A Production of Heart and Talent

Xaverian’s recent production of Jesus Christ Superstar was one for the record books. The show, which involved nearly 60 students (ranging from actors to crew members, to onstage and pit musicians) opened Friday, March 21 to a completely sold-out theater. This production of Jesus Christ Superstar swapped the traditional 60s hippie vibe for a more personal theme. Theater director and choreographer, Ms. Julianne O’Connor, felt that it was important that each actor was represented on a deeper level. Inspired by the theme, “Relationship with God,” the costumes were crafted with each actor’s “authentic self,” in mind. And the set, which included meditation gardens, hanging lights, functioning waterfalls, and rock walls (designed after the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem), included letters to God which were written by the cast and crew and placed into crevices in the rock.

Jesus Christ Superstar is known to be a behemoth of a production. A rock opera, the show is completely sung through from start to finish; no small feat, especially for high school-aged performers. In fact, Jesus Christ Superstar was the one show that Ms. O’Connor had believed she could never put on at Xaverian. When asked what was behind her change of mind, she recalled a conversation with Mr. Murray Kidd, P ’22, Xaverian’s Choir Director and the show’s musical director: “Over the summer, I put together a list of 16 names and showed it to Mr. Kidd. I said to him, ‘These are the seniors who graduate this year.’ With that sheer number of seniors, and that amount of talent, we knew it was possible,” she said. 

Cooper Marino ’27, who played Jesus of Nazareth, agreed that the cast and crew were ready for the challenge. “It's cool to watch people do what they love and be so passionate about it,” he says. “Everyone is doing their part, everyone is working hard.” Throughout the show, the audience got a glimpse into the relationships between Jesus Christ and his disciples, most notably with Judas Iscariot (Tarun Kancharla ’25) and Mary Magdalene (Jasmine Cueco ’25, Fontbonne Academy).

The show tracks Judas’s disillusionment and ultimate betrayal of Jesus, which casts Christ down a path of persecution by Caiaphus and Annas (Colby Millington ’27 and Brenna Griffin ’25, Ursuline Academy), King Herod (Lauchlan Perdoni ’27), and Pontius Pilate (Tommy Sullivan ’25). Lauchlan, fresh off of his portrayal of Col. Jessup in the Xaverian’s production of A Few Good Men, said that portraying King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar may have been his favorite role yet. “He was such a fun character to play, and hearing the audience clap in the middle of the tap-dancing number was incredible,” he said.

The seniors in the cast and crew are sure to look back fondly on their final performances on the Xaverian stage. For Tarun, the show was “a surreal experience, the culmination of everything the theater department has been working toward over the last several years,” while Jasmine described it as “an experience I will never forget.” These heartfelt reflections highlight the lasting impact the production has had on those involved, and the memories of community and connection that they will carry with them beyond 800 Clapboardtree Street.