hilarious hoot at others. You’ll laugh along with King Herod (Pat McGrath) and his harem; you’ll snicker at the doughnut-munching cop (Mikey D ee); you’ll chortle at the drunken apostles, swilling wine and spewing blather at the Last Supper. But I defy you not to have a lump in your throat as Judas Iscariot (Doug Thoms) hangs himself and Jesus Christ (Gary Cherone) is whipped and then crucified. (Hope we’re not giving away too much of the plot here.)

It’s low-budget by most standards, but a leap up for the rock ‘n’ rollers behind it. For one thing, there are two bona fide rock stars here: Cherone from Extreme and Hanley from Letters to Cleo. (Keeping in the spirit of this production, one member of the rabble wears an Extreme 1986 tour T-shirt.) For another, there’s the feeling that this has grown into a somewhat more serious project. It’s not quite the campfest of yore, even if Herod’s cheery debauchery has evolved from, well, as Sinatra might put it, booze to broads.

In the past, BRO producers Eleanor Ramsay and T Max have put on this traditional Easter show at the Middle East. At the Lansdowne Street Playhouse, they actually have a stage, a space for cavorting and dancing without collision, and superb lighting. Th ey also have professsional direction from the Huntington Theatre’s John Whiteside and the Abydos Collective’s Jane Bulger, who re-introduced the idea of the Fates (originally called Furies in the Broadway show). These three lavender-clad ladies hover and lurk about the action, facilitate what must be: They hand a towel to Pontius Pilate (a wickedly demented “Clockwork Orange” Peter Moore), then give Judas his rope.

Judas – played with typical ferocity by Thoms – is the star of this show in many ways. Lloyd Webber and Rice originally titled this “The Last Five Days of Judas Iscariot.” Thoms’ songs – such as “Heaven on Their Minds,” “Damned For All Time/Blood Money ” and the back-from-the-dead screamer “Superstar” – are the most dramatic, the most rocking. He gets to raise issues of martyrdom and predestination; he gets to threaten to spoil the grand plan by not betraying Jesus. One of the best supporting parts is Caiaphas, the High Priest, played by charter BRO member Mick Maldonado. Maldonado sinks deeply into the character’s dark wit and evil nature. Especially wicked is his overture to Judas: “We’ll pay you with silver/ Cash on the nail.” Ouch.

As Jesus, Cherone – who looks just like the popular artist’s conception of the man – must practice restraint. He is, generally, an accepting, passive reactor, getting to blow off steam only when, say, the moneychangers corrupt the temple or when he’s b esieged by beggars. Cherone lets out a mighty roar of “Heal yourself!” at that point – the guy’s got a lot of pent-up frustration. Later, much more human than Godlike, he implores of God, “Why should I die?” and “What will be my reward?” in “Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say).” That’s Cherone’s show-stopper, where, in true arena-rock fashion, he gets to go from a whisper to a scream and back again.

Hanley, as Mary Magdalene, is there to soothe and maybe even stimulate. You can’t help but feel an erotic charge when she goes to wipe Cherone’s face; Hanley’s version of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” is a weepy, emotional peak.

The eight-piece band led by guitarist Rich Gilbert plays the score perfectly, giving ample room for the singers but rocking hard nonetheless.

Souping up Boston’s “Superstar” Globe 1996

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The Boston Globe, April 3, 1996, Wednesday, City Edition
Souping up Boston’s “Superstar” By Jim Sullivan, Globe Staff

There is no Joseph, no technicolor dreamcoat and no toothy Donny Osmond in this production. For that brand of Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice biblical cheese, you must go to the Colonial Theatre and pay $ 40 or so for the privilege.

For the other, more pungent brand of Lloyd Webber/Rice biblical cheese, you can go to the Lansdowne Street Playhouse and pay only $ 15 to see Boston Rock Opera’s fifth production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the early ’70s warhorse that the company fir st kicked up, almost as a lark, in 1991.

Lest you think the cheese metaphor is dismissive, just listen to the woman who plays Mary Magdalene, Kay Hanley of the band Letters to Cleo: “I love cheese and schmaltz, and I’m trailer park all the way. I have really bad taste. . . . I so desperately wanted to have something to do with this. I’ve been singing this stuff in the shower since I was 7.”

You want rock star power? You got it in Gary Cherone, lead singer of Extreme, as well as in Hanley. Cherone returns from the 1994 production (the troupe took last year off) in the title role. This will be the first singing he’s done in public since the last Extreme tour ended in August of last year. Cherone underwent surgery for a node on his vocal cords, followed by rehabilitation. “This, for me, is a coming-out party,” he says.

Doug Thoms, the guy who gets the best songs to sing and the most dramatic battles to wage, is Judas Iscariot. It’s a role he has filled since the inception. Thoms is “the real star of the show,” says Pat McGrath, who plays Herod – “after me, of course .”

What has changed since the early days? Well, Jesus is played by a straight white man. No one in the cast is likely to be drunk. The apostles at the Last Supper don’t even drink real wine anymore – it’s cranberry juice, just like in real theater. Linda (James the Apostle) Viens, of the band Crown Electric Co., says things took a more serious turn when Cherone joined the cast in 1994. “I kind of miss the rough-hewn days,” she says, “but it had to grow. Bands grow.”

One of the cops who lashes Jesus, played by Mikey Dee, no longer sports the letters LAPD on his back (an old joke), but still munches doughnuts. (“I fought for that!” he says.) King Herod, long played as a drunken lout by the Wheelers and Dealers’ McGr ath, has gone through some character development. Still, Herod does have a harem of six fawning, scantily clad gals and one scantily clad guy. And his one turn onstage remains hilarious.

It’s not quite the wing-and-a-prayer production of old. The show, co-produced by Eleanor Ramsay and T Max, has shifted from the Middle East Downstairs – not exactly a theater – to the more spacious Lansdowne Street Playhouse for 11 performances, starti ng tomorrow night and running through April 20.

The 30-odd players have room to move on a set designed by Kathy Rosen. About $ 5,000 has been spent on staging. Two professional directors – John Whiteside of the Huntington Theatre Company and Jane Bulger of the Abydos Movement Collaborative – are run ning the show.

The new musical director is guitarist Rich Gilbert, formerly of Concussion Ensemble and the Zulus, who assembled the eight-piece band six weeks ago. “It’s bombastic,” says Gilbert of the score, “and I’m going out of my way to rock it as hard as I can.” One of his primary challenges is to play loud but not overwhelm the vocalists. “It’s pretty difficult to learn,” Gilbert says of the music. “It’s complicated, a lot of left turns. Even if you know it in your head, it’s hard to execute. The themes repeat in different keys, there are slight variations.”

Just how catchy are the songs?

“Every night for the last month I go home to bed and have a different series of songs burning away in my head and I can’t get them out,” says Gilbert. “And the first thing in the morning. And in the middle of the day. But I love the music. I hate every thing else Lloyd Webber ever wrote. It’s almost as if it’s a different person.”

The buzz heard around the set during Sunday night’s final dress rehearsal: “It’s all been turned up a notch.” Or as Thoms puts it: “It has come from the Little Rascals putting on a show in a barn to a show that Ted Neely” – who played Christ in the mov ie, on Broadway and in the touring production – “should take a look at and consider his position in the world.” Adopting a booming pro-wrestler voice, Thoms bellows, “We blow Broadway away! We are the best!”

“Jesus Christ Superstar” has always been something of a guilty pleasure for rock fans, especially rock fans who came of musical age in the punk era, but grew up during the age of the rock opera. When the punks came along, many rock fans began to see th ose who penned rock operas and concept albums as highbrow poseurs and conspicuous overachievers. The BRO’s implicit acknowledgment of that viewpoint in the early days came with its rough-and-tumble look, no-budget set and semi-shambolic performances. With a nod and a wink.

“I would say the kitsch is there at the level it was,” says Thoms. “The drunken Herod, the cop with the doughnut – but we’ve amplified the seriousness of the show, especially me. I think we’ve all come to the point where we realize this is a story abou t someone who was most beloved, and we all have that in our heads now.”

Cherone says, “In the beginning, it was a kitschy rock ‘n’ roll take on it, and it just developed. It had to go somewhere. I don’t think you could do this every year just being on that level. It has evolved into a production and a play and a musical – but we still have to get the camp in there. If you don’t get the camp, people go home being depressed, because of the drama and sadness of it. The first act is happy and colorful, but from the Last Supper on, it’s pretty much a downer.”

Hanley says that despite her many gigs with Letters to Cleo, her audition for the producers and directors of this show was “terrifying. I’ve sung in front of thousands of people in my life, but to sing a song in a living room with four people sitting o n a couch. . . . I did the big emotional, uplifting bridge to ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him,’ and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

How does she see her role?

“To me,” says Hanley, “Mary’s a woman in love. I think she’s a beautiful character, I love her. Of course, she’s tormented by the fact that she is in love with a man who is ostensibly chaste, and it’s difficult for her.”

Cherone sees his role this way: “Basically, he’s got it together and, come second act, he gets beat up. We’ve gone through rehearsal a few times and I’m already hurt.”

Thoms, who’s betrayed a few Jesuses in his day, relates Cherone’s role in “Superstar” to his position in Extreme. “A lot of people do things to him – ‘Help me, Jesus,’ ‘Heal me, Jesus.’ He gets pulled in a million different directions, which is true to Gary. . . . The man is the coolest thing on the face of this planet. He came in the first year knowing the whole book, and he was the most unassuming, unproblematic, straight- ahead guy.”

Boston Rock Opera’s ‘Superstar’ is gripping – again

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STAGE REVIEW
Boston Rock Opera’s ‘Superstar’ is gripping – again

By Jim Sullivan, Globe Staff, 11/13/2000

How can a musical that is so unspeakably awful in the hands of a professional touring company become so gripping and gut-wrenching in the hands of a local group of musicians and actors? Maybe because it’s not a job, but an adventure. Maybe, it’s because the actor-musicians grew up with the work and find it a thrill to inhabit the roles. Maybe it’s because of the rock ‘n’ roll backbone. At any rate, such is the case with ”Jesus Christ Superstar,” the Tim Rice-Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera, once again kicked up by Boston Rock Opera, the company formed on a shoestring budget seven years ago by producer Eleanor Ramsay and musical director Mick Maldonado. (They actually started doing ”Superstar” in 1991 before the company took shape.)

”Jesus Christ Superstar,” starring Chris Mascara in the title role and former Jesus – Gary Cherone (ex-Extreme and Van Halen singer) as Judas Iscariot, is being staged at Massachusetts College of Art’s Tower Auditorium under the direction of John Whiteside. It’s the first time this production is being performed at a theater and not a rock club. Over time, this ”Superstar” has grown from likably amateurish – the apostles drank real wine and got a bit tipsy during the first Last Supper – to something striking and professional.

The staging is simple and stark: a large metal grid at the rear of the stage, with a translucent scrim behind (shielding the band), and three platforms in front. Near the end, Cherone’s Judas climbs the grid, anguished by his betrayal of Christ, and dramatically hangs himself. Then, of course, Christ’s cross is put up against the grid, and Mascara’s Jesus goes through his death throes.

The gender-and-race-blind cast – a mix of newcomers and old faves including Peter Moore (Pontius Pilate), Pat McGrath (King Herod), and Maldonado (Caiaphas) – dresses in a mix of period and modern costumes. A tag team of annoying reporters (Deborah Emmons, Lisa McColgan, and Mike Bidwell) stick microphones and cameras in the faces of the players. The big burly Gestapo-like cops (Stan LeRoy and George Bonin) whack Jesus with batons during ”The 39 Lashes.” McGrath’s boozy, smarmy, and highly debauched Herod is, as always, a hoot, and surrounded by scantily clad ensemble members of both genders. McGrath, in fabulous gold lame, goes off-script for a few comments about Christ’s raising folks from the dead (”how Goth!”), cracks a sacrilegious double-entendre or two, and a few other goodies.

The crux of it all, of course, is the Jesus/Judas conflict, and in many, this is as much about Judas as Jesus. (Rice and Lloyd-Webber’s original working title was ”The Last Five Days of Judas Iscariot.”) The limber, brooding, dyed-blond Cherone is superb – in Mascara’s face about Jesus’s supposed miscalcuations and singing the best songs of the show, ”Heaven on Their Minds,” ”Damned for All Time/Blood Money,” a posthumous, rousing ”Superstar,” among them. Mascara plays Jesus as more human than Godlike, and experiences a full range of emotion from acceptance of his fate to rage against the merchants in the temple. Valerie Forgione, as Mary Magdalene, shines during her featured songs, ”Everything’s Alright,” ”Can We Start Again Please?” and ”I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” belting out these cathartic songs in a manner far from her work with her ethereal rock band Mistle Thrush.

There were a few glitches at the show we caught, Wednesday’s preview – some popping mikes, some dropped vocals (especially Karin Parker’s Simon Zealotes), a slight stumble at the start of ”What’s the Buzz?” a lighting miscue that caused Rachel Morales, one of three dancers playing The Fates, to stumble and break her foot as she exited a scene.

But overall this a production of passion, pathos, and, yes, a little kitsch. It’s respectful of the book, but has fun with it, too. The band, led by keyboardist/flutist Suzi Lee, shifts gears from hook-laden rockers to dissonant mood pieces expertly. It’s an ambitious production of primo Lloyd Webber, before his descent into super-schmaltz.

This story ran on page C08 of the Boston Globe on 11/13/2000. © Copyright 2000 Globe Newspaper Company.

‘Superstar’ is reborn CNC 2000

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‘Superstar’ is reborn
Boston Rock Opera resurrects signature show
By ALEXANDER STEVENS | CNC ARTS WRITER

November 3, 2000

Photo caption: Gary Cherone (Judas), Chris Mascara (Jesus) and Valerie Forgione (Marty) bring a rock sensibility to "Jesus Christ Superstar."

Rock ‘n’ roll and Andrew Lloyd Webber – they go together about as well as gin and milk. Unless you ask the Boston Rock Opera.

The BRO’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” has been its signature production for 10 years, a crowd favorite that’s packed the house at all its funky venues. And along the way, it’s made actors out of some of the biggest names on the local rock scene – including stars like Gary Cherone and Kay Hanley – who have not only joined past casts, but also confess their love of Lloyd Webber.

“One thing we’ve found from the beginning is that ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ is a beloved piece,” says Eleanor Ramsay, producer of the BRO’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” revival that goes up Nov. 9-18, at the Tower Auditorium, at the Massachusetts College of Art.

“It’s a guilty pleasure for a lot of people” she says. “Valerie [Forgione] is in this band Mistle Thrush that has lots of indie cred, so when we approached her [to play Mary Magdalene], we didn’t know if she’d think it’s cool enough. But she was all over it. She said, ‘I’d love to do it.’ The same with Kay Hanley. So we more often find that they’re really into it.” Cherone, formerly of Extreme and Van Halen, is back for his third productionof “Jesus Christ Superstar” with the BRO (this time playing Judas), so it’s no surprise when he also admits the musical is one of his “guilty pleasures.”

He says people are just being elitist if they categorically snub Lloyd Webber. “How can you deny the merits of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’?” he asks. You’ve got to admire the willingness of these rockers to embrace Lloyd Webber, at the risk being arrested by the cool police.

It’s not only admirable, it’s also important – the future of some form of musical theater, or rock opera, probably depends on rockers who will takethese kinds of risks.

The audience that grew up with the music of Richard Rodgers or Irving Berlin is dying out, and the future of musical theater depends on people who can write in the vernacular of the new ticket-buying audience, and that’s rock.

And that’s pretty much the mission of the BRO, which has built its 10-year reputation first and foremost on “Jesus Christ Superstar.” (Other BRO highlights were two productions of the satirical, political piece “Preservation,” which even got a visit/consultation from Ray Davies of The Kinks, who wrote the show.)

The goal, all along, has been to bring a rock edge to the theater.

It’s tricky. Lots of people who set out with the intention of marrying rock and theater often end up with some hideous mutation of the two.

There seems to be some kind of inherent block that prevents theater from ever really rocking. That’s a criticism that’s been leveled at “Rent.” But so far the Boston Rock Opera has dodged that bullet.

“The idea is to explore the rock in theater, and the theater in rock,” says Ramsay. “A lot of times when rock music and theater combine, they sort of diffuse each other. So you really don’t have good rock, and you really don’t have great theater. We’re trying to keep that rock edge and tell stories.”

And one need has been obvious to the BRO from the start: If you want a rock sound, then get some rock blood in the band. That’s right, band – no orchestra in this production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Mainstays of the Boston rock scene like T Max and Mick Maldonado have been bringing a rock club mentality to BRO right from the start.

“I’ve found that it’s easier to teach rockers how to act than it is to teach actors how to rock,” says Ramsay.

As a result of that raw energy, those early productions of “Jesus Christ Superstar” are almost legendary – first crammed into the little space upstairs at the Middle East in 1991, and then revived downstairs.

“I think we made a splash right from the beginning with some of those early Middle East shows,” says Ramsay. “They may have been a technical mess,” she adds with a laugh. “But there was a real raw energy that was so refreshing. The show wasn’t watered down, it went back to the rock roots of the album. Our shows have gotten better technically, but we’ve maintained that rock voice, that rock band, that rock volume.”

Now the production faces its biggest test to date: Not only does the cast have more musical theater singers than ever before, but it’s also getting staged on a proscenium stage for the first time.

But Ramsay believes the BRO’s integrity won’t be compromised by the venue.

“Our attitude is rock,” she says. “On the other hand, I think we do stuff that musical theater aficionados can enjoy. I don’t think we’re alienating the more general theater audience. If they like musicals, they’ll probably

like this show, as long as they can stand the volume.”

And maybe the best testimony to the fact that the Boston Rock Opera really rocks is the fact that a guy like Cherone keeps coming back. “They’ve become my family,” says Cherone, describing his relationship with BRO. “If there’s a role that’s right for me [in future shows], I’m in.”

“Jesus Christ Superstar” plays Nov. 9-18, at the Tower Auditorium at the Massachusetts College of Art. Tickets are $20. Call (617) 423-NEXT.

©CNC|Tab Newspapers

The Boston Rock Opera: Soundcheck 2000

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The Boston Rock Opera

By Debbie Catalano
Soundcheck Magazine

The pure energy and passion that is live rock music spliced with the exhilaration and dramatics of theatre and the opera and… there you have it, the Boston Rock Opera, one of the most innovative organizations in the arts today. The talent on stage and behind the scenes of the Boston Rock Opera is comprised of consummate professionals, individuals that are actors, dancers, singers, local rock band members – some only known in their hometown and some Bostonians who have experienced nationwide or worldwide success. But wherever the talent may lie, wherever it has originated or traveled, the true essence of the Boston Rock Opera is rooted in a genuine love for music and the stage. Revitalizing classic rock music; introducing forgotten, unknown, or brand new productions; raising money or awareness for a good cause, the Boston Rock Opera has, since 1993, injected this town and the local music scene with an admirable dose of artistic originality.

Keeping with its naturally unpretentious demeanor, the BRO has maintained in the last seven years a kind of subtle strength – as a whole it is low-key in that it’s not flashy, yet some productions – most notably their productions of Jesus Christ Superstar – have garnered the organization high media praises. For those readers who are not familiar with the Boston Rock Opera, allow me to raise the curtain and fill you in a bit: The Boston Rock Opera is a nonprofit organization that merges the local music, dance, and theatre communities to produce renditions of well-known rock operas, story-like songs, and original creations by local composers. The BRO was formed by Eleanor Ramsey, Mick Maldonado, and T Max – Eleanor is one of the primary behind-the-scenes forces behind the BRO, and though everyone appears to wear many hats in all the productions, Eleanor principally produces and directs the shows, while Mick Maldonado often serves as Musical Director, along with being a big part of the performances – as a vocalist, guitarist, actor. T Max, who is known mainly in the Boston scene as publisher of The Noise, also lends a great deal of his talent and expertise both on stage and off. Jane Bulger and John Whiteside are two other individuals who have significantly contributed to the BRO behind the scenes. Through the years, the Boston Rock Opera has gathered together a diverse array of talent – the group is tight in that there are performers who are faithfully in every production, yet open-minded in that new artists continually come in and out of the various shows and productions. To list everyone would somehow be a disservice to anyone inadvertently left out – yet all deserve recognition for their impassioned, stirring, and stimulating performances. One can’t help but walk away from a BRO production feeling inspired.

It was a production of Jesus Christ Superstar that led to the eventual formation of the Boston Rock Opera. Though certainly the fact that in 1994 Kay Hanley’s (Letters To Cleo) role as Mary Magdalene and Gary Cherone’s (Extreme, Van Halen) as Jesus were significant to drawing attention to the Boston Rock Opera, their contributions by far proved more than just “name lending,” as anyone who saw their heartfelt performances can attest to. Following the success of Jesus Christ Superstar, the group took on Preservation Act II by The Kinks. Other BRO productions include: Crackpot Notion (a new composition by Tim Robert), The Who’s A Quick One While He’s Away, an original staging of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (which raised money and awareness for The AIDS Action Committee), “Night @ The Opera” in 1998 and “Another Night @ The Opera” in 1999, both of which were celebrations, compilation style, of rock opera songs and “story songs” (like songs by Queen, The Who, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, The Beatles, The Kinks, Jethro Tull, Kate Bush, etc.) and more. Last year alone, the BRO also presented the rock fable Happiness Stan by Britain’s Small Faces, which was for Somerville’s ArtBeat Festival and S.F. Sorrow a full-length rock opera by The Pretty Things, originally released in 1968. This year, the BRO pulled together for Mikey Dee and presented “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Dee” an evening that honored Mikey, a BRO performer and supporter, and that contributed to raising money for Mikey Dee’s medical expenses and trust fund (please see page 42 for a live review of this show). For a better idea of the Boston Rock Opera’s history, pay a visit to their website: http://www.rockopera.com, where you’ll find links to previous shows, including photos and complete programs. Better yet, go to a Boston Rock Opera performance, as that is the best way to truly understand the experience that this hardworking, dedicated group of individuals offers to you.

For more insight, I recently posed some questions to Eleanor Ramsey:

Boston SoundCheck Magazine: What inspired you (and your cofounders) to start the organization? Eleanor Ramsey: It grew out of the Jesus Christ Superstar Middle East Noise shows. After that had seemingly run its course Mick wanted to try Preservation Act II by The Kinks. We managed to get Ray Davies’ permission to do it and put on a pretty great show of that for the first time in July 1993, so suddenly we were a theatre company and thus, Boston Rock Opera was born. BSM: So that was the first BRO production… what did you learn from it? ER: We learned a lot about stagecraft on that show and that Ray Davies was nice. We also realized that there was a whole genre of music, which was worth exploring out there and that people really wanted to see more. BSM: How did it grow from there? ER: Well, Boston Rock Opera put on Jesus Christ Superstar at Easter 1994 with Gary Cherone as Jesus. That show raised the bar again and, of course, Gary brought a lot of attention to it. It was still this scruffy raw show at the Middle East but they were talking about it on MTV. BSM: Do you feel the BRO has enlightened audiences/the general public to both the rock opera genre (for lack of a better term) and the truly classic, timeless rock music artists and songs? ER: I think so, maybe a little bit. The casts are comprised mostly with people in local bands or who used to be in bands which play many different styles of music so there’s a real range of musical tastes by the participants. We always hope that open-mindedness will encourage others to check out what we’re about. We think that there is a lot of great over-the-top music and good stories out there so there’s no reason not to present this music for today’s audiences. It’s also fun, and it rocks. BSM: How much preparation time does it take to put on one of your productions? ER: It can take a long time to adapt a show or set it up but the active production cycle for a show is about two months. BSM: I’ve always been impressed with the topnotch talent of the musicians and singers and crew involved – what qualifications are necessary to be part of the BRO? Do you audition often? ER: Talent, creativeness, dedication and a sense of humor. We do audition and we approach people who we think might be good for a part. A lot of it is word of mouth and recommendations. But we’ve had a bunch of people in the shows who just walked in cold to an audition. BSM: I love, too, how the cast includes “famous” as well as the “not-so-famous” artists and I notice that everyone is treated the same promotions-wise – along with the fact that there never seems to be any ego problems or issues on both ends… are my observations pretty much on with this? I believe it lends to the credibility and sincerity of your shows and Boston Rock Opera in general. ER: Yeah, that’s always been something that’s been important to us. As I mentioned before we run the productions as professionally as we can and in turn everyone involved can really give their all to their role. People do the shows for the love of it so we seldom have any ego problems. I’m always impressed by talent and we have a lot of fun. We try to promote the shows as a collective effort. Everybody’s a star. BSM: What are your future plans for The Rock Opera? ER: We’ve got Jesus Christ Superstar coming back this November with Gary Cherone in the role of the red-haired betrayer [Judas] this time and a cast that will include both previous and new performers. We’re still looking for people. We’ll probably do a club show at Lilli’s when they open this summer also. We are always looking for new people and behind the scenes folks, too. There’s a lot of ways to get involved..

Again, for more information on the Boston Rock Opera visit their website at www.rockopera.com.

COPYRIGHT © 2000 BOSTON SOUNDCHECK MAGAZINE

Being for the Benefit of Mr Dee: Soundcheck 05-03-00

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Boston Rock Opera Presents: “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Dee”
– Axis, Boston, MA – 5/3/00

Soundcheck Magazine
by Debbie Catalano

May 3, 2000 marked the kickoff to the series of benefits in honor of local music personality Mikey Dee, who is currently recovering from a serious stroke. “For The Benefit Of Mr. Dee” turned out to be an amazing tribute to an individual that has alone given so much to the local music community – with his knowledge, writing, promotions, musicianship, and endless support. Mikey is by far one of the most down-to-earth people in the music industry, and his love of music was returned in this five-day string of shows, all of which were to benefit The Mikey Dee Musician’s Benefit Trust (please see the end of this article for contribution details). Organized primarily by The Planetary Group, WMFO, and The Noise – all organizations that Mikey works for – “For The Benefit Of Mr. Dee” generated over $60,000 for the trust.An active and avid member, fan, and supporter of the Boston Rock Opera, it was perfect to launch the series with “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Dee,” a production by an exceptionally talented crew of individuals. [Please see accompanying story for more on the Boston Rock Opera on page 24.] My initial disorientation of the differently designed interior of Axis (I guess it’s been a few years since I’ve been there!) quickly dissipated once I settled in and absorbed the show. I walked in during Acme Theatre’s All-Star Comedy Salute To Mikey Dee that, though not part of the BRO, was entertaining.

The BRO portion began with a song from Ray Davies’ Preservation, “Money Talks,” which featured BRO founder and regular performer Mick Maldonado and Letters To Cleo’s Kay Hanley, who initially made her first BRO appearance in 1994’s Jesus Christ Superstar – a great beginning to the evening. But before getting into the various performances, it must be noted that throughout the entire night it was made clear that this was for Mikey. A camera recorded the entire show and often performers spoke to Mikey directly (I know that a few days later he was shown the video in his hospital room and I can only imagine knowing Mikey that he was humbly touched by this tribute while thoroughly enjoying every second of the music). Never for a minute did the spirit of this show nor the seriousness of the issue dissolve.

Spliced in between the range of theatrical emotions – both the humor and drama – and the tight musical productions and uninhibited rock and roll, were messages to Mikey, including a particularly important interval by T Max where he attempted to quiet down the noisy talking in Axis and have everyone draw their attention to a tiny, glittery disco ball he held hanging from his finger. It was here that he entreated the audience to focus all their healing energy on this ball from which he intended to bring to Mikey in the hospital. Though the gesture inappropriately elicited a misguided chuckle from the audience, T was anything but joking… to collectively bring everyone to a silence (or as silent as one could with a club of that capacity) and focus their thoughts on Mikey was a powerful moment. However you took that, or whatever means you chose to use that moment was up to you (I myself took it as an opportunity to send Mikey some prayers); regardless it reminded everyone what this show was about.Overall the evening was alive with the brilliance of the music and the spirit and energy of the performers. “Money Talks,” was followed by “Senses Working Overtime” by Andy Partridge/XTC, and then a rockin’, amazing Tommy medley featuring Peter Moore, John Surrette, Lynette Estes, Gene Dante, Kaci Carr Foster, and the BRO Chorus, and musicians Mick Maldonado on acoustic guitar, Matt Bogdanow on drums, the behind-the-scenes vocals of Gary Cherone, and T Max on guitar with his son Izzy Maxwell on bass. It was a rousing presentation, and one of the highlights of the evening.

Kay Hanley returned with the next tune, Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” along with Lynette Estes and Peter Moore on vocals, with the BRO Chorus. Followed by The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” (Brian Gottesman on vocals), “Walking Through My Dreams” from the rock opera SF Sorrow by The Pretty Things (Linda Bean, Peter Moore on vocals), and then two tracks from the popular Jesus Christ Superstar, “Heaven on Their Minds” and “Everything’s Alright.” This segment was another highlight of the night as it brought back together 1994 cast members Kay Hanley as Mary Magdalene and Gary Cherone – only this time around he played Judas, while Gene Dante played Jesus. I distinctly recall Gary’s emotional, inspiring ’94 performance of Jesus and wondered what it would be like to see him on “the other side”… he was just as stirring as the “bad guy” Judas, purveying every ounce of raw passion vocally and physically, utterly captivating in his presence. Gene Dante’s portrayal of Jesus was more on the peaceful side, a bit restrained but his role was supposed to be gentle, so it was a good balance.

The audience was then treated to a few songs by the bands The Wheelers and Dealers first with their twangy rock and then The Deniros who presented “Rock and Roll” by The Velvet Underground. Excellent job by both groups.

The BRO Chorus and cast returned with The Who’s “A Quick One While He’s Away,” an animated performance that with its choreography and arrangements reminded me of a movie musical. Holly Sugar, Gary Cherone, Pete Sutton, Mick Mondo, T Max, Linda Viens, Kaci Carr Foster, and the BRO Chorus played roles, while Matt Thorsen on guitar, Bill Bracken on bass, and Steve Whitcomb on drums provided the music.Lack of space prevents me from going into great detail on all the songs, but I must mention that “Infinity Forever” by Butterscott followed, then three tunes from David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust then another three songs by Mick Mondo and Streaker.

Gary Cherone then once again commanded the stage with a riveting rendition of The Who’s “Love Reign O’er Me” from Quadrophenia. The intensity of his performance and heavy power of the song was an excellent, even segue to the bright, encouraging closers – The Beatles’ “Getting Better” and “All You Need Is Love.” “Getting Better” was lead by current producer and former Neighborhood David Minehan. David’s smooth, effervescent vocals and fluent, charismatic stage presence left me desiring more songs by this talented performer.

Lending to the overall great vibes of this performance were Peter Moore, Linda Viens, and Lynette Estes, who were soon joined by the entire ensemble for the uplifting – and appropriate – “All You Need Is Love”… one could not help but feel touched at this point. Encouraging all in attendance to join in the chorus of “All you need is love” made us all feel a part of this special evening. The love for a friend, for Mikey – whether you know him or not – just emanated from the stage and flowed into your heart.I would say The Boston Rock Opera and “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Dee” accomplished what it set out to do – to honor (and entertain) Mikey Dee, to spread and create the good vibes via all the soulfully good intentions behind the performances, to bring awareness to Mikey’s needs, to raise money, and to unite all of us – fellow music industry people, fans, friends. I commend all involved.Go to www.rockopera.com for a complete list of the entire cast and crew from that evening.

BOSTON ROCK OPERA & ACME THEATRE: FOR THE BENEFIT OF MR. DEE: May 2000

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BOSTON ROCK OPERA/ACME THEATRE
FOR THE BENEFIT OF MR. DEE

Axis 5/3/00

The Noise
by Spaghettio Reverso

It’s the first night of the Mikey Dee benefit series, and my senses are overloaded by this unforgettable event. Hundreds of friends, relatives, and lovers of Mikey have gathered here to honor the man who has done so much for so many. The defunct ACME Theatr have regrouped for one night to perform several numbers from past musicals. (Mikey had been an ACME performer a few years back.) Outspoken ACME director DW Martini, dapper in a tux, emcees with drunken bravado, and he always seems to be spilling his drink.

As you might imagine, there is a lot of hamming up tonight, and Mikey gets his share of playful ribbing between songs. There are too many skits and acts to mention them all, but some of the highlights include Ad Frank (The Boy Joys) as Marlon Brando playing Fred Flintstone, and Winston Bramen (Fuzzy) doing an uncanny and hilarious impression of Mayor Tom Menino. Hilken Mancini (Fuzzy) delivers some sweet-sounding vocals, and the entire ACME crew closes out with a rousing original anthem for Mikey. I’m not sure what the title is, but the refrain features a glorious chorus of ACME performers repeating “Mikey Dee, he’s the bravest, the greatest of them all!” In his only serious moment of the night, DW Martini says, “We’re doing this shtick now because this is the shtick Mikey gave us all these years.”

Boston Rock Opera starts out with Mick Maldonado (Mick Mondo) and Kay Hanley (Letters to Cleo) performing “Money Talks” from Ray Davies’ Preservation. Then Peter Moore (Count Zero) sings “Senses Working Overtime” by Andy Partridge of XTC. These songs are visual spectacles. With the band and BRO chorus singers right onstage, there are between ten and twenty people performing at any given moment. T Max (The Noise) introduces the Tommy medley, noting that the rock opera makes him think of Mikey. Then he grabs his backwards guitar, his son Izzy Maxwell (Cannibal Animal and Me) picks up the bass, and the two glide effortlessly through some great echo-laden passages from the rock opera.

The night continues with covers of old favorites, including a powerful rendition of Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” a mellow version of The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows,” and three tunes from Ziggy Stardust, featuring vocals by Linda Viens and Gary Cherone. Gary also does an emotional cover of “Love Reign O’er Me” by The Who, singing most of the song with the hood of his raincoat pulled down over his face. But all in all, the songs are group events. When BRO performs a couple of numbers from Jesus Christ Superstar , I count nineteen people onstage. There are twenty-two during A Quick One While He’s Away, a rock operetta by The Who. Pete Sutton is wonderful as Ivor the Engine Driver, wielding a maniacal, bone-chilling cackle that haunts me to this day. Holly Sugar also plays her part well (as Her), ever the temptress in a red pleated camisole. And T Max, as The Mother, doesn’t look all THAT bad in drag. The operetta ends with a sweet and beautiful tune, “You Are Forgiven.” All the while, the backing band play their hearts out. The members change for different songs and there are a host of different musicians, but Matt Thorsen, Bill Bracken, Suzi Lee, and Ethan Mackler are playing most of the time. So is enthusiastic keyboardist Joel Simches, who bobs around like Paul Shaffer with Andy Warhol’s haircut.

Three bands are interspersed among the covers. The Wheelers and Dealers play some mid-paced country tunes. Mike Castolana fills the room with his pedal steel guitar, and singer/guitarist Pat McGrath divulges in his Memphis drawl that he has long been “involved” with Mikey in more ways than one. Wow, Pat! The leather-jacketed Deniros offer a lively rendition of “Rock and Roll” by Velvet Underground, and their go-go dancers earn big points in my book. Then Mick Maldonado transforms into his glam-rock alter ego, Mick Mondo, complete with ridiculous scarf, big collar, and big attitude. He’s joined by the Mondettes (also big points) as he performs the sad and memorable “Roll Away the Stone” and “Do It for the Show,” sounding like David Bowie times two.

The night closes with Beatles songs. Local producer David Minehan is a great performer. He high-steps across stage singing “Getting Better” faithfully and convincingly to the original. Then the whole BRO ensemble and friends, about 30 or 40 people, crowd together to do “All You Need Is Love,” the various stars of the night switching off on lead vocals. By the end of the evening, there’s such a feeling of warmth and of community that it’s impossible not to get caught up in it all. Adam Lewis of Planetary Group, who put together the whole benefit, is brought onstage and thanked heartily by all. As I head out into the street, I feel like I’ve just witnessed a wonderful thing–a true outpouring of love and empathy. It’s wonderfully ironic that an icon of something as specific as the Boston music scene can elicit humanity so large and universal. It’s a rare and special moment, and we probably won’t see anything like this again for a long time to come.