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MASCARA in the Press, read all about it

THE BOSTON GLOBE
Wednesday, November 15, 2000

LIVING/ARTS

Names & Faces
By Michael Saunders and Jim Sullivan

Losing his religion

Chris Mascara has the title role in Boston Rock Opera's production of "Jesus Christ Superstar," running tonight through Saturday at the Mass. College of Art's Tower Auditorium. But it's not the first time Mascara, 32, has attempted the role. In 1989, when he was a comparative religion major at Tufts University, Mascara was tapped to play Jesus in a college production of the show and freaked, ending up in McLean Hospital for three weeks.

"I had my rock 'n' roll band at the time, the Void," Mascara says, "but had yet to make a foray onto stage in college. I was thrilled [to get the role] but at the same time, I had to make this some kind of spiritual quest, an opportunity to delve into the mystical side of the religious experience. I thought I had to purify, cleanse, and purge." He fasted and lost 20 pounds, meditated, did yoga, put himself through sleep deprivation, and finally was over taken by paranoia. "It was a psychotic breakdown," he says. He had become "not Christ-like, but weird. I wigged out." He withdrew from the play.

Approached by BRO to play Jesus this year, Mascara says, "I didn't know if I wanted to open that door. But once I did, I said I'm going to conquer this dragon once and for all. Now, I feel great on stage. When I'm home, I do have moments of fear, but not that I'm going to lose my mind. I'm an adult now."

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