Review     ° "Jesus Christ Superstar," staged by UApresents, plays at 7:30 p.m. today, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd., on the University of Arizona campus. Tickets are $18-$56. Call 621-3341 for reservations and more information.   Jesus Christ, a superstar indeed     ° With UApresents staging "Jesus Christ Superstar" and yesterday's opening of "The Passion of The Christ," Jesus seems to be everywhere in Tucson this week. Read more about his ubiquitousness Thursday in Accent.

Here's how terrific the score to "Jesus Christ Superstar" is: The muddy, inarticulate, sinful sound at Centennial Hall couldn't ruin it. Though it made a valiant effort. At Tuesday's opening night performance of the Broadway road show brought here by UApresents, Lawrence Clayton, who plays Judas, was poorly wired for sound, compounding the acoustics problem. He has a powerful voice, but it was difficult to understand much of what he sang. Which is a shame - the character is essential to comprehending Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's vision of a troubled and very human Jesus Christ. And you shouldn't miss one syllable of Rice's clever, irreverent and often insightful lyrics. Webber's rock score isn't bad either. In fact, it's likely the best he has written. The seven-piece band, led by University of Arizona grad Craig Barna, was tight and on the mark with Webber's score. This touring Broadway production is an updated version of the play. The traditional version, with actors in hippie garb, was presented in 1991 by the Southern Arizona Light Opera Company at the Tucson Convention Center, which also starred Clayton as Judas. Carl Anderson, who had played Judas on Broadway and in the movie, was in this production until he was diagnosed with leukemia last summer. He passed away Monday, a sad note for many of the cast and crew who knew him well. This version of "Superstar" has apostles with punk dos, dreadlocks and bleached hair, Roman guards looking like Darth Vader, and a Jesus who wears khakis. While the production seemed a little lighter than the original and the movie, it still came across as a potent piece of theater. The updated costumes and look only served to underscore the timelessness of the rock opera. "Jesus Christ Superstar" is the story of the last week of Jesus' life. It was first staged in 1971, when it caused quite a scandal among many Christians. Further proof of its staying power - and how times have changed: Salpointe Catholic High School brought several groups of students to see the opening night performance. The cast was an energetic one with an obvious love for the work. It was led by Eric Kunze as Jesus. Kunze looks the part - long brown hair, a beard, a gentle face. More important, he sang and acted with a riveting expertise. Fortunately, he was better wired than Clayton, so for much of his performance his liquid tenor was clearly understood. Natalie Toro is a force as Mary Magdalene. Her heartfelt and touching rendition of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" had the audience holding a collective breath so as not to miss a note. In fact, there were several fine performances in this production, including Stephen Breithaupt's conflicted Pilate, Lawson Skala's ominous Caiaphas, Barry Dennen's over-the-top Herod, and Jeffrey Polk, who played Annas, one of the priests condemning Jesus. He has a commanding voice and regal presence, somehow made more daunting because of his short stature. Director Kevin Moriarty has a good eye for detail, making the rich story even richer. With a good sound system, "Superstar" fans - and there are many among us - would be in heaven. But even without that, this production comes close. Review ° "Jesus Christ Superstar," staged by UApresents, plays at 7:30 p.m. today, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd., on the University of Arizona campus. Tickets are $18-$56. Call 621-3341 for reservations and more information. Jesus Christ, a superstar indeed ° With UApresents staging "Jesus Christ Superstar" and yesterday's opening of "The Passion of The Christ," Jesus seems to be everywhere in Tucson this week. Read more about his ubiquitousness Thursday in Accent.