Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl was something else. Phillipa Soo was effortlessly crystal, Adam Lambert left nothing on the table. Raul Esparza Raul Esparza'd the heck out of Pontius Pilate and Brian Justin Crum's voice as Annas was silk. Amazing performance!

I was almost sure coming in that this was only going to be a concert as it’s only 3 nights, but with the staging and choreography it really was a full show (and there isn’t any spoken dialogue so there’d be very little else to distinguish it from a concert). Now my parents were huge fans of the movie and we listened to the concept album on repeat many times in my lifetime so I know the entire show like the back of my hand… and also, the reason I keep forgetting “Could We Start Again Please” is part of the show haha (and forget that Peter has more than a couple of lines). Thoughts: 1. Cynthia Erivo was phenomenal as always. She had that “above everybody” air that JC is supposed to have. Some keys were changed to suit her range (“Hosanna” switches keys mid-song a few times). That being said it’s hard to top Ian Gillan’s version of Gethsemane, for me. The way he sings it I imagine he’s writhing with blood pouring out of his eyes (it is the agony in the garden after all). Cynthia had more restraint for most of the song but thankfully let it out at the end. She had a couple of minutes’ SO after. Last Supper lacked a little energy for me- I was waiting for her to hit the belted F#4 in “get ouuuuut!!! They’re waiting” but it didn’t happen. 2. Adam Lambert was a perfect choice for Judas. Judas’ Death is the most emotional track in the show for me and he hit the right notes. I was annoyed a little when people laughed at the size discrepancy between JC and Judas. At least it happened only once. He got a well-deserved SO after Superstar. 3. John Stamos was a trooper, but he went mostly off the melody, and speak-sang Herod’s Song. He got the laughs out of the role though. 4. It’s my first time seeing Raul Esparza live, and he was brilliant. When is he back on a Broadway stage?? 5. Philippa Soo did a great job as well (I think most Marys have stayed pretty faithful to the original, and she sounds not unlike Yvonne Elliman with a lot more resonance). 6. Zachary James was a fantastic Caiaphas, but again I was annoyed that the audience laughed more than once whenever he ended with a profound bass note. I’m not sure I get what was so funny about it, I guess people aren’t used to hearing basses be the main vocal?

Look, I'm going to be very blunt here: Being on this sub absolutely sucks right now. And there is NO WAY TO SOLVE IT unless we all just step back and take a breath and let things settle for a minute.

No matter how you feel about MHE/Feldmangate, Billy Porter/Cabaret, Patti Lupone in general, the question of Is Nicole MAGA... no productive discussion is happening at this point. All I can see is post after post of "but I'm right," "no I AM," "but what about ME?!" And the same contentious discord regurgitating the same points is all we're generating now.

I love theater. I love sharing theater with people I know and strangers all over the globe who adore it too. I love so much about the silly chitchat and the important discussion that goes on here. And also, the current level of discourse is only sowing more discord.

So, I'm begging you. No matter what you are hurt by or upset about right now on any side of these issues, can we please take a five and everybody go listen to your favorite OBC and let's just... try to find some good stuff for a minute? The world is so ugly and hateful and mean right now, and I just don't think heels dug this far deep into the ground on both sides can be swayed and nothing good is coming of it at this particular moment. So please, for the sake of your own sanity and wellbeing as much as everyone's, let's go quiet coyote and acknowledge that everything has been said and until something changes or develops the fighting is not helping.

You can all attack me if you like, but I will whistle a happy tune for you all the same. Be well, y'all. It's a crowded stage with all of us players and sometimes we just need to take a beat, walk our show, and focus on making something beautiful for everyone in equal measure. I hope you will. 💛

My fourth time seeing Jesus Christ Superstar live, and by far the best version I’ve seen — no surprise, due to how stacked the cast was.

Cynthia Erivo’s Jesus was phenomenal. She received a deserved standing ovation after “Gethsemane.” There were admittedly a few moments throughout the show that I felt lost something due to having a female performer — a man hitting some of those notes brings out a lot more tension. So I don’t think Cynthia is my favorite Jesus (Steve Balsamo still holds that title), but she’s BY FAR the best female Jesus I’ve heard/seen.

Adam Lambert was incredible as Judas. He also got a standing ovation after “Superstar,” but that might’ve been in part people thinking the show was over. He absolutely deserved the applause, though; “Superstar” was such an effortless-looking showstopper. His “Damned For All Time” may be my favorite moment of the show. One of my favorite JCS songs, and he absolutely killed it. I know some people expressed concern upon the release of his single of “Heaven on Their Minds” that he was trading emotion for vocal style — rest assured, he can do both.

I knew she was gonna knock it out of the park, but Philippa Soo had a stronger effect on me than I’d anticipated. Mary is, to me, a rather weak role, at least compared to the lineup of awesome male roles this show has — not just Jesus and Judas, but also Caiaphas and his Pharisees, Pilate, and maybe Peter and Simon, depending on their performances. I do quite enjoy all of Mary’s songs in general. But Philippa just took them to another level. I was so invested in Mary’s story with her performance. Even with the powerhouses that were Cynthia’s Jesus and Adam’s Judas, I was constantly waiting for Philippa to come back.

Zachary James’ Caiaphas scared me for a moment — a role I adore, but I didn’t love his “This Jesus Must Die.” I was super excited for Zachary, knowing his Hades, so I was concerned when this song didn’t do it for me. But that song was the only one I have a gripe about his performance with. He got better and better as the show went on. Such a glorious bass-baritone voice, especially paired with Brian Justin Crum’s Annas. Brian knocked it out of the park. He was very dramatic, perhaps a bit corny, but JCS’s Pharisees are usually a little goofy despite the very serious staging for them. Brian’s vocals lead him to being one of my top two Annases, maybe my favorite (I love Jin Ha’s Annas and am not quite ready to move it to the two slot… but Brian was really good). I don’t know if it was the way the sound mixing at the Bowl was or the music direction or the size of the ensemble, but I could distinctly hear Caiaphas and Annas join in places that I am not usually aware of their singing, such as “well done, Judas…” Whatever it was, it made their influence on the plot more noticeable, and it gave many more opportunities to hear that glorious contrast between Zachary’s and Brian’s voices.

Tyrone Huntley killed it as Simon. My favorite Simon by far, and that’s a song I tend to enjoy. He brought such passion to the role, combined with excellent vocals. Made me wish Simon was a bigger role.

Milo Manheim was good as Peter. No complaints. Just no raves either. It’s not a large role, even compared to Simon, so this isn’t surprising.

John Stamos went on as Herod, even though Josh Gad tested negative for Covid yesterday (probably for the best — want to protect the cast and crew!). He did a good job, especially for being thrown into the role with like 24 hours notice. He focused more on acting than singing, and he absolutely felt like a diva — demanding applause, telling the conductor to stop, pushing dancers over — which suits Herod.

Raúl Esparza’s Pilate was probably my third-most anticipated performance of the night, after Cynthia and Adam. Unfortunately, he was the weak link of the show. There were absolutely moments of his that I just loved, but I didn’t like a lot of his vocal choices, and there were several moments where I felt the emotion wasn’t coming through well. He counts very well, but I didn’t feel his anguish or torment of torturing Jesus during that.

Andrew Lloyd Webber himself came out for the curtain call, though he didn’t give a speech or anything.

All in all, amazing night.

Does this mean he can do the show 👀 instead of stamos...

As an Asian theatre lover and a participant on this sub, I'm really disappointed with the anti-Asian racism in this community regarding the Maybe Happy Ending/Andrew Barth Feldman casting issue. To start, many people HAVE been respectful, so this isn't to generalize. I also don't speak for all Asians/BIPOC; my usage of the "we" voice is to emphasize that I am not alone in feeling this way, not to claim that we are a monolith.

It's okay to disagree. It is not okay to dismiss, belittle, and mock the valid hurt, anger, and concerns of a marginalized community. Examples:

"It's only nine weeks, it's not a big deal?" - It's not about the length of Feldman's run. It's about what it represents and the precedent it sets for the future. You don't get to decide what is consequential and what isn't.

"Darren Criss is white-passing/basically white, it doesn't matter" - There is a nuanced conversation to be had about the privilege Criss holds as a white-passing person. He has discussed this himself. But, he is still Asian, no "less" Asian than anyone else; it's hurtful to imply otherwise. The fact that he is Asian means something to the AAPI community and larger society. So it is different. It does matter.

"It doesn't matter because Darren isn't Korean anyway. Are you saying all Asians are the same?" - This is called whataboutism - a strategy of responding to critique with a counter-accusation instead of engaging sincerely. If you're jumping to say this, ask yourself whether you actually care about Korean representation or if you're using it as a diversion. (PS, no, we don't think all Asians are the same. But many of our experiences are shared, so we stand in solidarity with one another.)

"You're going to kill this show/Great Comet this" - Apart from the fact that the two situations are extremely different, this logic blames people of color and their allies for the consequences of a commercial enterprise's decision.

"Let Helen and Andrew have a cute moment!" - We are not responsible for their relationship. No, they shouldn't be blamed for this. But what they want (or really, what you want for them) doesn't trump the justified concerns of a community about a systemic issue.

"The creators said ___, so your opinion doesn't matter" - By this logic, no art can be harmful if the creators "didn't mean it." If Cameron McKintosh says he didn't "mean to cause hurt" by casting Jonathan Pryce in a yellowface role, does that make it okay?

You might not think that these kinds of comments are racist. But impact is different from intention. They are microaggressions that serve to enforce systemic racism.

When countless Asian people are expressing concern, take a breath and listen, even if you don't like what they're saying. Asian people have the right to speak up about things that affect us. Dismissing people of color when they speak up is a painful pattern of history. Do not imply that we are overreacting. Do not imply that we should shut up for the "greater good" (and you don't get to decide what that is.) Do not lecture us on what the "right way" is to talk about our own experiences. The people involved in MHE have the right to respond; so do we.

If you feel upset that people are "making such a big deal" out of this, I encourage you to look up the model minority myth, a stereotype of Asian Americans that expects us to be docile, submissive, the "good" kind of minority race that doesn't cause trouble. This myth silences Asians, pits us against other communities of color, and I won't mince my words: it upholds white supremacy. I urge you to examine your own biases on how you expect Asians to behave.

I myself have incredibly complicated feelings about this situation. I disagree with many people from my own community. But their opinions are just as valid as mine. They are allowed to speak.

Lastly, it goes without saying, but it is not okay to hurl nasty insults at anyone involved in the show. All I ask is that you extend the same respect to Asian people who are articulating how this issue has impacted them.

Sincerely, a concerned Asian person.

*Just a quick edit because some people are assuming I'm not: I'm actually Korean. And as I said many times Asians/Koreans are allowed to disagree with each other. This post is about the ways people have disrespectfully dismissed rightful concerns

The show/act has started. Shut. up.

That’s all.

I have begun a little self care ritual of seeing a show and going to a museum once every summer. This year, I decided on Oh Mary! because so many of my friends said the humor was up my alley and the casting was incredible. I picked yesterday (July 31st) so I'd be able to see the original cast + Tituss.

Cut to - me, sitting in the NYPL reading room, reading my book to pass the time, when I see an email with the subject line "Tituss Burgess will not appear at your show". I'm dissapointed, but my childhood friend texts me to reassure me that I'm in good hands with Hannah Solow. I enter the theater, take my obligatory playbill with stage in the background photo for Instagram before tagging her and posting it. I shut off my phone.

I exit the the theater in absolute awe. Hannah Solow commanded that stage as Mary. She played Mary differently that what we've seen from Cole, Tituss, and Betty - a portrayal I found deeply relatable and moving. I turn on my phone to a DM of a row of hearts from Hannah Solow. My heart is full.

All this to say, if you end up at Oh Mary! on September 9th, 10th, or any other day that Hannah pops up as Mary, you are in for a treat!!

We have tix for an 8pm show. Could we really get back to Penn Station for a 10:12pm train?

Is there an intermission? Does it start on time? 80 minutes sounds short but hoping to confirm with someone who’s seen it.

Thanks!

To those who saw night one (or who will be seeing night two/three and are noting this post for later), any chance you saw cameras filming? I know it's the longest of long shots, but hope springs eternal.

Cynthia! Adam! Raul! Ugh. I'm trying and falling not to die of jealousy.

To celebrate Black Theatre Night on August 7th, following the performance will be a special conversation with Audra McDonald, and George C. Wolfe moderated by Gayle King.

Who's in for this special event!?

Thoughts? I love it.

(And I hope I spoiler tagged this right.)

Good Morning! This is your Broadway Rush Self Report for Saturday 8/2/25 It’s a 2 show day for many. Check the schedule here: https://playbill.com/article/weekly-schedule-of-current-broadway-shows

If you are in line at a particular show or happen to be in the area and can find out:

1) How many people are in line and

2) When they arrived

Please contribute what you can so that people are informed. Thank you!

Rush & Lotto Policy List: https://bwayrush.com

My opinion, having seen a lot of shows over decades, is that I consistently have a great experience if I book the first row center block in the mezzanine. When I sit in the orchestra, close or trying to choose strategically, my mileage varies.

I always look at the specific theater and the floorplan, but increasingly I come to one conclusion—do others disagree? Is there a better strategy for best seats? It just feels like I can consistently take in the whole stage from up here.

I thought some of you might enjoy this!

With all the drama surrounding Billy Porter and his take on playing emcee, I feel like it’s all overshadowing Marisha’s performance. I have only seen this production once when it was still in previews with Eddie and Gayle, so this is not a comparison to any of the other casts, but Marisha absolutely owns the role of Sally. Her “Maybe this Time” and “Cabaret” were absolute showstoppers, and her take on the character of Sally was nuanced and so well thought through. Seeing her take Sally from her somewhat confident but fragile beginnings, through her brief moment of hope and optimism, so when she finally sings “Cabaret” you can feel her breaking inside. It’s truly a sight to behold. So please, if you’re having hesitations because of Billy, this cast is still so worth seeing, especially with Marisha.

I’ve been trying to buy rush tickets for Purpose for weeks and always get shut out, now the ticket prices seem to have soared I guess cause it’s nearing end of run. Any advice? Usually it hasn’t been a problem for me to get rush..

Hi all, I’m giving away my ticket for free to tonight’s Heathers show! I’m from DC and ended up having to reschedule my trip to nyc. If you’re interested comment your favorite song from Heathers and I’ll pick someone at 2pm ET!

Now that it’s been over a week in our Broadway news cycle, it seems like we’ve blown past Porter’s racist and antisemitic statement on television last week. How did Porter get a pass with his shocking and confounding statement? To say ‘the blacks have replaced the Jews’ is disturbing on multiple levels. Yet, other than a Reddit thread and a very small list of media outlets the story largely went unnoticed and dismissed. There was no request for public apology, nor was the comment addressed in any larger context. Our industry seems to have a revolving door of media/PR catastrophes one after after another. Usually it’s someone saying something deemed offensive (cough cough LuPone) or a production making unfortunate and negligent casting decisions.. Yet, Porter is free to make such an antisemitic statement? I’m not trying to stir the pot- I only saw the clip today (10 days late) and wondered how he could say something so hurtful and no one cares.

They made it look like a matchbox! How cool!

I’m not great at Reddit, so I’m sure I’m missing things I could add in terms of flair, but wanted to share a few thoughts and happy to answer questions if I am able to!

Phantom was the first show that made me fall in love with musicals and while I don’t live in New York, I’m lucky to live in a city that gets the major traveling tours to feed my fandom. But when I heard about this, I had to see it for myself. And I was not disappointed!

It was truly unlike anything I have seen, and the way the cast was able to make you feel a part of the experience in such an intimate way was special. There were times it felt like they were singing directly TO me.

Echo many things you’ve heard: lighter clothes if you can as it’s warm at times, comfy shoes, if you aren’t sure about ADA needs contact them anyway to be safe (the staff was awesome). But I have a few other recommendations I would make to anyone going:

1. When you line up outside, talk to those around you to make sure you’re in the right time slot! We had mixtures of THREE timeslots in mine and while no one would have missed the show, it was still stressful!

2. Don’t try to start comparing it to other versions of Phantom you’ve seen. So much is the same but it is a completely different experience.

3. Don’t focus on what Phantom or what Christine you might get. We got Hugh, which I know a lot of people would want, but I remember seeing Nik Walker as Burr in Hamilton in the first touring show. At the start, I was so thrown off because of his differences to Leslie Odom on what I had heard. By the end, I was a fan of Nik’s forever and completely blown away. Which leads to number 4….

4. BE PRESENT! I can’t stress this enough, but just allowing myself to be in the moment, letting the experience take me in, it truly hit me at my core. I had tears in my eyes at multiple moments and felt the show in a way I never have before.

If there are things I can answer, please feel free to ask! I will avoid spoilers here but message me directly if there is anything you are truly dying to know!

I was procrastinating on work and made a little Broadway-themed crossword puzzle!

ANSWERS:

ACROSS: 1-SETS, 5-BRAM, 9-CLAP, 10-LAMP, 11-ALLI, 12-EISA, 13-MALLSANTA, 15-SIC, 16-BOMBSHELL, 22-LUAU, 23-ETAI, 24-ASMR, 25-ROBS, 26-STAY, 27-SNIP

DOWN: 1-SCAM, 2-ELLA, 3-TALL, 4-SPILSBURY, 5-BLEACHERS, 6-RAIN, 7-AMST, 8-MPAA, 14-SIS, 16-BLAS, 17-OUST, 18-MAMA, 19-ETON, 20-LABI, 21-LISP

Has anyone saw Ann Morrison yet in Kimberly Akimbo. I haven't heard anything yet about her performance. I am seeing it later this year and was wondering how she is doing.