If it's any consolation, this Brandon Boyd dude sounds exactly like him.
As one of the resident JCS fans, my summation is thus: This is "D" list casting when there are so many better choices out there for these roles. The reality show winner is a particularly bad choice because he doesn't have any cachet in the U.S.; JCS fans were the only largely American audience who gave a **** about the reality show's outcome. I can only imagine that Webber must still be bound by the contract and/or terms of the competition, or we'd be seeing someone else in the part. Incubus isn't really an arena band, and the only Destiny's Child member anyone gives a **** about is Beyonce. Johnny Rotten is the only interesting piece of casting, and I'm not paying well over 200 dollars to see one number.
I know that, as a producer, it's not really a question of quality in this case. It's a question of if they can draw. My opinion, though? I love JCS, and try to see as much of it as I can, but at that price, with this production (which set the show in London during Occupy and the 2011 riots and proceeded to leave some gaping plot holes in the story as a result), and this cast, I'll download a clip of Johnny Rotten as Herod and stay home, quite frankly. I await the grosses. Frankly, I think the rest of the country will agree.
Incidentally, if you want to see a JCS that, if it has the risk of not being great, is at least comfortable to the significant population of America that loves its old time religion, the Incredible Flying Senior Jesus is still doing well at the box office, this time in Italy.
Bit surprised you guys aren't having an American lead, I assume Ben is unknown over there and he isnt that great in the role either so his casting is a surprise
Against better judgement, I just got tickets to the Toronto show. I have never seen JCS before (and am not familiar with the music), so I won't be able to tell if they totally butcher the show.
I didn't really like Ben's performance on the DVD. Tim Minchin was without a doubt the highlight of this production, but I am looking forward to seeing it live here in the US. The pricing is ridiculous, though. I'm going to have to start saving now.
Brandon Boyd is an excellent vocalist, however, he sounded on the GMA video as though he may have been having a little vocal difficulty (hopefully just sick and not damaged).
Wow. That clip of her singing "I Dont Know How To Love Him" was rough. She sings is fine, in a light, poppy way I suppose the creatives would like. But that acting is pageant-worthy.
Be careful not to say ANYTHING negative about the show on Twitter, lest the actors hunt you down and yell at you for having an opinion! Because that definitely just happened to me.
Stay classy, Adam Strong. Whoever the hell you are.
Let's face facts here. This was an over-priced nothing with a regional theater quality cast. Although there is a large born again fundamentalist Christian (specifically Protestant) market in the States, the only one large enough to see such a phenomena, they happen to hate JCS. They view it as sacrilege. You would think they'd lap up tickets to this thing, but I went through this marketing wise on a very serious level with several of the world's mega-churches, and they detest the show. (They prefer Godspell, which is decidedly not a major show.) Catholics might be open to it, but that's not going to fill arenas. This was never going to end well even if it limped past opening night.
PRODUCING 101 LESSON: Do not announce the launch of an arena tour of a tired musical with the idea of "big stars in the cast" if you don't have big stars. I am not surprised at this at all. I love Jesus Christ Superstar, but after watching the video of the UK arena tour, seeing who was announced to "star", and looking at those outrageous ticket prices, I had NO desire to go at all.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "