Directed by Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, The Who's Tommy), Jesus Christ Superstar was a critical hit at the Stratford Festival in Ontario, where it played an extended, sold-out run last summer. It transferred to the La Jolla Playhouse for an engagement through Dec. 31. Superstar will officially open on Broadway March 22.
Superstar first came to life as a 1970 double LP, which is credited as the birth of the musical-theatre "concept recording." Superstar premiered on Broadway in 1971 under the direction of Tom O'Horgan. It has music by Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Rice.
The work was initially conceived as a stadium event, according to current director McAnuff, whose new production connects Christ's historic rise as a religious phenomenon to contemporary media sensationalism (the staging incorporates of crawling news tickers). The cinematic staging puts focus on the multi-layered emotional triangle between Jesus Christ, Judas Iscariot and Mary Madgelene.
"I've never really been happy with it before," Lloyd Webber said of Superstar in an interview with Playbill magazine. "Now Des has got it absolutely right. In a way, this version is the opposite to the original in that it's got a grittiness and a reality about it, real rock 'n' roll, and as long as it stays rock 'n' roll, I'm a happy boy. If you go back over the years, it's amazing how many pieces that we now celebrate weren't quite right in their first incarnation. Now, it's right."
photo by David Hou |
Superstar has choreography by Lisa Shriver, musical direction by Rick Fox, set design by Robert Brill, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy and video design by Sean Nieuwenhuis.
Dodger Properties and the Really Useful Group produce the Broadway production.
For tickets visit Ticketmaster, or phone (877) 250-2929.
Playbill Video meets the company of Jesus Christ Superstar here: