What's the Buzz? Tell me What's a' Happenin'!

I'll tell you what's a' happenin'...
I'm going to see Jesus Christ Superstar!
And if that weren't enough- it's starring Ted Neeley!
No way!
Yes way!!
WOO HOO!!!

OK. I'm done with the exclamation marks.

Jesus Christ Superstar is my all-time favorite rock opera, although I have only ever seen it in movie form, and only ever heard the music performed by that particular cast. So, it stands to reason that this particular performance would be especially exciting.
I am looking forward to seeing it played out in person, but to have the Jesus from my beloved movie be in the starring role once again is more than I could have hoped for. In fact, just thinking about it makes me spontaneously WOO HOO without warning.

What is it about Jesus Christ Superstar, and Ted Neeley, that has made them my favorite? Well, I love the fact that Jesus is a tenor and not the booming voiced baritone that is usually portrayed. I don't know why I like that in particular other than it's different, and in reality Jesus always turns out to be delightfully different than anything you had imagined Him being. I also like that in the movie, which again is my only point of reference, Ted Neeley looks like he could be thirty-three. So many times, in motion picture, tv movie, and in print, Jesus looks older than He was. He died at thirty-three, and while His life was hard and I'm sure that added age- not to mention the skin destroying environment of His homeland- I have always pictured Him in my mind as being much younger than I have seen Him with my eyes. (On a side note, it was early on in my Christian walk that I decided Jesus was dark skinned with black hair- not a white man with flowing brown hair and that is how I have pictured Him ever since.) Now, I do realize that...just a minute...movie made in 1973...83...93...2003..plus 5...that was...OK. Now, I do realize that Ted will have aged 35 years, and while he is now Jesus twice over, I trust in the the miracle of stage makeup and have faith that his voice will be as goose bump inspiring as ever. WOO HOO

Another thing I really enjoy about Jesus Christ Superstar is all of the reality mixed in with the obvious "creative license" taken. This story tends to focus on the human side of Jesus while leaving out the divine side, most of the time. His frustration with the lepers is how you would imagine someone feeling, but Jesus wasn't just any man and He wasn't weakened by human emotions like that. And while it is documented that Jesus did ask God to "take this cup" from Him, it was again, not the moment of weakness portrayed by Rice and Webber. Ironically, that scene has one of my favorite lines and ends with such determination to do the will of God that I am inspired to take the same attitude. WOO HOO Speaking of favorite lines... At one point, at the very end of a rousing chorus from Simon and a crowd of "50,000" Jesus responds to the praises with the quiet, unassuming line "...to conquer death, you only have to die." I love it. There are so many more, but I'll spare you the hours it would take me to go through them all.

Needless to say, I am already practicing my theater manners. I play the soundtrack in the car and will myself to not sing for an entire song. Luckily I have until January. Wish me luck. WOO HOO

Yours 'till granite, slate, and marble star in their own rock opera.

October is Over

Whew! We made it. Now if we can keep going through November and December, there's a chance we may be able to take a deep breath come January 1.

Life has been busy. Just ask my mother. She came for a visit this past week and spent more time with my laundry than with me. And while I missed spending all that time with her, my family is very excited to have clean socks again. Thanks for that.

Last night was the much aniticpated Halloween, and while our experience turned out to be less conventional than years past, the girls had fun nontheless. Sarah Jane, who had been feeling under the weather for a few days, had a doctor's appointment on Thursday, at which we confirmed the presence of a bladder infection. She begged us not to go trick-or-treating as that would take us too far from a bathroom, but her sisters complained that wasn't fair. Well, mostly Sadie Lynn complained and Sydney Joy just stood there. We decided we would venture only as far a little local Presbyterian church where they had trunk-or-treating in the parking lot, and a restroom near by. We had to stop once to "go" between home and the church, raced through the parked cars handing out candy, and zipped back home. The girls then spent the rest of the evening passing out candy to those who came calling, and devised their own way of continuing the fun by setting up stations in each room of the house and going door to door yelling "trick-or-treat" and then helping themselves to the bowls of goodies in each room. A good time was had by all.

By the way, we had a Darth Vader, a Princess, and an Elephant. I'll let you figure out who was who.

There is more to tell, but there are also dishes to be done, toys to pick up, floors to sweep, and so much more...maybe I'll take a nap.

Yours till you can hit a home run with a spooky black bat.