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It's a decidedly strange sensation sitting in a theatre while the unruly, thoroughly jazzed-up rabble around you enthusiastically cheers the crucifixion, but that's the sort of fire-and-light show which director Des McAnuff has made of the classic Christ-and-shout show that opened March 22 at the Neil Simon Theatre.

Jesus Christ Superstar is marking its fourth Broadway appearance; His second coming this theatrical season, if you count Godspell a block away at the Circle in the Square, directly across the street from the Times Square Church, where He was first sighted on Broadway in 1971 when it was still the Mark Hellinger Theatre.

To be sure, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber of Sydmonton returned for the curtain call on stage to hug and kiss the cast and pose with his lyricist, Sir Tim Rice. The authors of that through-sung, youth-rallying pop-opera are now silver-haired facsimiles of their former selves, a pair of determined British rockers who began making music together in 1965 and altered musical-theatre history.

A man of few words and many soaring notes, the Lloyd Webber took the microphone and, plainly pleased with the performance, delivered a salvo at producers who use pre-recorded music in shows, stomping his foot happily three times. "Every note — every single thing that we heard today — was live," he stressed blissfully, "and the band is live."

Rice then took the mike and was similarly succinct. "I have nothing to say — except that it was a wonderful performance and it's great to see the wonderful Ben Vereen in the audience." Vereen, dressed in a long-flowing Indian robe, was Broadway's first Judas Iscariot, one show removed from his Tony for Pippin.

He passed the microphone to McAnuff, who got it on the head of a pin: "Let's party!"

First-nighters then stampeded East three blocks to the third-floor Grand Ballroom of the Hilton New York Hotel — but not the Lord Lloyd Webber. It just happened to be his 64th birthday, and he opted for a quiet dinner with equestrian sportswoman Madeleine Astrid Gurdon — Baroness Lloyd Webber — "Gurtie" — his third wife. Apparently, nobody bothered to tell the Lord a fatted calf awaited him at the Hilton.

View the Entire Photo Gallery Josh Young Photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Loosened up a bit by the partying, Sir Tim grew more verbal and reflective. "I think Des McAnuff has done a most remarkable job," he opined. "I'm very grateful to him, and the piece still works. It's a bit naïve in places, but it works. I thought the music was terrific, and I thought most of the lyrics worked well. There are one or two things I wouldn't do now, but overall the show worked great. I'm very happy."

He well-remembered how hard it was for Jesus Christ Superstar to lift off, how they had to make a concept album just to get people to listen to the score — but he now views that turn of events as a totally good thing. "We did an album, and that's why it became the piece it was — because it was much more rock than theatre."

Jesus and Mary Magdalene made their fashionably late entrance after the press had had their way with their mostly youngish supporting cast, many of them repertory members in good standing with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, making their Broadway debuts with this Canadian transfer.

Paul Nolan looked visibly relieved to be giving the title role a rest for a while, having checked it at the door of the Hilton. "He's carrying around a big weight," the actor said, referring to more than the cross he bore. "Just the karmic energy he's carrying around is huge — that's the hardest thing about doing this role.

"Physically, yes, it's very tough, but, vocally, it's not bad. What's hard is to keep your health. I have a little more trouble keeping on top of my health doing this show. I have no idea why, but it does drain me to the point of getting sick every once in a while. It's much harder to do this show sick than any other show I've ever done."

It hadn't quite settled on him that he is now, and forevermore, a Broadway actor. "It feels like many opening nights, except for this opening-night party part. You just usually go home after the opening night in Toronto and drink with yourself."