PRESS RELEASE

Editorial contact:
Kathy Kahn
woodminsterpr@yahoo.com
510-418-8523

For information about
Producers Associates, Inc.

Woodminster Summer Musicals
Closes 39th Season with "Jesus Christ Superstar"
1970 Rock Opera To Be Performed
at Woodminster for the First Time

August 14, 2005 - Oakland, CA - Producers Associates, Inc. will close the 39th Season of the Woodminster Summer Musicals with "Jesus Christ Superstar," running September 2-11. This show is important in musical theater history because it was one of the first and all-time most popular of the genre sometimes known as Rock Opera. The album was released and became a hit a year before the show opened on Broadway in 1971, where it was nominated for 5 Tony awards and ran for 711 performances. It was even more successful in London, opening in 1972, and in 1980 becoming the longest running West End musical. It has had a number of tours and many, many productions in 15 countries. The 2000 Broadway revivial was nominated for a Tony for Best Revival of a Musical.

This is the first time "Jesus Christ Superstar" has been performed by Woodminster Summer Musicals. Says James Schlader, "This show has scored high in our audience balloting for several years now. It's exciting to present something we've never done before, even if it's a 35 year old show. You might say we're warming up for next year, our 40th season, when we're planning to produce some really recent shows, including Thoroughly Modern Millie and Disney's Beauty and the Beast."

The story of "Jesus Christ Superstar" focuses on the last seven days of the life of Christ, as told through the eyes of his disciple and betrayer, Judas. It is closely patterned on the Gospels but focuses on the themes of politics, disillusionment, and human relationships. The show remains controversial for its "humanizing" of the Jesus character, and the familiar songs, including "Heaven On Their Minds," "Hosanna," and "I Don't Know How to Love Him," reflect the rock music sound of 1970.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" is directed at Woodminster by James Schlader, who has directed shows at Woodminster since 1967, and is now directing only one show per season. Choral Director is Trente Morant, formerly Artistic Director of the Oakland Youth Chorus and Musical Director for a number of theaters in the Bay Area and East Coast. Conductor is William R. Williams, the Conductor of the Santa Rosa Symphony Preparatory and Discovery Orchestras as well as Conductor of the Summer Repertory Theater at Santa Rosa Junior College for the last several summers. Choreographer is Jody Jaron, daughter of James and Harriet Schlader, who danced in every Woodminster production between 1968 and 1978, and is now Executive Director of the Garden State Ballet Schools in New Jersey.

The role of Jesus Christ is performed by Kit Wilder, who performed the same role two years ago at PCLO/Broadway by the Bay. Kit is well known to Bay Area theatre audiences, having played roles ranging from King Arthur in Camelot (for which he was nominated for a Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle Award) to Frank-n-Furter in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Judas will be portrayed by Noel Anthony, who earlier this season charmed Woodminster audiences as Curly in "Oklahoma." Herod will be played by long-time Woodminster favorite, New York actor Carl Danielsen, who was also seen in this season's "Oklahoma," as tap-dancing, gum-chewing Will Parker. The role of Mary Magdalene will be played by New York actress Marcie Henderson, who has appeared at Woodminster in 42nd St., Sophisticated Ladies, Ain't Misbehavin', Barnum, and Kiss Me Kate, and now lives and works out of New York. Pilate will be portrayed by Gene Brundage, most recently seen at Woodminster as Horace Vandergelder in “Hello Dolly.” Dan Olson (Jud in this season’s “Oklahoma”) plays Caiaphas.

Tickets are $20-$33, with discounts for groups, seniors, and those aged 16 and under. Season tickets are also available, and provide a significant discount for people who wish to see all three shows. Woodminster also has a "Kids Come Free" program, where a child 16 or younger can attend free accompanied by a paying adult. For information about tickets, call 510-531-9597 or visit http://www.woodminster.com.

The Woodminster Summer Musicals are performed under the stars at Woodminster Amphitheater, an open air performance facility in Joaquin Miller Park high in the Oakland Hills. The park's spectacular views and serene woodsy environment made it the perfect setting for the amphitheater, cascades, reflecting pool, and paths that were originally built as a WPA project in 1939-40. For many East Bay families, it is a long-standing summer tradition to enjoy a picnic in the park and then see a musical at Woodminster.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" is presented through an exclusive arrangement with R & H Theatricals, 1065 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2400, New York, NY 10018 and Two Knights Rights Limited.

Producers Associates, Inc. was founded in 1967 by James and Harriet Schlader to provide affordable live summer family entertainment in the East Bay, and to foster a love of live theatre. For the last 39 years, the organization has been producing summer musicals at Woodminster Amphitheater. For more information, visit http://www.woodminster.com.

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L to R Kristin Marie Hanna, Sarah Pon, *Noel Anthony as Judas, Cathy Bianco. For more photos of this production, click here.