AUDITION CALL – Jesus Christ Superstar at The Bank Theatre
Tuesday, January 14, 2020 from 6:30 pm – 8 pm
10 Erie St. S., Leamington
If you cannot make this audition contact banktheatre@gmail.com to arrange an alternative audition method or date with the Director.
Download audition package at
www.banktheatre.com

The Bank Theatre PROUDLY PRESENTS a Sun Parlour Players Community Theatre production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics by Tim Rice
Directed by Renata Solski
Musical Director Tom Overton
Choreography Catherine Valle-Taylor

“JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is presented by arrangement with The Musical Company, a Concord Theatricals Company.”

The Bank Theatre
Jesus Christ Superstar Audition Package

Synopsis

Jesus Christ Superstar traces the last seven days of the life of Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. Judas fears that the compassionate movement with Jesus at its head has become a personality cult with many of Jesus’ statements being taken up and twisted by his followers. Jesus must be stopped! Jesus is regularly ministered to by a street woman, Mary Magdalene but what is worse, he is being hailed as the Messiah. Judas meets with the Priests of Judaea and resulting from the meeting agrees to betray Jesus for which he will receive 30 pieces of silver in payment. Mean-while, Jesus preaches throughout the land offering riches in the after-life – but not here on earth.

Audition Requirements

Before auditioning, please take a moment to consider the necessary level of commitment for this play. Take careful note of the rehearsal period and the technical week.
Although the rehearsal process takes place over 8 weeks, consistent and punctual attendance is essential. Please wear comfortable clothing.
The auditions will be held at The Bank Theatre on the following dates:
Tuesday January 14, 2020 6:30 PM to 8 PM
Time: Everyone is expected to be at The Bank Theatre on time.
1. Arrive on time.
2. You will be given a number.
3. Your picture will be taken.
4. At about 7:30 everyone will be taught a short choreography number which you will then perform in groups of 6.
5. We will all do the dance first, and then begin vocals at 8:30 PM.
6. Prepare a Rock song from the era to sing A cappella. Be prepared to sing at least 8 bars or 30 seconds. You may be asked to sing more of the song.
7. Call-backs for principals TBD.
8. If you can’t make it to the November 19th auditions, then come on Saturday, November 23rd from 1 pm to 3 pm. Same process here; please arrive on time for picture and number.

Character List

ALL CAST MUST BE STRONG SINGERS.
Please note that character ages are PLAYING AGES that means that you have to look the part.
All others will be part of the ENSEMBLE and will play:
Lepers, Cured Lepers, Merchants, Soldiers, Judas’ Tormentors, Reporters & Temple Ladies
ALL cast will be expected to move.

JESUS: Rock Tenor
Male 20s-30s. As much a pop culture idol as a religious leader, driven, charismatic, attractive,
sincere, has a greater understanding of the dangers and matters at hand than any of his followers;
rock tenor-low Bb to high E.
MARY MAGDALENE: Beautiful Belter
Female 20s-30s. Struggles with aligning her worldly past with Jesus’ message, hopeful, steadfast,
fragile, sweet with an edge; folk mezzo-low G# to B.
APOSTLES:
JUDAS: Rock Tenor
Male 20s-30s. Jesus’ strategic confidante, dedicated, passionate, conflicted, unshakably practical,
torn between an aggressive sense of self-preservation and the ideals of Jesus’ religious movement; rock tenor-low D to high E.
PETER: Tenor
Male – 20s-30s – Close to Jesus (along with James & John) a loyal follower of Jesus. Innocent and soft-spoken. A spokesman of the twelve. Without question, the apostle Peter was a “duh”-ciple most people can identify with. One minute he was walking on water by faith, and the next he was sinking in doubt. Impulsive and emotional, Peter is best known for denying Jesus when the pressure was on. Even so, as a disciple he was dearly loved by Christ, holding a special place among the twelve.
SIMON: High Baritone
Male 20s-30s. As a zealot, Simon has a fanatical and uncompromising pursuit of his religious and political beliefs. A particularly enthusiastic supporter of the anarchist aspect of Jesus’ mission,
reckless, extreme, ready for an uprising.
OTHER APOSTLES – All vocal ranges
JAMES & JOHN: Brothers. Jesus called them ‘the sons of thunder’. Closest to Jesus (along with Peter). Both devoted to Jesus and his teachings. Fiery temperaments.
James is enigmatic and a born leader. He is a key figure in the apostles.
John is often thought to be Jesus’ favourite. He is the only apostle not to abandon Jesus when the
others run away.
ANDREW: The first to follow Jesus. A fisherman who dropped his nets to follow the saviour. His mission is to point people towards Jesus. A modern day publicist maybe?
PHILIP: One of the first to follow Jesus. Reliable. Proactive in calling other followers to join (such as Nathaniel). Strong beliefs. Initially skeptical, he soon became a strong supporter of Jesus. His faith is strong and he is unshakeable.
MATTHEW: was a dishonest tax man hated by the Jews. He recognizes Jesus as someone worth
fighting for. He longs to be accepted and loved.
THOMAS: Prone to extremes. One minute an ardent follower and the next doubtful. Thomas is
practical – he needs to see things for himself he cannot always be confident with blind faith.
JAMES: A keen follower of Jesus. Quieter than some of the others. Thoughtful.
THADDEUS: A sensitive man who displays compassion. Tender-hearted with a tremendous
sense of humanity.

THE PRIESTS:
CAIAPHAS: Low Bass/Rocky Top
Male 30s-50s. High Priest of the Pharisees, at the top of a crumbling system and violently resistant to conceding his place, cold, severe, strategic; bass-low C to middle F.
ANNAS: High Baritone
Male or Female 20s-40s. The right hand man to Caiaphas. Calculating and slithering. High rock
tenor.
PRIEST 1—Bass
PRIEST 2—Baritone
PRIEST 3—Tenor
PONTIUS PILATE: Rock Baritone
Male 30s-40s. Roman Governor, calculated, thoughtful, adept at handling pressure, not quick to
use the gravity of his power; rock baritone – low A to Bb.
KING HEROD: High Baritone
Male 30s-50s. King of Galilee responsible for determining the fate of its Jewish captives, corrupt, condescending, decadent, charming with a sneer; low B to high B.
FEMALE ENSEMBLE: All should have strong voices & great dance ability.
SOUL GIRL 1—Low Belt
SOUL GIRL 2—Middle Belt
SOUL GIRL 3—High Belt
ENSEMBLE GIRLS x6 – 2 low belt, 2 middle belt, 2 high belt.

PRODUCTION DATES
April 2, 3, 4, 5 and April 8, 9, 10 ~ 2020
Rehearsal days and times – to be confirmed. Two week day rehearsal and one weekend rehearsal to be determined by cast.
Tech Week :
We move in on March 25th: the set goes up
March 26th and 27th : getting used to the physicality of the set while running Act 1 on the 26th and Act 2 on the 27th( this will be a workout folks). This is the time to work on anything that doesn’t look right on stage with the set.
Cue to Cue is March 28th at 10 am (We run the show three times today)
March 29th 10 am call: We are running the show twice today
March 30th: Full run of show
March 31: Full run of show
April 1st: Dress Rehearsal
April 2nd: Opening night of one Fabulous Show

This is a rigorous show. Tech week is a physical and emotional strain on the body.

Actors Incentives
All principal actors cast will receive one complimentary ticket to the show.
Cast party will be provided by The Bank Theatre.

Director’s Note:

I am over-the-moon excited to be directing Jesus Christ Superstar. This is a timeless story from the bible, but I believe that it coincides with what is happening in the world today. There is uncertainty, doubt, oppression and betrayal. The bigger question for us all is “why me?” and this play makes us reflect on justice and injustice. We struggle with conflict in the world, but most of all there is an inner conflict within all of us. This traditional Easter story will make us all revisit what is truly important in life. I chose purposely to end on Good Friday. There is really nothing good about a man being betrayed, flogged and sentence to death. I see the good as a man who finally embraces his destiny, but most of all a man who stood up for his beliefs; his spirit is never broken and we live through the possibility of life after death. This is a man who shows us the way. As a Christian there is always something about mind, body and soul that makes Good Friday more understandable. I found a quote years ago that I keep with my notes: “KEEP TELLING MY STORY. KEEP TEL-LING IT IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT ALWAYS COME BACK TO THE TRUTH OF MY STORY: THE MESSAGE OF LOVE AND INCLUSION.” I keep all these thoughts and more with me as I proceed to deliver all these messages and more through this iconic Rock and Roll power play. Come out and see what my version looks like. Come out and be a part of a Superstar moment in time at The Bank Theatre. Looking forward to meeting you!!
Renata Solski

Musical Director’s Note:
Andrew Lloyd Webber did not invent the Rock Opera, (neither did Pete Townsend) but the soaring sights, sounds and success of Jesus Christ Superstar suggest that he raised the genre to heights seldom seen before or since. The profound influence that this single work unleashed when it was first released nearly fifty years ago can still be felt today. Not to overstate the point, but it is entirely possible that without Jesus Christ Superstar, there would be no Phantom of the Opera, no Wicked, or no Hamilton. To my young ears, Superstar was beyond anything I had ever experienced. The music delivered the story of the Passion of Christ in a way that was relevant to a whole generation that was searching for meaning in an age when the promises of the Summer of Love seemed to be slipping away. I had the great privilege to perform this amazing score 25 or so years after it was released, and now after as many years, I am extremely excited to have this opportunity once again.
Tom Overton

Choreographer’s Note

After 13 years of choreography and storytelling for the stage and screen, I’ve learned one critical thing: when a character’s emotion gets too high, music starts: in a musical, the character will start to sing; and then when the emotion gets too big for the music to hold on its own, the character starts to dance. It works as a progression and movement is the biggest, most energetic display of story. Somehow movement teaches us more about the characters we see than any words could. I’m honoured to tell the story of Jesus Christ through dance. This will be my first rock opera, but after choreographing Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat (another biblical Webber & Rice musical) it only made sense that Superstar would follow! What intrigues me the most about the story of Christ is that it doesn’t matter what era we set it in, the audience is still moved. Jesus Christ Superstar is a 70’s rock opera; the characters dress differently and move differently than they ever would have in Christ’s time; yet the story prevails. I am excited to put 70’s and 80’s (and even some modern) dance moves to this story and watch as it still remains timeless! Let’s move!
Catherine Valle-Taylor