MAT looks for rock singers, musicians for rock opera

‘Jesus Christ

Superstar’ auditions set for Tuesday and Wednesday

Montana Actors' Theatre will hold auditions this week for an upcoming 10-show run of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

The musical, which documents the final week of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, will begin its run in March.  

Grant Olson, who will direct the run, said that his production will be faithful to the original.

While he said he is hoping to see local MAT regulars try out, the production will also need rock singers, bass guitar and guitar players, and percussionists.

“There is not one line of spoken dialogue in it. It is song from the beginning to the very end,” Olson  said.  

He said auditions and rehearsals are starting this week to give people time to prepare for the production, inlcuding time ahead of the actual production to condition each singer’s voice.

“We want to give people enough time to get accustomed to this singing style,” he said.

In addition to the show’s nine main roles, Olson said, he is also looking to cast people in supporting parts as well as musicians and singers for the chorus.

He said he is hoping for a diverse production, noting the original production had performers of different races. There will be roles for those of different ages and singing abilities.

Olson said that the leading three roles of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Judas Iscariot have the most lines, there are others that won’t require as much time and preparation.  

For example, there are some characters who only perform a single song in one scene.

Auditions will take place Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Little Theatre on the campus of Montana State University-Northern.

Performers are asked to prepare 30 seconds of song, preferably from “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

However, other rock songs that can accurately demonstrate a performer’s vocal range are also acceptable, Olson said.