‘Superstar’ fan gets chance to lead Roxy’s production

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock opera take on the New Testament got a young Simon Hill hooked.

“‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ was one of my gateway musicals as a kid,” he recalled. “I remember watching specifically when Judas sings the title song. I remembered not quite what was going on but remembering every single second of it.”

So when Roxy’s Downtown artistic director Rick Bumgardner asked Hill, the company’s music director, last fall if he wanted to take both the directing and music directing roles, he had a hard time saying no.

“Since it’s an entirely sung-through piece, it’s basically choral theater,” he said. “It’s been a real treat and experience to do both the musical side and the directing side.”

“Jesus Christ Superstar” opens Friday and continues through April 25 – two weeks after Easter – at Roxy’s.

It’s the first time that Hill has been involved with a production of the musical, which debuted as a Webber-Tim Rice concept album in 1970 and opened on Broadway in 1971.

“One of the biggest challenges is knowing it is so beloved and meaningful, deeply meaningful to so many people for a variety of reasons, whether it be musically or the theater artform or for personal, spiritual reasons,” he said. “This show means so much to so many people and to be entrusted with the entirety of it – I want to share ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and not make people think, ‘Oh, this again after 50 years.’ I want to make them happy with seeing it.”

A unique aspect of the musical is casting a female, Julia Faust, as Judas.

“It just happened to be that when we were casting the show, the female was the best person in the mix to take on that role,” Hill said. “It wasn’t intended to make a statement of any sort. Julia is just absolutely phenomenal. Having Judas played by a woman does open up some particular nuances and characters and a different story within the person of Judas. That’s been very rewarding to explore.”

Faust, who was brought in when rehearsals began a month ago, said she’s getting comfortable with the role.

“It’s been a challenge, but it’s been exciting,” she said. “I really liked the idea of it. It was never a role I thought I would do, so that part was a little surprising.”

Faust, who was only familiar with a few of the songs in the score, had to modify the music to meet her range.

“It’s vocally achievable to me while also being powerful like it’s written to be in the male voice,” she said.

Playing the title role is a change of pace as well for Sam Warner, who says he’s usually cast in more comedic roles.

“What guy doesn’t want to play this role? I definitely didn’t think I was in the running for it, so it was a very big shock,” said Warner, who described himself as a fan of the show. “It’s just a very demanding role vocally, and the pressure of playing Jesus is quite a lot. It’s so much different from what I usually play.”

Wichita theater veterans Kyle Vespestad (as Pilate) and Shannon McMillan (as Mary Magdalene) are also in the cast.

Hill said he was not setting “Superstar” in a certain place or time with its set and costumes, “but a nod and an illusion to sand and stone in the desert, and the feeling of being inside a church.”

He also promises an homage to the 1973 film adaptation.

“Really, this show and this story have become a timeless narrative told over and over again over the centuries,” Hill said.

‘JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR’

When: March 20 to April 25; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays

Where: Roxy’s Downtown, 412 ½ E. Douglas

Tickets: $28.57, from roxysdowntown.com or 316-265-4400