![Centenary Stage Company's Summer Musical Theatre Series Presents "Jesus Christ Superstar"](https://www.newjerseystage.com/events2019/JCS.jpg "Centenary Stage Company's Summer Musical Theatre Series Presents "Jesus Christ Superstar"")
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) --Centenary Stage Company’s second annual Summer Musical Theatre Series continues August 1 through 11 with Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice’s iconic rock musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. The first musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice to be produced for the professional stage, Jesus Christ Superstar has wowed audiences for over 40 years. A timeless work, the rock opera is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary and universally-known series of events but seen, unusually, through the eyes of Judas Iscariot.
Loosely based on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Superstar follows the last week of Jesus Christ’s life. The story, told entirely through song, explores the personal relationships and struggles between Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, his disciples, his followers and the Roman Empire. The iconic 1970s rock score contains such well-known numbers as “Superstar,” “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” and “Gethsemane.”
All Performances will be held in the Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ with specific performance times Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm. Ticket prices range from $18.00 - $30.00 with discounts available for students and children under 12. To purchase tickets visit centenarystageco.org or call (908) 979 – 0900.
The production is directed by Lea Antolini – Lid. Antolini – Lid serves as the CSC Education Tour Director, Assistant Professor of Theatre & Dance for Centenary University and as the producer of the 2019 Summer Musical Theatre Series. Antolini – Lid received her BMA in classical voice from the University of the Arts and her MFA in acting from Brandeis University where she also had the opportunity to teach movement for the actor under the tutelage of Susan Dibble. She has performed professionally in NYC and in cities on the east coast. Recent credits: Working, The Last Five Years, The Fantasticks! (Women’s Theater Company of NJ); The Learned Ladies, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, Oliver!, A Christmas Carol and Christmas at Small’s Empire Music Hall(CSC); A Year with Frog and Toad, Mid – Summer Night’s Dream, Junie B. Jones and Suessical (The Growing Stage Theater Company); 400 Parts Per Million,Lying (Blessed Unrest Theater Co. NYC). Lea has received various honors including “best actress in a professional musical” (broadwayworld.com); “best featured actress in a musical” (Star Ledger 2006); “best comedian in a musical” (Daily Record 2007) and “Hardest Working actress in NJ” (Daily Record, 2006); “best actress in a play” (Daily Record 2015) and the “Jete Award” in 2014. Recently, Lea traveled to China with international dance company Nai-Ni Chen Dance, to teach dance in a prestigious festival held at Kunming University. She is also a founding member and managing director of the XY Dance Project a professional dance company in NJ/NY area, with dancer/choreographer Nijawwon Matthews. Recent directorial/choreography credits include CSC’s NEXTstage Repertory’s Avenue Q (Spring 2019) and Hair (Summer 2018). Antolini – Lid is a member in training with Blessed Unrest Theater Company in NYC, and a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association.
The cast is led by CJ Carter (Somerset, NJ) as Jesus Christ and Ryan Washington (Hackettstown, NJ) as Judas Iscariot. Carter’s recent credits include Newsies (Jack Kelly), Hunchback of Notre Dame (Quasimodo), Grease (Danny), and Avenue Q (Princeton). Washington is a rising senior in Centenary University’s Theatre Department. A theatre arts major with a concentration in performance, Washington’s recent credits include; Avenue Q (Brian), She Kills Monsters (Chuck), Hair (Tribe), A Year with Frog and Toad (Toad), Carrie (Tommy Ross) and The Cradle Will Rock (Editor Daily). The principle cast features Stephanie Rosario (Newark, NJ) as Mary Magdalene, Kevin Wehrhahn (Long Valley, NJ) as Pontius Pilate, Jonathan Drayton (Bayonne, NJ) as Caiaphas, Allen Marchioni (Fair Lawn, NJ) as Annas, Cody Jackson (Washington, NJ) as Peter, Jesse Bush (Randolph, NJ) as Simon Zealotes and Na’Jee Tariq (Newark, NJ) as King Herod. Rounding out the cast is Tyler Moscaritola (Nutley, NJ), Andrew Wire (Branchville, NJ), Lisa Kosak (New Providence, NJ), AJ Lewis (Oxford, NJ), Rach Phelan (Edison, NJ), Megan Schmiedhauser (Stanhope, NJ), Becca Capano (Columbia, NJ), Brianna Morris (Parsipanny, NJ), Sean C. Fowley (Blairstown, NJ), Cina Gabel (Sussex, NJ), Megan McGill (Pompton Lakes, NJ), Victoria Rae Pulido (Hackettstown, NJ), Lauren Santarelli (Hackettstown, NJ), Sarah Shea Farber (High Bridge, NJ), Jessica Defort (Washington, NJ), Paige Marian (East Hanover, NJ), Izac D. Cruz (Budd Lake, NJ), Sydney Fucito (Newton, NJ), Jibril Scott (Sufflok, VA), Emily Bennet (NYC, NY), Shelly Goldstein (Randolph, NJ), Fleur Kuhta (Warwick, NY) and Nick Bettens (Stanhope, NJ), Ali Rose Harton (Cartersville, GA) and Jake Jackson (Washington, NJ).
Specific performance dates are Thursdays, August 1 and 8 at 7:30 pm; Fridays, August 2 and 9 at 8:00 pm; Saturdays, August 3 and 10 at 8:00 pm and Sundays, August 4 and 11 at 2:00 pm. Friday evening and Sunday afternoon tickets are $25.50 for adults and $18.00 for children under 12/students, Saturday evening tickets are $30.00 for adults and $18.00 for children under 12/students, Thursday evening tickets are $25.50 for all seats with a Buy One / Get One Rush Ticket Special. To redeem the Thursday evening BOGO offer tickets must be purchased in person at the Centenary Stage Company box office beginning at 5:30 pm on the evening of the performance. BOGO offer is not available for advance ticket sales.
For more information or to purchase tickets visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 pm and two hours prior to every performance. The box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ on the campus of Centenary University. Centenary Stage Company can also be found across social media platforms; Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Like and follow to receive the latest in CSC news and special offers.
The 2018-2019 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premier Season Sponsor The House of the Good Shepherd and Heath Village Retirement Community, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center Atlantic Health System, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), Fulton Bank of New Jersey, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.
