Jesus Christ Superstar | Chicago Lyric Opera House

I got an amazing opportunity last week that I'm so excited to share on the blog.  OSA International (who I've worked with before in Champaign at the State Farm Center) contacted me a couple weeks ago about getting some photos for them. They were doing the sound for the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar at the Chicago Lyric Opera House and wanted photos of the equipment being used and the dress rehearsal the day before opening night.  I spent most of the day backstage where the team from Shure did interviews with the sound staff, and I did action shots, headshots and equipment photos.  A lot of the equipment was on stage and in the orchestra "pit" so I got to be really up close and personal with the show.  Then at 2pm the "dress rehearsal" started and I got to enjoy the full show while also taking photos of it.  I put dress rehearsal in quotation marks because I heard they sold something like 1700 tickets to the rehearsal so there were a ton of people, and there were no stoppages for the entire duration other than intermission. 

The show was AMAZING.  The performers were all so, so great and totally "on" for this rehearsal, but I definitely had a few favorite characters.  I thought Caiaphas and Pilate were really great as supporting actors, as well as crazy King Herod.  Solo performances by Jesus, Judas, and Mary Magdalene all had me sobbing in my seat.

Also, since I was working for the sound company, I was paying extra attention to the microphones.  I thought it was really cool how they used the mics as props in quite a few scenes.

Lastly, if you can get to the Chicago area this month, Jesus Christ Superstar runs through May 20 at the Lyric Opera House.  I highly recommend it!!