Reimagining revolution: Saccha Dennis’ Jesus Christ Superstar is a Black Panther

Saccha Dennis is well-known as the award-winning actor-director and founder of Musicals Reimagined, which offers fresh perspectives on familiar classics. For her latest feat, Dennis has reimagined Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar through the intersection of Black rebellion and artistic expression. Presented by Talk Is Free Theatre (TIFT), the reimagined Jesus Christ Superstar parallels the story of Christ with that of iconic Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton. Told through the Black perspective, this Jesus Christ Superstar serves as a powerful prompt for historical reflection and societal change.

First presented as a concept album in 1971, Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera that tells the story of the days leading up to Jesus’ death. The twist, of course, is telling the tale from the perspective of Judas, the disciple who betrayed Christ. In this TIFT production, a diverse cast transforms the musical through its parallels with Hampton’s story. A leader in his community, Hampton’s efforts to help his community and lead by example were seen as a threat to the FBI. With the help of informant William O’Neal, Hampton was shot and killed in a pre-dawn raid in December 1969. 

Dennis is an artist dedicated to “making art and entertaining an audience in creative and innovative ways”. In this production, she aims to challenge and disrupt traditional stories and traditional storytelling. She has long been fascinated with the Black Panther Party. “I saw them as a militant, rebellious group who was out for violence, and I didn’t understand their ‘why’,” she explains. But after learning what they stood for and what happened to Fred Hampton, the parallels that emerged between the two stories seemed “uncanny”.

Even so, Dennis faced a daunting challenge in adhering to the original script while weaving in Hampton’s tale: “The script cannot allow any changes in text. This is something I am used to, and I love the challenge of telling a different story with already existing text,” she reveals. “There is also deviation in the timeline with Hampton’s story near the end of the show, so I had to find ways to use the journey of the musical to make Hampton’s death more drawn-out.” At the same time, the many exact parallels that she discovered added depth – and an almost spooky resonance – to the endeavour: “For instance, Jesus’ ministry was 3 years, and Hampton served as Chairman for 3 years. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, and O’Neal betrayed Hampton for $300 dollars (in addition to having his felonies dropped). Mary found the tomb where Jesus laid after the crucifixion empty. Akua Njeri, fiancée of Hampton, was involved with the protection of Hampton’s tombstone after it had been shot at and extensively destroyed by racists and other hate groups.”

Through this production, she hopes to ignite curiosity and activism. Success is an audience so intrigued by the concept that they want to investigate the story of Hampton and the Panthers further, and they recognise that “Black people are still dying at the hands of law enforcement and gun violence. The 10-point manifesto that the Panthers created still rings true today.” And, this is true not just south of the border: “in Canada, we face the same struggles; it is just hidden differently. If an audience is compelled to recognize biases and mistreatment of others and to advocate for any ounce of activism in their community, the impact of the show has been achieved. I will have done my job.”

When it comes to the show’s music, Dennis adapted the beloved rock-opera score to fit the narrative and setting. While the show was written in the late 1960s time period when Hampton lived and died, she feels the music sounds a bit dated, and “straight tones and rhythms don’t really bode well in Black culture”. Thus, with the show’s “reimagining, we find ourselves in the late 60’s in Chicago, where Black music was rich and full of soul. I wanted to infuse this where we could.” She notes that there is precedent among the many iterations of the score over its 52-year history, which include an all female cast recording and a soul version of the soundtrack in 1972: “I am simply using those references as inspiration to tell this story through the Black experience.”

As with any of her reimaginings, Dennis’ intent is to “melanate” and “disrupt traditional storytelling through a new lens”. So, given this unique opportunity to cast a Black Panthers-inspired Jesus Christ Superstar, she has made certain that, in her words, the “statement of representation is heard!” The cast features Jahlen Barnes (Judas), Kyle Brown (Jesus), Sierra Holder (Simon), Danilo Reyes (Peter), Andrew Prashad (Pilate), Astrid Atherly (Annas), Shakura S’Aida (Herod), Michael-Lamont Lytle (Caiaphas), Ocean Williams (Mary) and Suchiththa Wickremesooriya (Priest).  “I could have easily used white actors to portray characters of the Hampton universe like J Edgar Hoover, or Edward Hanrahan,” Dennis points out, “but the effect of these white characters coming from Black and Brown bodies emphasises even more the way we see these characters through our eyes.” 

Reflecting on the show’s developmental journey, Dennis acknowledges that it has took her four years to convince a theatre company to put on a show with a Black narrative like this one. “Lots of folks, although supportive of the cause, still lack honesty or support of shows with Black narratives. I have seen time and time again empty promises about a more diverse community in theatre, but actions do not follow – which has been disheartening.” Preferring to look forward, she remains hopeful that many more companies like Talk Is Free Theatre will “want to collaborate and make great art”. And she would love to bring this show to US audiences, “ideally Illinois, to further this narrative of Fred Hampton in the state where it happened. I also dream of bringing a concept like this to a JCS revival on Broadway.”

In the meantime, with the opening finally upon us, Canadian audiences can catch Jesus Christ Superstar at the Five Points Theatre in Barrie Ontario from November 23 – December 2, 2023. Visit tift.ca to reserve tickets. 

© Arpita Ghosal, Sesayarts Magazine, 2023