CARROLLWOOD — When Carrollwood Cultural Center stages Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” beginning March 13, the titular role will be played by a woman of color.
Director Paul Berg said there was no other choice.
“She was the clear choice. She’s my Jesus Christ for this,” said Berg, the center’s executive and theater director.
Patty Smithey, a longtime local actress, will take on the singing, dancing role of Jesus for six performances running March 13 through March 22. Her co-star Evan Lomba plays Judas, and Jessica Hill rounds out the leads as Mary Magdalene.
Berg said he ran the casting decision past his board of directors before finalizing it, bracing for potential backlash. It never really came.
“I wasn’t expecting torches at the front doors, but so far there hasn’t been much — one email, one Facebook comment,” Berg said. “But really, I’m doing this play even though it was written in the 1970s because it’s still relevant today. It has Jesus Christ, it has heavy themes and clearly resonates with people.”
He noted that gender swapping in theater is nothing new.
“It’s been done since Shakespeare’s time,” Berg said. “It’s been done before for ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ too.”
Staging the show has been a longtime goal for Berg, who calls it one of his favorite rock operas.
“This has been my white whale, so to speak, since working at the center,” he said.
The rock opera covers the final days of Jesus, including the Last Supper, his arrest, crucifixion and death. Judas figures prominently, his songs exploring the internal struggle of betraying his charismatic leader. Mary Magdalene serves as a confidante, offering counsel throughout.
Lomba, who also choreographed the show, said any concerns about the casting should disappear once the curtain rises.
“Once the lights go up and the show is going, it’s just not going to be a thought anymore,” Lomba said. “We’re not doing a show where we have a Black woman playing Jesus. It just so happens that Jesus is being played by a Black woman — that’s all it is. We need to tear down this type of stuff in the theater and film industry so that anybody can tell anyone’s story. Bottom line. Period.”
Smithey has taken the sparse criticism in stride.
“I saw the one Facebook comment that said just ‘Ummmm, no’ and I replied to it with the emoji hugging a heart,” Smithey said. “That probably made that person mad, but we’re a mini family and I know we’re in this together. We’re excited to put on this show, controversial or not.”
Berg said a large anonymous donation funded the production. He checked with the donor about his casting choice but was immediately reassured.
A nearby Presbyterian church has even endorsed the show, he said.
“Were my worries about casting Patty unfounded? Well, you can’t please everyone,” Berg said. “But Patty happens to be a great, great singer who is perfect for the part and also happens to be a woman of color, and some people are not going to be able to deal with that.
“That’s fine. Even though, you know, Jesus wasn’t really white either.”
Lomba said the cast recognizes that art invites scrutiny. He and Smithey agreed: just come see the show.
“Patty has the charisma about her that is otherworldly,” Lomba said. “When someone comes to see a musical, would you rather have someone who didn’t sound good as a singer in the part, or would you rather a Black woman go up there and sing the hell out of the part?
“Personally, I’m choosing number two.”
Smithey and Lomba offered the same advice for skeptics: give it 20 minutes.