UTEP Concert, El Paso, TX
April 14th 2003

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Dinner Theatre hosted a JCS Concert and invited lyricist Sir Tim Rice as guest of honor.
The concert was organized by the dinner theatre Director, Greg Taylor and his staff. It featured a choir of more than 100 voices and the entire University Symphony Orchestra, as well as the dinner theatre band. Guest performers were:
Danny Zolli (Jesus)
Ron Bohmer (Judas)
Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene)
Barry Dennen (Pontius Pilate)
Chuck Wagner (Caiaphas)

Following several days of rehersals, the final run-through took part in the afternoon of the show, then at 7:30pm, with Sir Tim Rice in the audience, the curtain rose.
Like the first public performances of JCS, the concert format was used - the main performers sharing the stage with the choir and musicians. After a superb performance, Sir Tim gave a brief speech in which he acknowledged the hard work of Greg Taylor and the University staff and complimented them on a "brilliant performance". He also gave a specific mention to Yvonne and Barry who were involved with the project when it began more than thirty years ago and who played a significant role in making it a sucess.
Greg then invited Yvonne Elliman back into the spotlight to sing her #1 hit "If I Can't Have You". Finally, the evening ended with the song that started it all - a full-cast reprise of "Superstar".

It was a wonderful event, made even more special by the invited guests taking the time to mingle with visitors, sign autographs and pose for photographs (a LOT of photographs!). A great show and possibly the last time Barry will publicly sing the role of Pilate in the USA?

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