Edward MacLennan won’t go so far as to say he’s “the man,” but he will consent to being “man-adjacent.”
MacLennan, of Bolingbrook, has nabbed the titular role in BrightSide Theatre’s upcoming production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” running June 7-23 at Meiley-Swallow Hall at North Central College in Naperville.
Showtimes are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
BrightSide’s artistic director, Jeffrey Cass, serves as director and will lead a cast of 21 in a full-scale production of the famous rock-opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
The cast includes Michael Davis Arnold of Chicago as Judas Iscariot, Meghan Kessel of Chicago as Mary Magdalene, Jon Cunningham of Schaumburg as Pontius Pilate and Caleb Hand of Oak Forest as King Herod/Apostle/Roman Solider/First Priest.
“Jesus Christ Superstar” borrows from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, telling the story of the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas Iscariot.
“I’m Jesus, but it can certainly be argued that Judas is also ‘the man,’” MacLennan said. “It’s a story that’s as least as much his as it is Jesus’.”
MacLennan first played Jesus of Nazareth 20 years ago in his first-ever professional show, he said. Stepping into the sandals two decades later has been a slightly humbling experience.
“It hurts,” he said, laughing. “Everything that I completely took for granted when I was in my 30s, I can’t take for granted now. I’m happy my voice seems to be holding up to it. It’s been an eye-opening experience that time has passed.”
He was “Molokov” in BrightSide’s most recent production of “Chess” when he heard that Cass hadn’t yet found his leading man, he said. He had skipped the first round of auditions, thinking he was too old for the play, but he knew he could still sing the role.
“Jesus as he’s written in this piece is a rather an angry individual and trying to also connect to the humanity and all the other characters and show the reason why people will follow him is the challenge that the role presents,” he said. “I’m not sure how well I’m doing with it. I want to establish better relationships with characters in a very short period of time in the beginning of the show.”
He wants to bring his all to the role because he knows it’s very beloved.
“The music rocks,” he said. “People love to hear some high notes. There are some of these simple harmonies but these driving rhythms that can be very compulsive. Obviously, it’s a take on a well-beloved story also. And it’s got a strong central conflict for Jesus and Judas, primarily within Judas as well, that is compelling to watch when it’s done well.”
He’s quick to praise his fellow castmates.
“The guy playing Judas — Michael — is really, really good,” MacLennan said. “He’s got a unique interpretation. He … has some glorious tones when he opens up. He is very emotive and you can see that he feels strongly the things that he’s singing and doing. As a group, they’re all very cohesive and quick. I’m amazed at the whole cast.”
Cass has chosen to set the story in the year 2050.
“By setting the narrative in a future where divisions between social classes have widened, governments have become more authoritarian and law enforcement more militarized, I’m tapping into current concerns and extrapolating them into a dystopian scenario,” Cass wrote in an email.
“History often does repeat itself in cycles and it’s possible that patterns of oppression and resistance could echo those of the past. However, the specific dynamics would undoubtedly be shaped by the unique circumstances of this imagined future world. Technology, communication, and the global interconnectedness of societies could all play significant roles in how events unfold.”
Exploring these themes through the lens of a contemporary retelling of the story of Jesus and Judas offers a powerful way to engage with pressing social and political issues, he wrote, prompting audiences to reflect on the present while considering possible futures.
The set will be intentionally sparse, but the live band will be right in the mix.
“And in the original movie, they were carrying around M16s and jets were flying around overhead,” he said.
MacLennan has been acting professionally, semi-professionally and non-professionally since he was a teenager. He spent 10 years in the Navy after high school but has acted in four or five shows a year for the last 20 years, he said. He works as a Radiation Protection Technician at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont.
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
‘Jesus Christ Superstar’
When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays June 7-23
Where: Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall at North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth St., Naperville
Tickets: $32-$37
Information: 630-447-8497; BrightSideTheatre.com
