Ted Neeley has spent plenty of time honing his classic-rock musical chops in Broadway and touring productions of Hair, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Tommy. So you can expect a well-seasoned Messiah in Jesus Christ Superstar, which comes to PlayhouseSquare for a pair of shows today. Besides veteran Neeley, the cast is very young, with many actors still listing MFAs and college roles in their biographies. That might be just what’s needed to reenergize this warhorse of a show, which was Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s first major hit back in the day. The tale of Jesus Christ’s rise as a religious and political force in Jerusalem and his crucifixion is told in songs like “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Everything’s Alright” and “Superstar.” Performances are at 5 and 9 p.m. at PlayhouseSquare's State Theatre (1519 Euclid Ave., 216.241.6000). Tickets: $10-$65.50. — Michael Gill
