Jesus Christ Superstar /Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice/

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After his success on Broadway in 'Joseph" in 1983, David was often written about at gossip columns, he was chosen as the best dressed stage persona by the Fashion Fundation of America in May 1983, and also appeared some articles about his divorce with Kay, and a new woman by his side, Maryl Tanz. This is a tv interview with both of them.  Smiling and happy..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXD3x9TBTNU

1984 looked like a year of a real breakthrough, he was in love and wanted to marry again, had a new role on stage and was thinking about making an album.

That new role, performed just for a few days, but what a challenge.. David Cassidy in the title role in the rock opera 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. Let's listen to the great Ian Gillan's version of the most famous song from this musical, also to realize what kind of challenge it was for DC :

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOjyGy1NR4

'Jesus Christ Superstar' was written in 1970, a year later the musical appeared on Broadway, and in 1972 a film adaptation was announced. The biggest stars were considered for the title role - Ian Gillan, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Robert Plant,  Alice Cooper and..David Cassidy, at the time the reigning teen idol. It would have been something..Keith Partridge singing 'Gethsemane'. I  don't know if it was David who didn't want that role, anyway in 1972 and in 1973 he was too busy and I think too young  for it. Also vocally.

11 years later he accepted the role in the Kansas City Production, and 'Jesus Christ Superstar' was performed in Kansas from August 6th to August 12th, 1984. 

The musical was performed at Starlight Theatre, and it's almost 8000 seats outdoor theatre, one of the biggest of that kind in the U.S. It was a big production, a huge challenge for David. There were 150 people in the cast and an orchestra. In an interview on August 3rd, while rehearsing, he said :' This is one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, thing I've ever attempted. Vocally I've never done anything quite as demanding. It's a 3-octave range..I keep thinkung : 'Can I do this? Is it going to work?"' It worked great .

Robert W.Butler's review :'It's beautifully sung, impeccably staged and stunningly designed.(..) As Jesus, David Cassidy has made no effort to look like the traditionally iconography, being clean-shaven. Oddly enough that works in his favour (..) Mr Cassidy's singing voice was slightly strained in the tortuous and frequent falsetto, but for the most parts nicely negotiated the tricky score and was quite magnificent on Gethsemane. He also risked his life and limb in the startling crucifixion scene, he hung 20 feet above the stage..'

We have audio recording of  'Jesus Christ Superstar' with David Cassidy from 1984, but it's not a good quality.

https://www.davidcassidy.com/fansite/TheatrePages/JesusSongs.html

DC hoped to go on tour with the show, but it didn't happen. Such a lot of hard work and only a few performances,  that role was so demanding, David had to cancel some radio interviews, he simply couldn't speak..The time came to leave the theatre for a while, and for a new reinventing..

At the beginning of November 1984, duo 'Wham',  at the peak of their fame, premiered a new album at a party in one of the most posh London's club - Xenon. Among very known guests,  looking sensational and nowhere his 34 years..in skintight black trousers was...yes..David Cassidy, very slim, and very blond, a new hot David Cassidy who in London was working on a new,very hot album..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrufiCSI3Cg

The pic David Cassidy Official Website


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