Harvey Estes: Still a Superstar after all these years

Jesus Christ Superstar is coming to the State Theater here in Greenville. Magnolia Arts Center will perform this classic August 21-25.

I found this out one Sunday as I was watching some church musicians eat fast-food biscuits after the early praise service. I had stopped by to visit with them and they happened to mention that JCS was coming. “So when are the auditions?” I asked, not really seriously — at first.

“The last one is today at 2 p.m.” Imaginary angels in my head stopped singing the “Hosanna” showstopper from the musical. Suddenly, it was Elvis: “It’s now or never.” I felt my stomach tie up in knots the way it did the first time I asked a young lady for a date. No it wasn’t Mary Magdalene from the original cast. Nor the real Mary Magdalene from first-century Judea. (We were just friends.)

Superstar was very controversial when it first came out. Some people thought it was disrespectful, but I never saw it that way. It simply presents a narrative of iconic events and people so you can enjoy the drama of it.

The musical does not offer an opinion about them. But I guess some people will not tolerate any opinion other than their own, including no opinion at all.

Well, I was hooked from the beginning. I had heard the title song on the radio many times as well as Helen Reddy’s rendition of one of the musical’s best known numbers, “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.” I never sang the song myself, but at coffee houses and open mics, I was happy to accompany on guitar any of the ladies who wanted to sing it.

As for myself, I sang “King Herod’s Song” a few times but they asked me to cut it out. Too many people thought it was irreverent.

Needless to say, I think that God has a sense of humor. I seriously doubt that she gets offended when Herod sings to Jesus, “Prove to me that you’re no fool — walk across my swimming pool.” For what it’s worth, there is a type of lizard that has specially evolved feet that enable it to run across the surface of water. It is called the Jesus Christ lizard, so apparently Mother Nature has a sense of humor, too.

Well, I bought the album as soon as I could get my hands on it, then a touring group came to Birmingham where I lived at the time, so of course I went to see it and was enthralled.

I had a beard in those days and looked kind of like a hippy, even though I was not very hip. Most of the guys in line waiting to go in looked like me. Meanwhile, a lot of clean-shaven guys in their Sunday best were picketing and carrying signs that said it was all blasphemous. That was a fun reversal of expectations; back then it was supposed to be the weird-looking hippies who were protesting everything. But there we were, waiting quietly in line while I hoped no one in my Sunday school class was at the protest. Certainly, I would have to rebuke them.

The first movie came out in 1973. It’s hard to believe that it has been over a half century.

It’s also hard to believe that somehow I made it into the cast of the latest production, but I did. All it takes for me to succeed is to have 50 years to learn the music. But come to the show anyway; the other performers are excellent and then some.

Still a Superstar after all these years. The title character, of course. But also the musical. I mean, the story line comes from the New Testament. How can you miss with holy ghostwriters?