UNOTheatre Presents: "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Upcoming Performance Dates: Dec. 4–6 at 7:30 P.M. and Dec. 7 at 2 P.M. Note: Dec. 4 is Pay-What-you-can night (payment can be ticket prices or donations to Maverick Food Pantry); Dec. 7 will include an ASL interpreter. UNO students get in free with their MavCARD. General admission is $20 for the public. Get your tickets for a performance.

UNOTheatre continues its 2025-2026 season with “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the Andrew Lloyd Webber-original and a modern retelling of the most shared story in human history.

The musical combines the world of rock opera into a raw and witty gospel, the renowned “Jesus Christ Superstar” traces Jesus’ final days through the eyes of Judas Iscariot.

The production transformed the Black Box Theatre at Weber Fine Arts and gave a sense of a split society, struggling to decide its future identity.

“It’s taking a very well-known story and putting a fresh spin on it,” said Emilie Rothanzi, a senior theatre major who serves as the assistant director. “It paints Jesus in a more human way — separating the myth from the man — and explores why he was so influential.”

The Most Shared Story in Human History—But It’s a Rock Concert

The audience regularly see Jesus’ disciples post flyers, minimalist in design and adorned with a spray-painted crown and “King.” Their dedication is unbreakable until a casually dressed Jesus, white hoodie and all, comes on stage.

Kaden Weis, a junior theatre major, plays Jesus and was mindful of how to play such an impactful figure.

“These characters have been around for so long, so the challenge was figuring out how to make Jesus my own while still respecting who he is to so many people,” Weis said.

For sophomore Lily Pope, who plays Annas, a high priest who rallies the people and the Roman judicial system against Jesus, the thrill comes from reinterpreting such a well-known story.

“The audience already knows how it ends,” Pope said. “But somehow, the writing still makes the ending feel surprising even when you know exactly what’s coming.”

“It has a really big impact on what’s going on today,” said Grace Spicka, a freshman theatre major and one of the assistant stage managers. “It tells a story that fits perfectly into the present moment.”

Music underscores the personal struggles and humanity of these characters and helps bring creativity to life.

“It’s a rock opera on paper, but there’s so much more,” said Aaryn Beck, a freshman theatre major who plays the apostle, Simon. “There are guitar solos, strings and a large horn section. Different genres are mixed into one story to reflect the characters and their journeys.”

UNOTheatre Adds to Student Life

The script came to the cast and crew without stage directions, allowing director JM Christiansen and the crew the freedom to figure out their own interpretation.

UNOTheatre brought in an Omaha-based artist, Hugo Zamorano, to work with set designer Adam Whittredge to create graffiti-painted sets that added to an urban, contemporary presentation. They also used the opportunity of its construction to expose this art form to students in the College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media, where Zamorano led a workshop to explain the creative process. In the set’s final design, Whittredge included the works of Zamorano and students, keeping the show’s portrayal of a population making their statement around their environment.

For the cast and crew, the creative process highlights a thriving arts community at the university that stresses the role creative expression has in education and society. This includes even non-theater majors, who find positions in UNOTheatre productions while also pursuing other career opportunities.

For Callie Miller, an elementary education major and one of the assistant stage managers, creating is about the human experience.