Broadway Revival of Jesus Christ Superstar Will Close July 1

By Adam Hetrick
26 Jun 2012

Josh Young and Paul Nolan
Josh Young and Paul Nolan
Photo by Joan Marcus

The Broadway revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, which opened at the Neil Simon Theatre March 22 after a critically praised, extended run at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival last year, will close July 1 after 116 performances.

On June 20, producers announced that unless business improved, July 1 would be the last performance. Producers have not released tickets past the 3 PM matinee on July 1, and the official website for the revival states that this will be the final week of performances.

The new, multimedia staging of Superstar, shaped by Tony-winning director Des McAnuff (The Who's Tommy, Jersey Boys), first debuted in an extended, sold-out run last summer at Ontario's Stratford Festival, nabbing strong critical reviews and the blessing of its writers, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

Prior to the start of Broadway previews on March 1, Superstar played a Nov. 18-Dec. 31, 2012, engagement at the La Jolla Playhouse. When it closes, it will have played 116 performances and 24 previews.

The new, high-tech production is the second Broadway revival of the biblical rock opera that debuted on Broadway in 1971 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre for a 711-performance run. A 2000 revival, which played the Ford Center, lasted 161 performances.

A cast album from the revival has not been announced.

Chilina Kennedy and Paul Nolan
photo by David Hou

Jesus Christ Superstar earned Tony, Drama Desk and Drama League Award nominations for Best Musical Revival, and Josh Young received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and won a Theatre World Award for his role as Judas Iscariot.

Paul Nolan leads the cast as Jesus Christ, with 2012 Tony Award nominee Josh Young as Judas Iscariot, Chilina Kennedy as Mary Magdalene, Tom Hewitt as Pontius Pilate, Bruce Dow as King Herod, Marcus Nance as Caiaphas and Aaron Walpole as Annas.

Completing the cast are Matt Alfano as Thaddeus, Mary Antonini as Elizabeth, Karen Burthwright as Ruth, Jacqueline Burtney as Mary (Martha's Sister), Mark Cassius as Matthew, Ryan Gifford as Bartholomew, Kaylee Harwood as Sarah, Jeremy Kushnier as James the Lesser/Priest, Mike Nadajewski as Peter, Melissa O'Neil as Martha/Maid by the Fire, Laurin Padolina as Rachel, Katrina Reynolds as Esther, Jaz Sealey as Thomas, Jason Sermonia as John, Julius Sermonia as James, Lee Siegel as Simon Zealotes, Leo Ash Evens as Phillip, Sandy Winsby as Andrew, and Nick Cartell, Krista Leis, Matthew Rossoff and Matt Stokes as swings.

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.

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of Jesus Christ Superstar is produced The Dodgers and The Really Useful Group, Latitude Link, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, Waxman-Dokton, with Joe Corcoran, Detsky/Sokolowski/Kassie, Florin-Blanshay-Fan/Broadway Across America, REG/Caudwell, Shin/Coleman, Theatre Dreams North America, LLC.

 

For tickets visit Ticketmaster, or phone (877) 250-2929.

View Playbill.com's highlights from Jesus Christ Superstar here: