Music inspires Warrenville woman's choreography for “Jesus Christ Superstar” in St. Charles
A disciple of Jesus dancing like Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.
That's how Jacqueline Schultz, 23, describes her choreography of a production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” opening at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Arcada Theater in St. Charles.
Although Schultz, of Warrenville, never had a dancing class until she hired a ballet coach only four months ago, she demonstrates how every limb should move in her synchronized routines.
“It's a lot of intense body control she's asking of the dancers,” said Harrison Ashley, a senior musical theater major at North Central College who plays Jesus.
The audience also will see moves evoking Michael Jackson. Schultz hadn't intended for the King of Pop to influence her choreography in the rock opera. But once she watched some of his music videos online, she heard rock sounds — think Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo in “Beat It” — and saw the chest popping and slides that infiltrated her routines.
It's part of an organic process Schultz uses to prepare for a production. She listens to the music, shuts her eyes and envisions a stage.
“I just see it happen in my head, and I make it happen,” said Schultz, a graduate of Benedictine University.
“Jesus Christ Superstar” marks Schultz's fourth production as a choreographer. Schultz emphasizes the concert experience in the 1971 musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice about Jesus' final days.
At the Arcada Theater, a thrust stage built for the production means the audience will surround the actors on three sides. There's also a light show and a five-person band playing onstage with few breaks between scenes.
Schultz has been performing musical theater since she was 10. She wasn't too keen on memorizing lines and was cast as an ensemble dancer in one scene of an elementary school production of “The Sound of Music.” After watching the lead actors, she “fell in love” with performing.
“I remember being so jealous that I wasn't Maria,” Schultz said. “After that, I never stopped.”
Schultz will portray Mary Magdalene for one show at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. She's also dancing in ensemble routines for the duration of the production. She said she's faced “mixed reviews” from her peers about joining her cast onstage.
“If I was shortchanging any of the hats I wear, I wouldn't do it,” Schultz said.
And on opening night, Schultz hopes to lure the audience with her high-energy dances against a backdrop of rock anthems.
“Where else are you going to see Jesus in a rock form?” Schultz said.
Other performances are slated for 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. Tickets range from $12 to $20 and are available at (888) 695-0888.
The show is coproduced by Onesti Entertainment and Natural Talent Productions, founded by Schultz in October 2010.
If you go
What: “Jesus Christ Superstar”
When: 8 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 10 and 17; 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, and Sundays, Dec. 11 and 18
Where: Arcada Theater, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles
Tickets: $12 to $20; 20 percent discount for seniors and students on $15 tickets
Info: (888) 695-0888 or oshows.com