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| !HERO | |
|---|---|
| The Rock Opera | |
| Music | Eddie DeGarmo Bob Farrell |
| Basis | TheGospel Story |
| Premiere | 2003 |
!HERO is a 2003Christianrock opera aboutJesus. It is based on the question, "What if Jesus was born inBethlehem, Pennsylvania?". After the original tour in 2003 ended, it was released on DVD, CD, and was written into a trilogy ofnovels and series ofcomic books.
!HERO is arock opera modernizing Jesus's last two years of life, as narrated in theBible. The story takes place inNew York City, inBrooklyn. Theworld government in this near-futuredystopic Earth is centered under the International Confederation of Nations (I.C.O.N.). Under the iron fist of I.C.O.N., nearly allreligion in the world has been wiped out, except for small occult and mystic sects. Only onesynagogue in Brooklyn exists. Currently, New York City is apolice-occupied warzone between ethnic gangs and small, isolated revolutionary groups fighting I.C.O.N. Of all the ancient world religions, onlyJudaism survives and flourishes, at least, as much as it can.
In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a child named Jesus, but referred to as Hero, is born and forced to flee with his family to the smallJewish section of Brooklyn. Jesus grows up and begins to preach and teach the principles ofChristianity to the people of New York City, teaching people to love their enemies and care for each other. I.C.O.N. realizes Hero is a threat, and thechief of police Devlin, with the help of chiefRabbi Kai (Caiaphas), conspire to end Hero's revolutionary teachings.[1]
The Opera is narrated by "Agent Hunter", a former I.C.O.N. agent who met Hero and was soon thrown into prison for joining him against I.C.O.N. The opera also features Petrov (Peter), Maggie (Mary Magdalene), and Jude (Judas Iscariot) the latter who conspires with Kai and Devlin to betray Hero. The storyline progresses through several stories about Jesus' miracles and sermons, using references from the Bible's four gospels, continues through Jesus' execution, at the hands of I.C.O.N's angry mob, and eventually ending with hisresurrection.[2][3]
Combining rap, rock, pop, dance and Broadway-styled tunes, "!Hero" featured a slew of street-smart biblical characters interacting with tastefulness, tactfulness and seeker-friendly sensitivity in modern-day New York City."..."Even more gripping than Tait's representation of the crucifixion on a corner street sign was the resurrection scene, where he greeted the disciples (or hip, street friends in this context) with victorious, sin-conquering glory. It was an epic climax capable of inducing chills within believers and a moment that could possibly even soften the hardest of hearts.