Amas Musical Theatre's Rosetta LeNoire Teen Academy to Present JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

Amas Musical Theatre's (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer) Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy will present Jesus Christ Superstar, a Rock Opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the last week of Jesus's life, beginning with the preparation for the arrival of Jesus and his disciples in Jerusalem and ending with the crucifixion.

Directed by Christopher Scott, with choreography by Monica Johnson and musical direction by Evan Alparone, the production will feature 17 members of "The Teen Academy." Performances will begin on Friday, May 6, 2018 (and continue through May 13) at The Hudson Guild Theatre (441 West 26th Street - between 9th & 10th Aves). Tickets are $20 (adults) and $17 (students & seniors) and can be purchased by calling (212) 352-3101 or by visiting www.amasmusical.org. For group rates please call (212) 563-2565.

"After last year's successful production of Hair, we made the decision to follow up with another rock-influenced musical," says Amas Artistic Producer Donna Trinkoff. "We also decided to explore gender fluidity with our casting. Little did we know at the time that the recent live television presentation was in the works! Our students were further inspired seeing the pros at work and our students have really worked hard and have made some exciting and bold choices."

The cast of 17 includes Teen Academy members: Assanatu Afriju, Cassandra Barkett, Daniella Berman, Ali Bryan, Brandon Emann, Rowan Fisher, Nicole Klokiw, Emily Lang, Mateo Lizcano, Marisa Luft, Fofie Johnson, Lexy Piton, Blu Radway, Cindy Simon, Alyssa Velazquez, Molly Viega, and Tiffany Zahariev.

The creative team includes: Josh Iacovelli (Set Design), Joan Racho-Jansen (Lighting Design), David Rigler (Costume Design), Ian McDonald (Production Supervisor) and Craig Rosenthal (Production Stage Manager).

The performance schedule for Jesus Christ Superstar is: Friday May 4 & 11 @ 7:30pm; Saturday May 5 & 12 @ 3pm & 7:30pm; Sunday May 6 & 13 @ 3:00pm.

The Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy (formerly the "Eubie Blake Youth Theatre"), named after the famed actress Rosetta LeNoire, has been in continuous operation since the 1970s. Students from all over the Metropolitan area receive training in the performing arts from established theatre professionals. Classes include acting technique, dance and movement, and music, including theory, training and vocal technique.

The Academy has been featured in The New York Times, The New York Post, and on NY1. Theatre critic and former Drama Desk Committee Chair Peter Filichia called The Academy's production of Hello Dolly! the "Best Musical Revival of the New Season." The New York Times hailed "the Academy production of "Virtual Families" as a "spirited revival...that displayed the triple-threat talents of a teenaged multicultural ensemble..."

The Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and by the Ampacet Corporation, the Jean and Bill Cantor Scholarship Fund, the Alexander H. Gordon M.D. Memorial Fund, PMPediatrics, and through the generous support of many individuals.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer) now in its 49th year of continuous operation is New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968. Amas ("you love" in Latin) is devoted to the creation, development and professional production of new American musicals through the celebration of diversity and minority perspectives, the emergence of new artistic talent, and the training and encouragement of underserved young people in the New York area. In recent years, Amas has emerged as a leading not-for-profit laboratory for new musicals, the most recent being Broadway and the Bard, starring Len Cariou and Red Eye of Love, which was awarded the Joseph A. Callaway Award for Outstanding Choreography. Its production of The Other Josh Cohen received six 2013 Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical, a 2013 Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Musical, and a 2013 Off-Broadway Alliance nomination for Best New Musical. Other shows that Amas has developed include A Taste of Chocolate, Triassic Parq, The Countess of Storyville, Distant Thunder, Marry Harry, Me and Miss Monroe, Aesop & Company, Signs of Life, Wanda's World, Shout! The Mod Musical, Lone Star Love, From My Hometown, Zanna, Don't!, 4 Guys Named Jose and Stormy Weather: Reimagining Lena Horne. Amas education programs include the Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy, Lens on Live Theatre and in-school theatre arts residencies designed in partnership with elementary, middle, and high schools.

www.amasmusical.org

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is presented by arrangement with The Musical Company, LP, 214 Sullivan Street, Ste. 4, New York, NY, 10012-1354. www.themusicalcompany.com, Phone: (212) 598-2204. Email: info@themusicalcompany.com.