Hickory – Passion. Power. Betrayal. Jesus Christ Superstar blurs the line between man and messiah in a dazzling rock opera that redefines a familiar story with unrelenting energy and emotional depth. The music wails, the stakes soar—and the revolution is just beginning.

This electrifying production had a smash opening weekend and is ready to head into its second week of performances at the Hickory Community Theatre. Those who wish to attend are urged to get their tickets as soon as possible. Tickets for this weekend are already 85% sold and only 30 balcony seats are left for this Sunday’s matinee.

Further performances of Jesus Christ Superstar will run April 11–19 in the Jeffers Theatre, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m., and a special Thursday performance on April 17 at 7:30 p.m. This show is rated PG-13. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for students. Visithickorytheatre.org or call (828) 328-2283 to purchase tickets. The production is presented in association with MOReON Productions.

Hickory Community Theatre is a Funded Affiliate of Arts Culture Catawba. The 76th season is made possible through support from A Cleaner World, Protection Products, Inc., Shurtape Technologies, BelleAge, Covington Dental, and LifeRootz. HCT also receives sustaining support from the North Carolina Arts Council, part of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Rage! Sex! Betrayal! LIZZIE the Rock Musical Comes to the Firemen’s Kitchen.

LIZZIE is a rock musical that delves into the life and potential motivations of Lizzie Borden, who was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe in the late summer of 1892. This dynamic, powerful and entertaining show takes to the Firemen’s Kitchen stage on May 2 and will run through May 17.

The show features a cast of four, playing the roles of four of the women who were in or around the Borden household at the time of the murders. They are Lizzie Borden, her older sister Emma, former neighbor Alice Russell and the family’s maid, Bridget Sullivan, who acts as the narrator of the story. Making her on stage debut at HCT in this role is Jessica Cockroft.

Cockroft, originally from Ramseur, NC, has lived in Hickory for four years and is a pottery teacher at Hickory High School. A graduate of Wingate University, with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, her first experience at HCT was as Music Director for the 2023 production of Anastasia. She went on to perform that role again for In the Heights in the spring of 2024.

“My favorite thing about Hickory Community Theatre,” she says, “Is the community that grows from each show. This is a great place to make friends and meet new people with shared interests. LIZZIE appealed to me because it has a small cast of women with an all-female creative team.”

Performances of LIZZIE will begin on May 2 and continue through May 17 in the Firemen’s Kitchen. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for students. This show is rated R and is not recommended for children under 14 and anyone under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. This show is produced by The Guild at HCT. Tickets are available online at hickorytheatre.org or by calling (828) 328-2283.

Photo: (L-R) Zak Parton, Peter Liuzzo, Branden Nuhfer, Jared Wachsmuth and Noah Messick in Jesus Christ Superstar. The electrifying rock opera continues for three performances this weekend, April 11-13, and continues through April 19. Photo by Ken Burns.