New production of Jesus Christ Superstar hits the stage in Sudbury

Musical theatre fans in Sudbury, Ont., will have a new offering from the YES Theatre Company this week, as the group is ready to launch its big summer production. 

It's a staging of Jesus Christ Superstar, the modern take on the biblical story of Christ and his Apostles and followers, and their struggles against the Roman Empire. 

It's a musical that has drawn huge audiences for decades since it first hit Broadway in1971.

A previous production was staged by YES Theatre in 2013. 

This latest iteration is being directed and choreographed by several veterans of YES Theatre, along with a rising young Sudbury performer and, in this case, co-director Gaia Dhatt.

"Directing is a very collaborative experience. Everybody is part of the process and everyone has things to say, and we're working with so many brilliant creative people, it's been lovely," said Dhatt.

Co-directing with YES Theatre's founder and artistic director, Alessandro Costantini, 18-year old Dhatt said some of the bold casting will help put a unique spin on this production.

"We have so many different people taking on roles that they haven't tried before, and I think that in itself is very special, just to see completely new people interpret these roles and take on the script as they want," she said.

"For example, Tafari Anthony is our 'Jesus.' He was in the original production this company did over 10 years ago, but he was playing the role of Simon Zealot. Since then, he's done a lot, has had albums released, he's been to the Junos. He's a wonderful singer and an incredible artist."

Also imported for this production is Broadway actor Sam Primack in the role of Judas. He and Costantini met while both were in the cast of a North American touring company that was performing Dear Evan Hansen.

Another Sudbury performer, Ruthie Nkut, back from a stint at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, is acting and singing the role of Mary Magdalene.

"It's been a long time since we first did this production at YES Theatre over 10 years ago — I was in that production," said Nkut. "It was my first YES Theatre show, so it means a lot to me. It was my first professional musical that I was ever in. So playing this part, which is my dream role, is huge, it's very exciting."

'Rich arts culture'

Nkut said that with hugely successful productions over the past few summers, and with interesting work being staged, Sudbury is getting on the radar of the professional theatre community, which was one of the group's goals when it started up.

"It's exciting to sit in a café in New York and talk to people that I've never really met before,  and realize that they have heard about and know about Sudbury and the work we are doing here."

Also in the show as part of the ensemble cast is longtime YES Theatre performer and former CTV northern Ontario weather presenter Katie Behun, who has returned to Sudbury from more than a year away in British Columbia.

"I missed it. I was out in the Squamish and Whistler area [of B.C.], just chasing my adventure dream, and getting to the top of as many mountains as I could. However, out there, there is a lot less of a theatre community. Sudbury is so special to have such a rich arts culture here," said Behun.

"I felt a hole, just missing being on stage and enjoying the energy of a live audience, and just singing and dancing. I've always kept in touch, as these people at YES Theatre are my friends. So when they sent me an offer to be in Jesus Christ Superstar, I said 'yes,I can make it work, and come home and see my family, and sing and dance a little bit."

Jesus Christ Superstar is currently scheduled to run at the Sudbury Theatre Centre until Aug. 16.