Additional casting is being announced for hte Hollywood Bowl’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar on August 1, 2 and 3, 2025.
Joining Cynthia Erivo as Jesus and Adam Lambert as Judas are Josh Gad (Olaf in Frozen, Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon Tony nomination) as King Herod and Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton in Hamilton Tony and Emmy nomination, ABC/Hulu Doctor Odyssey) as Mary Magdalene.
Gad is best known for voicing the beloved snowman Olaf in Disney’s Frozen franchise, originating the role of Elder Arnold Cunningham in Broadway’s The Book of Mormon, and portraying LeFou in the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. Gad will next be seen in A Tree Fell in the Woods, starring opposite Alexandra Daddario and Daveed Diggs.
Soo originated the role of Eliza Hamilton in the award winning show Hamilton for which she was nominated for Tony and Emmy awards and won a Grammy award. She has originated and starred in over six Broadway and off Broadway shows including Guenevere in Aaron Sorkin’s Camelot and Cinderella in Into the Woods for which she won a Grammy as part of the cast album, and the title roles in Amelie and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. Currently Phillipa stars on the hit Ryan Murphy series Dr. Odyssey.
This new production sees Jesus Christ Superstar returning to its rock roots, featuring lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo as director and choreographer and Tony and Grammy award winner Stephen Oremus as musical director and conductor, and is produced in association with Neil Meron and Robert Greenblatt. The production also includes scenic designer Jason Ardizzone-West, costume designer Emilio Sosa, projection designer Peter Negrini, lighting designers Tyler Lambert-Perkins and Tyler Glover, sound designer Jonathan Burke, and hair and makeup designer Brandi Strona, with casting by The Telsey Office.
A global phenomenon that has wowed audiences for decades, Jesus Christ Superstar is a timeless work that explores the biblical portrayal of the extraordinary events that led to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of his betrayer, Judas Iscariot. The story, told entirely through song, explores the personal relationships and struggles among Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ disciples, his followers and the Roman Empire. Originally released as a concept album, the iconic 1970s rock score contains such well-known numbers as “Superstar,” “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” and “Gethsemane.”
Jesus Christ Superstar will be performed at the Hollywood Bowl: Friday, August 1, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, August 2, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, August 3, at 7:30 p.m. Subscriptions and single tickets for the Hollywood Bowl’s 2025 summer season are available at the Bowl box office at 2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles; online at hollywoodbowl.com or via phone order at 323-850-2000.
