The ultimate celebrity

When I was a kid in the progressive ’60s and ’70s, I remember studying the album “Jesus Christ Superstar” in religion class. I thought then as I do now that it was an entertaining rock opera that was more about modern existentialism and our skepticism of celebrity than it was about the historical and theological Jesus.

 

It is, like many Jesus works, the mirror in which we see ourselves and our times and as such, has held up pretty well, which is why companies keep staging it. (Indeed, it was the first Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice collaboration to be staged, back in 1971.) On May 14 and 15, Lighthouse Youth Theatre’s senior company, Protégé, will join the burgeoning ranks when it presents the musical at Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford.

Protégé is made up of Westchester teenagers age 18 and under, who want to develop their skills in all aspects of the theater, from the classroom to the production crew.

 
The Lighthouse Youth Theatre, located in Thornwood, was created in 2006 by artistic director John Fanelli, whose goal is to produce high-caliber productions for children and teens in Westchester and the surrounding areas. LYT creates eight full-scale productions annually and runs two performing arts summer workshops.

For both performances, the doors open at 11:45 a.m., with lunch at noon and the show at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $45; $35 for children age 16 and under; $70 for premium seating (first 2 rows center section). Tickets for groups of 15 or more are $35.

The theater is at 1 Broadway Plaza. For tickets, call 592-2222 or visit broadwaytheatre.com