AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services
The strains of music from the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” echoed from the sanctuary of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church as a rehearsal for the show got underway last Saturday afternoon. The award-winning Broadway production, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, debuted in 1971 and remains popular 52 years later.
About half of the 40-member cast – a mix of principals, understudies and ensemble members – was on hand to rehearse specific numbers. The show has no spoken dialogue and everything is sung. With only a handful of rehearsals left before the musical’s March 24th debut, a lot of time was spent on Saturday working on the choreography of the dance sequences and general movement by the actors.
The show’s director, David Merrill, met with the cast onstage to give them a rundown of the scene they were about to rehearse. He next watched actress Emily Sergo, who plays Judas Iscariot, perform the show’s first number “Heaven On Their Minds” while assistant director Elysia Merrill (David’s wife) photographed her from different angles. The couple’s beloved Boxer dog Gisla, who attends every rehearsal, watched attentively from a comfy spot on the center aisle.
At the back of the room, Woods Church volunteer Jacquei Shade, whose son Thomas is in the production, was lending a helping hand where needed.
Sergo’s performance was enthusiastically received by her fellow actors waiting offstage.
As the rehearsal progressed, various parts of the production demanded on-the-spot instruction from choreographer Elysia Merrill who carefully coordinated the movement and placement of each actor from one scene to the next.
The cast’s entrance for the number “What’s the Buzz”, pictured above, was rehearsed several times before they segued into a segment highlighting the dancers. As the beat picked up and the actors receded toward the wings, the dancers moved front and center.
Behind them, Sarah Kent, who plays Mary, and cast member Dillon McCarrick, the understudy for the role of Jesus, sat on a platform while discussing the script.
The creative and innovative productions staged by Merrill, Woods’ Director of Music and the Arts, generally attract sizeable audiences. To accommodate them, the church uses its spacious sanctuary as a theater with the aisles on either side standing in for wings. The stepped altar area doubles as a stage and there is ample floor space.
When dance became the focus of the “What’s the Buzz” number, choreographer Elysia watched with intense concentration and occasionally interrupted the routine to offer a suggestion.
The dancers act as a bridge between scenes and play a pivotal role in moving the plot forward. However, three pieces of music, “Simon Zealottes”, “The Temple” and “Superstar” are exclusively dance numbers.
Loosely based on the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, “Jesus Christ Superstar” was controversial when it debuted on Broadway because of its unconventional portrayal of Jesus, its sympathetic treatment of Judas, its skipping of the resurrection and, among other things, its rock-based score.
It was a phenomenal hit with audiences though and became one of Broadway’s most acclaimed and longest running productions. Watching the rehearsal, one could see why. Even without sets and costuming, the show was vocally and visually compelling.
As the rehearsal evolved into another scene, an impromptu script conference was needed between Elysia and actors Erica Snipes, Dillon McCarrick and Sarah Kent before they moved into place.
The actors worked on scenes featuring Jesus, using two platforms that will be disguised as scenery during the actual shows. According to the Merrills, Woods Church has a wonderful prop and set builder team.
“Our prop master is Nancy Bishop and our set builders are Pete Bishop and John Dawson,” said David. “We do not cover or mask the set so we must move it completely out of the sanctuary for church services or special events. John McLaughlin, our properties director, (a guard in the show) is good at setting up and tearing down the set with help from the cast.”
Elysia added that Susan Bohlman is the show’s head costumer and has two other volunteers working with her on outfitting 40 actors – all of whom can’t wait to see what they’ll be wearing.
When rehearsal drew to a close we caught up with one of the youngest actors, Violet Thompson, who is part of the ensemble and also plays a leper. The 15-year-old is a skilled, enthusiastic and expressive dancer. We inquired if she’d had other acting experience.
“Yes, I’ve done theater my whole life,” Violet said. “In addition to appearing in some of the Woods’ productions, I’ve been in a number of Jennifer Lee Kraus’s Theater In The Park shows.”
We caught up with actors Sarah Kent and David Thompson, who is playing Peter, while they were helping Merrill fold platforms prior to stowing them away.
Sarah, who is Woods’ Director of Contemporary Music, said she felt that the rehearsal went well in spite of having just half the cast to work with. She was pleased that the “What’s the Buzz” sequences were coming along nicely.
“I’ve really learned to trust David and Elysia,” Kent said. “It seems like I’m always wondering ‘how are we ever going to pull this off?’ The costuming, for example, hasn’t come together yet and I have no idea what I’m going to wear. But then… we always do pull it off.”
Kent reminded us that there will be six performances of “Jesus Christ Superstar” on two consecutive weekends on March 24, 25 and 26 at 7:30 pm and, again, on March 31, April 1 and April 2 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 and may be ordered by visiting http://www.woodstix.org.
Woods Church brings back its annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner on March 17
Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church volunteer Karen Lerario dropped by the “Jesus Christ Superstar” rehearsal to share some special news.
“For the first time since the COVID pandemic, Woods Church is bringing back its popular St. Patrick’s Day dinner on March 17th at the Severna Park Community Center from 5:30 to7:30 pm,” Lerario said.
“The dinner will be catered by Park Deli instead of prepared by the Woods Church kitchen coordinator and volunteers who prepared St. Patrick’s Day fare in previous years. Park Deli has been generous to us in setting the price for adult dinners at $20, with children 12 and under $10 and a maximum price for a family dinner $60.”
The dinner will be held in the community center’s Andy Borland Gymnasium which will be decorated in St. Patrick’s Day greenery. The Woods Church Childrens Ministry is making decorative screens, one of which features a rainbow with a pot of gold.
Lerario says the menu will feature traditional St. Patrick’s Day foods including Bangers and Mash and Corned Beef and Cabbage.
There will be Irish music, a performance by the Crawford Family Celtic Dancers and leprechauns to entertain the diners. The community is welcome. Tickets may be purchased online at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church (woodschurch.org). For information, call 410-647-2550.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress.”
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee.
