So, JCS is opening at Stratford next week. No videos yet, but they do have some pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48668126@N ... 4657/show/

And here's the group shot they use for ads:



Not sure about the light bulb cross, but the rest looks pretty cool. What do you guys think?

Reviews are phenomenal for this one, not unlike the reviews for last season's overrated Evita. Unlike last season's overrated Evita, both Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice have seen it, so maybe it's good.

The leads performed on CBC radio last week. Josh Young sings Heaven on their Minds, Chilina Kennedy does I Don't Know How to Love Him, and Paul Nolan sings Gethsemane.

http://www.cbc.ca/video/news/audioplaye ... 2052008714

Des MacAnuff says that he intends to remount the production elsewhere, but doesn't say where. Not sure how much of the cast would go with it if it transfered to Broadway. Brent Carver is the only 'name' in the cast as Pontius Pilate, and he's very good. I caught the third preview in May and I'm going back to see it again in a few weeks.

Paul Nolan's Gethsemane is a highlight and I'm really glad it was recorded. It occurs at the 25 minute mark.

I heard something about an arena tour, not explicitly Broadway, though.

As for casting, I could see Brent Carver and maybe Josh Young staying on in the event of a Broadway transfer, but considering that only two original cast members of Stratford's production of The Importance of Being Earnest made it to the Great White Way, I wouldn't be that optimistic. I mention Josh Young because I believe he may be American, facilitating an easier negotiation with the Actors' Union regarding a transfer.

The arena tour is explicitly a separate production from Stratford.

^ My bad.

but some news on where the Stratford production is going next. According to this article, JCS will be transferring to the La Jolla Playhouse, where Des McAnuff was Artistic Director for a goodly amount of time and where he many of his greatest successes.

Looks like Des McAnuff will bring his Stratford Festival production to Broadway in 2012!

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/153522-Will-Stratford-Festivals-Jesus-Christ-Superstar-Play-Broadways-Neil-Simon-Theatre

As a big fan of the show, I think it's a great thing!

But, I don't know how much it can succeed with only one star in the show (Brent Carver).
Personally, I would stick to Paul Nolan as Jesus because from what I've heard, he's phenomenal, but I would try to go with a star as Herod and a well-known as Judas. Just my two cents...

Apparantly whoever reported the Broadwaytransfer jumped the shark a little, but the good news is that most of the cast is apprantly following the production to La Jolla. Yay!

I take it you meant 'jumped the gun'? 'Jumping the shark' is when a series is considered to have noticeably degraded in quality, you see.

It's official : Des McAnuff's Jesus Christ Superstar will open on March 1, 2012 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre!

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/155212-Hey-Sanna-Des-McAnuffs-Stratford-Jesus-Christ-Superstar-Will-Play-Broadway-in-2012

"Broadway casting and more production details will be announced. One might guess that due to actor conflicts involving casting in Stratford's 2012 rep season, the Broadway transfer might include new cast members."

Does the 2012 season casting were announced, so we could know who's won't be able to transfer on Broadway?

Actually, the article in the Toronto Star says that MacAnuff has managed to sign on most of the original cast for the broadway run:

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/ar ... dway-bound

So far we have Jesus, Mary, Judas, Pilate and Herod coming with the show, as well as many esemble members as are able adn willing to come.

I'm having such a fzzy feeling about this ^^ I hope it'll be as a big a hit as Strtaford's Mikado was in '82.

Does this production include Then We Are Decided and Could We Start Again Please?