Vlad Bunoan

Joshua Bess as Jesus in 'Jesus Christ Superstar.' Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Fred Hawson

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778040062377689241531_1900854680613842_4724481704594885041_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Joshua Bess as Jesus in &#x27;Jesus Christ Superstar.&#x27; <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Because his teachings and miracles had earned him hordes of followers among the Jews, Jesus (Joshua Bess) has gained the ire of the Pharisees. Their leaders, Caiaphas (Grant Hodges) and Annas (Kodiak Thompson), bribed one of Jesus&#x27;s apostles, Judas Iscariot (Javon King), to deliver him to them for the price of thirty pieces of silver. Jesus faced trial before Pontius Pilate (Ethan Hardy Benson), which led him to his death by crucifixion.</p><p>This timeless story, which formed the basis of Catholicism and all Christian religions, has been recorded in the Holy Bible, then told and retold over the centuries. In 1970, it became the subject of a sung-through rock opera, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. After its success as a concept album, it debuted on the Broadway stage in 1971, West End in 1972, then transitioned into film under director Norman Jewison in 1973.</p><p>In 2016, a revival of this musical was produced by the Regent&#x27;s Park Open Air Theatre under the direction of Timothy Sheader, which later went on to win the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. In 2025, this same production was announced to go on an international tour, to kick off in Manila in May 2026. After Manila, it will be going to Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, and London in June (with Matty Juniosa just announced to play Annas!)</p><p>I have seen the film more than once and am familiar with the songs, but this is the first time I have seen it played live on a stage. This was not a “traditional&quot; interpretation, not your grandma&#x27;s passion play. Except for the Sanhedrin with their capes, priestly breastplates, staffs (that doubled as microphones on the other end) and bare torsos, characters wore modern active wear outfits here, no biblical robes here. </p><p>There were massive scaffoldings at the back where the live band, led by musical director Harry Haden Brown, were situated on its various levels. On the foreground was a huge cross lying on the floor, acting mainly as a runway on which actors walked, but later doubled as the table of the Last Supper -- a perfectly-executed ingenious staging idea which may look better when seen from the loge or balcony. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778039998877688606681_2035827150655042_2547815340297446357_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Javon King as Judas and Joshua Bess as Jesus. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN NewsJavon King as Judas and Joshua Bess as Jesus. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN NewsJavon King as Judas and Joshua Bess as Jesus. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Javon King as Judas and Joshua Bess as Jesus. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Joshua Bess and Javon King made an electric Jesus-Judas tandem, the controversial friendship around which an intense and tragic personal conflict revolved around. Both of them had total control of their powerful wails. The main highlight of Bess&#x27; Jesus was &quot;Gethsemane,&quot; innovated by having him play guitar while singing the initial verses, before power-belting the rest of the song with raw painful emotions. King&#x27;s Judas had several showstoppers -- the opening song &quot;Heaven on Their Minds,&quot; &quot;Damned for All Time/Blood Money&quot; when he stained his hands with silver glitter, &quot;Judas&#x27; Death&quot; with its heat-wrenching reprise of &quot;I Don&#x27;t Know How to Love Him,&quot; and of course, the anthemic title song.</p><p>For the Manila shows, the role of Mary Magdalene (still thought to engage in an unsavory &quot;profession&quot; in this 1970 iteration of the story) was played by local theater star Gab Pangilinan. For fans of her previous performances, from &quot;Side Show&quot; to &quot;Ang Huling El Bimbo&quot; to &quot;The Last Five Years,&quot; there was no doubt that she would nail this role. She imbued all of Mary Magdalene&#x27;s songs with her clear and calming mezzo-soprano -- &quot;Everything&#x27;s Alright,&quot; &quot;Could We Start Again Please,&quot; and her signature hit &quot;I Don&#x27;t Know How to Love Him.&quot; </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778039971575685119351_1721320525522290_7259300346209478465_n.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Gab Pangilinan as Mary Magdalene. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Gab Pangilinan as Mary Magdalene. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>The striking vocal contrast between deep bass-baritone Grant Hodges (as Caiaphas) and rock countertenor Kodiak Thompson (as Annas) was a wonder to hear performed live. Ethan Hardy Benson and his strong rock vocals gave grit to Pontius Pilate&#x27;s difficult dilemma in &quot;Trial by Pilate.&quot; This song peaked in that awesomely-staged scourging scene where Pilate counted down each lacerating lash of the whip one by one, all the way to 39. Erich W. Schleck&#x27;s King Herod and his wacky, gold-plated, high-heeled, drag-flavored, campy fun song and dance number was a welcome comedic respite halfway in the heavy second half. </p><p>When Jesus called shaven-headed Will Silver as &quot;Simon,&quot; some viewers (like me) may be mistaken to think that he was playing Simon Peter. However, he was actually singing as Simon the Zealot, inciting Jesus to lead the Jews to rise against Rome. By the Last Supper scene that opened Act 2, it would be clear that Simon Peter really was someone else. This was when Thomas McFerran walked in playing his guitar, leading the apostles to sing about all their &quot;trials and tribulations, sinking in a gentle pool of wine.&quot;</p><p>I watched the matinee on the second day of its run. Even so early in its run, Sheader&#x27;s show flowed efficiently, with no transition delays nor sound glitches. The whole show finished in two hours, including a 20-minute intermission in between. The interactions of the actors and musicians were so fluid, especially during scenes of complex vocal harmonies and choreography, such as &quot;The Temple&quot; and &quot;Superstar.&quot; The unexpected final scene potently left a quiet question about Jesus&#x27;s redemptive mission and Judas&#x27; key role in its fruition. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778039913615685136370_2246404692561333_1360337279449841336_n.jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The cast at curtain call. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The cast at curtain call. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><div><em>&quot;Jesus Christ Superstar&quot; runs at the Theater at Solaire from May 2 to 31, 2026, with shows from Tuesday to Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets available at TicketWorld. <br/></em></div><div><em>The arrival of Luke Street, the actor initially been announced to play Jesus, has been delayed due to unavoidable family circumstances. He will be taking over the role of Jesus later this week. The actor whom I saw perform as Jesus, Joshua Bess, is Street&#x27;s understudy, who certainly proved himself stellar enough in the title role. Bess is also named as understudy for Pilate. </em></div><div><br/></div><p>This review was originally published in the author&#x27;s blog, “<a href="https://3xhcch.blogspot.com/2026/05/gmg-review-of-jesus-christ-superstar.html">Fred Said</a>.”</p>

<p>A bold international touring production of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' lands in Manila with a visceral, modern staging that trades biblical robes for activewear and spectacle for raw emotional charge.</p>

A bold international touring production of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' lands in Manila with a visceral, modern staging that trades biblical robes for activewear and spectacle for raw emotional charge.

Theater review: Daring ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ revival lands in Manila

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Theater review: Daring ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ revival lands in Manila

Fred Hawson

Published May 06, 2026 12:08 PM PHT

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Updated May 06, 2026 12:16 PM PHT

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theater review

Jesus Christ Superstar

GMG Productions

Solaire

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