‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Roslyn style

Bill San Antonio

If you go to see the Roslyn Royal Crown Players’ spring production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” next week, be prepared to see a few things you weren’t initially expecting.

For instance, the Judas Iscariot who betrays Jesus of Nazareth by handing him over to Roman forces in exchange for 30 pieces of silver will now be portrayed as a lovesick female disciple afraid Jesus’ teachings will eventually get each of his first 12 followers killed.

The evil King Herod and Simon Peter, who goes on to become the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church, have also been made female characters in Roslyn High School’s production, which runs for three shows from March 27 to 29.

But perhaps the most drastic of changes to the story widely considered the greatest ever told is that Jesus will neither be the Western-portrayed, blonde-haired, blue-eyed bearded white man nor take on the historical dark-skinned look of Middle Eastern men.

Instead, Jesus will be played by junior Daveen Rim – who is of Korean descent.

“The role is a bit out of my comfort zone, I mean Jesus is known as the King of the Jews, right?” Rim said. “A Korean kid playing a Jewish king? I mean, come on.”

Rim, who previously played Richie in last spring’s production of “A Chorus Line” and the sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello in November’s “Little Shop of Horrors,” said he embraced the role of Jesus as one that demanded introspection and subtle emotion.

“Throughout the years, I’ve always been the energetic psycho, but I always wanted the humble, passionate character,” Rim said. “I was so ecstatic when I heard I got the part. I wanted to die on the spot when [director Brad] Frey told me I got the part.”

Playing opposite Rim is junior Cindy Latin as Judas, whose fear over Jesus’ growing popularity and jealousy over a growing romantic relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene sends her right to the Romans in the Roslyn Royal Crown Players’ telling of the story.

Latin said that because she is among the first females to ever play Judas, she could not build her role using past portrayals of the character.

Instead, she and Frey had to carve a different one for her.

“She’s not feminine, she’s tough,” Latin said. “When I’m on stage, I need to make that point that people should be scared of me. I can’t look too sweet with Jesus, especially with Mary.”

The love triangle between Jesus, Mary and Judas in the Crown Players’ production is set against a futuristic dystopian Jerusalem that finds its characters returned from a long war that decimates civilization so thoroughly that the overall concepts of religion and morality must be reintroduced to society.

“The entire musical is a play within a play,” Frey said “It creates a believable ‘what if’ scenario. We want to honor everyone’s perspective and religious beliefs, but more importantly, want to create a new story, one not tied to any one particular religion or belief.”

But, he said, tickets have so far been difficult to sell.

Senior Erica Plaener, who plays Mary Magdalene, said she has often been asked why the Royal Crown Players would put on a predominantly Christian story for a mostly Jewish community in Roslyn – particularly during the Lenten season, whose traditions come from the story upon which “Jesus Christ Superstar” is based.

“I think people are a bit hesitant, but once we get the word out about the show, people will start caring more about it just out of their own curiosity,” said Plaener, who played Audrey in the fall production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” “But I do think they should want to come out and experience something they’ve never experienced before.”

Senior Joshua Goldenberg, who plays the high Jewish priest Caiaphas who initiates a plot to kill Jesus, said he has noticed some reticence from Roslyn’s Jewish community to support “Jesus Christ Superstar” because of its differences in religious beliefs and cultures.

But Goldenberg said people of all creeds and colors can appreciate this production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Korean-American Jesus and all.

“You’d think for a town like Roslyn, we’d be doing ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ or something closer to the Jewish faith, but I think it’s good that we’re doing something like “Jesus Christ Superstar,’ ” Goldenberg said. “It’s something different. Why would you want to see the same thing over and over again?” 

The production will have three showings –  March 27 at 3:30 p.m., March 28 at 7:30 p.m. and March 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students

For tickets, call the Royal Crown Players’ Box Office between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 516-801-5156

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