Changes coming to Superstar?

[castlestreet]

Posted: 3/31/12 at 8:51pm

Josh Young out again tonight- Tony's not only rocking the house tonight but Des is here watching the show- my gut says a switch will be made...

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/31/12 at 9:01pm

Oh, I thought maybe this time He'd live.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 3/31/12 at 9:04pm

We're only at intermission - don't ruin it for me!!!

[SNAFU]

Posted: 3/31/12 at 9:21pm

psssst the both die!

[RockStarNYC]

Posted: 3/31/12 at 10:28pm

Tony? Do you mean Jeremy Kushnier? The only Tony that's played Judas is Tony Vincent and, if you watch NBC Monday nights at 8, you know that he's kinda busy.... :)


Updated On: 3/31/12 at 10:28 PM

[GatorNY]

Posted: 4/1/12 at 6:07pm

I saw the show today and Jeremy Kushnier was on as Judas. I saw the show on Tuesday with Josh Young and it was a totally different show with Kushnier. There was a lot more energy and the audience reaction was much more enthusiastic. Some of it may be because it's Palm Sunday, but I think Kushnier raises the bar for the rest of the cast. Paul Nolan was in much better voice and was fantastic during Gethsemane especially. Chilina Kennedy is miscast as far as I'm concerned; she's not the least bit believable as a prostitute or whatever Mary Magdalene was supposed to have been. She sings fine but is way to innocent looking and sounding. With regard to Kushnier as Judas though, I can see how this switch would be made permanent. The show works much better with him in the lead.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 4/1/12 at 6:34pm

Yes- Jeremy- not Tony- I was in Superstar overload last night at intermission while posting and thinking about the last revival and how better this production really is- more on that later...

Jeremy was amazing and I think they are foolish not to give him the role- that place was rocking last night!

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 4/1/12 at 9:19pm

Josh doesn't even look the role!

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 4/1/12 at 9:29pm

Remind me what Judas looked like.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 4/1/12 at 10:15pm

Maybe like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umAfcDxJP1A

Ah is Josh could only do as well!

Updated On: 4/1/12 at 10:15 PM

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/1/12 at 10:20pm

Or like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVHV4BAwYU0

Updated On: 4/1/12 at 10:20 PM

[Zingingtobway]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 12:24am

Bless his cotton sock! Can the casting department or director please hire someone else. there are so many talented singer/actors out there who would slay in this role.. People that come to mind. Ritter Hanz, Dan Dominech, Marty Thomas I dunno somebody...

[mee.who]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 8:30am

Young's been playing the role since last summer. Kushnier's been with the show for a long time and went on as Judas at least a few times in La Jolla that have been reported, probably more. I kinda doubt Des McAnuff is sitting there having some kind of revelation NOW as to who he wants playing the part. I mean, maybe it's possible, but he had a LOT of time prior to Josh Young coming down with bronchitis to decide whether a casting change was in order.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 11:35am

That's until you learn that Jeremy Kushnier was always his choice.
See here for details

[cathaea]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 11:54am

I really like Kushnier but I don't buy that McAnuff would make a decision this quickly into the show's run unless there are some serious concerns about Josh Young's health. Perhaps he has something more debilitating/will need a longer recovery time than a cold or bronchitis. Otherwise, I think McAnuff would have replaced Young with Kushnier after the Stratford run. Remember, Kushnier joined the cast in California to play Pontius Pilate but since McAnuff already knew that he was going to be hiring Hewitt for the NYC run, he certainly had lots of time to think about reorganizing the cast. They've also recently released new marketing videos that highlight Young's rendition of "Superstar"--I think they'd try to minimize his appearance (rather than emphasize it) if they were planning on a shake-up. So if this does happen, I don't think it's a matter of McAnuff being fickle or changing his mind about Young's performance but that something serious is going on with Young.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 12:11pm

After the NY Times said that Josh Young gave the "standout" performance as Judas ("vocally lustrous and charismatic"), I don't see anything as melodramatic as replacing him happening.

If your "gut" keeps telling you things like that, I suggest that a little Pepto-Bismol might quiet it down.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 1:09pm

All I am saying folks is that he has missed a lot of performances early on in the run, reviews aside, general consensus seems to be that Jeremy is giving the far better performance, and this would hardly be the first time someone had to drop out because of sickness/vocal problems early in a run i.e. Death Takes A Holiday last year.

Thank you for the advice Joey- I will try to keep that in mind for next time

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 1:43pm

Whose "consensus" precisely are you referring to?

[showinoff]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 1:45pm

Staff at the Neil Simon say the same thing. Stating that he has missed or has needed Jeremy to go on quite a bit during the short run.

It makes sense. Bless his heart, I hear it is allergies that is killing him, (he has my sympathies because I have terrible allergies as well) but I have seen it a few times now. Once, Josh was replaced mid show, then as the show started the announced that he was not going on, once I actually caught him and he was lack luster. You could tell he was sick.

I feel bad because I have seen him before and he has quite the luscious voice, but sadly, I have not seen it with this production. There has been hub bub for weeks that there might be a switch. If it's true, I hope he gets better.

While we are on the subject, didn't Sara Ramierez miss quite a bit during award season due to allergies? Can anyone think of any others?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 2:58pm

He's classically trained. This is not classical music. Either your voice can handle this, or it cannot. His doesn't seem like it can. Not his fault.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 3:01pm

I walk past the Neil Simon nearly every day, and nearly every other day I see understudy slips with Jeremy's name on them!

[newintown]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 3:03pm

"Not his fault?" He accepts a role he can't sing well, in a show for which people are paying $150, and all you say is "not his fault?"

I'm not sure how "fault" enters into the conversation, but I see no reason he should be immune to criticism for his shortcomings as a performer.

[showinoff]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 3:06pm

Paljoey I hope you are right. But most of the reviews were about Jeremy.

newintown- Allergies are not his fault, no. I agree about accepting a role you are not suited for. However, he apparently had no issues out of town. That was the basis of my statement.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 3:24pm

Allergies? I thought it was diagnosed as bronchitis?

[showinoff]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 3:34pm

pajoey- I was under the impression that it is bronchitis brought on by allergies. All Ear, Nose and Throat related.