What Would Steven Tyler Do?

Producers of superstar musical think perfect Jesus could be in Dallas

Jesus Christ Superstar national tour, Performing Arts Fort Worth

Do you have what it takes to be Jesus?

Photo by Evan Zimmerman

The ultimate star search is on — to find Jesus. Producers of the 50th anniversary tour of the hit musical Jesus Christ Superstar are holding casting calls for the title role in "key cities" around the country, including Dallas.

Casting directors will set up shop at Music Hall at Fair Park from 12-4 pm May 6. Those seeking Jesus' role should be a "rock tenor" in their 20s or 30s with "powerful falsetto/scream up to G5," according to the casting website. Jesus might have actually been a baritone, but not in Andrew Lloyd Webber's world, baby.

Additional requirements for the perfect Jesus say:

"This role demands a well-rounded, rich middle register that also has a super extended upper register with virtuosity coupled with sensitive musicianship. Think Jim Morrison meets Steven Tyler. A true 'rock star,' comfortable addressing a group of 12 or an arena of 12,000." (Good thing it does not say "feeding" 12 or 12,000 — ability to perform loaves-and-fishes miracle not required.)

Jesus does not have to dance but "must be comfortable moving. A performer with strong individual identity, ability to communicate beyond the fourth wall in a very large house and be free and creative during the rehearsal process."

Now for the all-important, burning-bush, capital letters: "MUST PLAY GUITAR. WILL NEED TO PLAY AT THE AUDITION. GUITAR WILL NOT BE PROVIDED – MUST BRING YOUR OWN!"

In addition to Dallas, casting calls are taking place in Orlando (April 20), New Orleans (April 27), Atlanta (April 29), and Los Angeles (May 10.)

“Following in the footsteps of great rock musicians like Ian Gillan, Ted Neeley, and Steve Balsamo, we are looking for the next singer to take on and transform the role of Jesus,” says producer Stephen Gabriel.

Jesus Christ Superstar, by Webber and Tim Rice, is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes "I Don’t Know How to Love Him," "Gethsemane," and "Superstar."

The 30-city North American leg of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s production launches in the fall of 2019 following their critically acclaimed, sold out engagements in UK. It will begin in Texas — at Austin’s Bass Concert Hall, October 8-13.

The show will come back to Fair Park, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals, April 28-May 10, 2020. Then it plays at Fort Worth's Bass Hall, August 25-30, 2020.

The North American tour will be helmed by acclaimed director Timothy Sheader and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie. Rounding out the creative team is set and costume design by 2016 Tony Award nominee Tom Scutt, lighting design by Lee Curran, and music supervision by Tom Deering.

For additional information about the production, visit the official tour website.

theater

Art for all

Dallas’ Katy Trail will debut new public art biennial in 2027

The Katy Trail/Facebook

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Dallas' most popular jogging trails will fill with art next year: A new contemporary public art biennial called KTX Biennial will debut in spring 2027 along Dallas’ Katy Trail.

"The KTX Biennial marks Texas’ first biennial of its kind dedicated to public art and provides an open-air platform for engaging with ambitious contemporary artworks, free and accessible to all," says a release.

Organized by Friends of the Katy Trail executive director Amy Bean and Katy Trail art director Amanda Dillard Shufeldt, the inaugural event will invite New York-based curator Jovanna Venegas to organize a display of nearly a dozen existing and newly commissioned works by living artists from across the world. Venegas, the curator at SculptureCenter, has an international reputation for exhibiting and commissioning major works by living artists.

The Dallas presentation will span the 3.5-mile former railroad corridor running through Dallas’ Uptown, Knox, and Highland Park neighborhoods, which attracts 2 million annual visitors, they say. Artworks will be thoughtfully integrated into the trail’s natural environment, organizers say.

"Building on the Katy Trail’s existing public art program - which has featured work from the likes of Iván Argote, Eddie Martinez, Will Boone, Nic Nicosia, Carolyn Salas, and more - the Biennial thoughtfully integrates art into its natural environment, creates new avenues for discovery for local and national audiences, and fortifies Dallas’ standing as an international art destination," the release says.

Beyond the artworks that fill the trails, the event will include educational programs, public activities, panel conversations, and partnerships with local institutions and organizations, organizers say.

“The KTX Biennial grows directly out of our belief that the Katy Trail belongs to everyone," says Bean in the release. "By bringing ambitious contemporary art into an open-air setting, free and accessible to all, we are inviting both longtime visitors and first-time audiences to experience the Trail in an entirely new way. This Biennial strengthens the Trail’s role not only as a place for recreation, but also as a space for creativity, reflection, and shared discovery."

The inaugural KTX Biennial will open in spring 2027 and will be free and open to the public.

arts art festival sculptures gallery museums katy trail