The Centre of Excellence for Performing Arts
was created in 2010 as a response to consistently high achievement within the area and an eagerness to extend the extra-curricular offer beyond the norm. It works on many levels, enabling students to fulfil ambitions and reach goals that might otherwise seem out of reach.
The creation of a masterpiece. This is Lloyd Webber and Rice’s third collaboration. The first being Friends Like Us in 1966, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1967, and then the extraordinary Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971. It’s important to note that the duo only worked together on one more production after JCS and that was Evita in 1976, actually collaborating one last time in 1996 for the added song for Madonna who was starring in the film version. Even that slight reunion earned them an Oscar for Best Song with You Must Love Me. 1971 brought about extraordinary cultural shifts and fundamental recognition of fresh theatrical endeavour. The work looks at the psychology of Jesus and the main players in his crucifixion. A great deal of the plot looks at the character of Judas who in Rice’s lyrics is played as a tragic figure who becomes increasingly frustrated with the way Jesus directs his disciples. Some of Rice’s best work is here and the youthfulness of Lloyd Webber, prior to the sophistication of Phantom of the Opera and the complexity within Cats, is evident throughout. 1971 was perfectly situated for this work, the inhibitions of the time opposing the frank frustrations of a new generation ready to question much of what was taken as commonplace. The music and lyrics are very much of their time and in preparation for the 1996 revival Rice was determined to erase what he saw as the false rhymes he had created in his youth. ‘...[these] annoy me now, but attempts to eliminate most of these, when Andrew staged a West End revival of the show in 1996, didn’t actually make much difference. Indeed one or two JCS fans complained to me about the changes; for example I altered a priest’s line from ‘One thing I’ll say for him Jesus is cool’ to ‘Infantile sermons - the multitude drools’ in order to rhyme with ‘Miracle wonderman, hero of fools’, and received a letter from a young friend of my son suggesting the entire flavour of that scene, if not the first act, had been lost. Sometimes technique is less important than a visceral approach.’ We have retained the original line and it merely adds to the flavour of the production which seems as much about modern day life as the year 33AD.
Rice and Lloyd Webber picking up one of their many awards for the album of JCS in 1971.
CAST IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:
CAIAPHAS/Tom Washington (Theatre Studies) Tom attended Bankfield High School and has performed in The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins and most recently Carousel. Amongst his other A Levels at the sixth form, Tom studies Geography and English. DISCIPLE/Amber Unsworth (Performing Arts) Amber is from The Heath School in Runcorn and has thoroughly enjoyed her time at Riverside College. As well as appearing in Rent, Anything Goes and Aladdin whilst at college Amber is also a keen horse rider and enjoys Rugby and Football. JESUS/James Anthony Foulkes (Performing Arts) Jamie is originally from St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic Centre for Learning. Whilst at Riverside College he has appeared in Waterloo Road and Anubis House for Nickelodeon. ANNAS/April McCabe (Performing Arts) April went to Fairfield High School and has appeared in a variety of performances across the borough and beyond. Most notably: Return to the Forbidden Planet and Grease. DISCIPLE/Katie Fletcher (Theatre Studies) Katie attended Christ The King Centre for Learning and is interested in a variety of different styles of theatre. She has appeared in Romeo and Juliet amongst other productions and is currently preparing for her role in Blue Remembered Hills. PETER/Jessica Mearns (Performing Arts) Jess attended St Chad’s High School and studies Musical Theatre at Riverside College. Her most memorable performances have been in Rent and Anything Goes. She particularly loved her role as Father Christmas in the recent production of A Christmas Carol.
DISCIPLE/Hannah Rotherham (Performing Arts) Hannah currently studies Musical Theatre at Riverside College and takes part in the Shakespeare for Schools festival, playing such diverse roles as Richard III and Macbeth. She is currently working on Bad Girls and has thoroughly enjoyed working on JCS. JUDAS/Christian Anderson (Theatre Studies) Christian attended Huyton Arts and Sports Centre for Learning. His previous performances have been in Blood Brothers, Knowsley 3000 and Holocaust Remembered. Amongst his other A Levels, Christian also studies Film and Performance Studies at the sixth form. DISCIPLE & PRIEST/Chloe Millington (Performing Arts) Chloe came from Bankfield High School and is part of Minimum Wage Theatre Co. Her performances include 1888, Odyssey, Big Sister’s Clothes and Julius Caesar. MARY/Victoria Earle (Dance) Victoria attended Bowring Community Sports College and has a Distinction Grade 7 in Musical Theatre. Most recently she has appeared in Les Miserables at The Brindley and will appear in Hairspray in July. She also studies Performing Arts and English Language. DISCIPLE/Bruna Martins (Performing Arts) Bruna attended Longdean School in Hertfordshire and has appeared in The Crucible, The Merchant’s Tale and Aladdin. She is also in a band called Marlborough Aces. DISCIPLE/PRIEST/Emma Ford (Dance) Emma went to Haydock Sports College in St Helens and is a vocalist in the Riverside Funk Orchestra. Her previous productions have included Bugsy Malone.
DISCIPLE/Hannah Oldfield (Theatre Studies) Hannah attended Bankfield High School and is one of the sixth form’s Scholarship Students. She has appeared in the Sound of Music, The Royal Hunt of the Sun and The Pound Coin. She has played Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and loved playing Scrooge’s Mother in A Christmas Carol. PONTIUS PILATE/Gemma Foxon (Dance) Gemma went to Bowring Community Sports College and has appeared in such musicals as Oliver and Wizard of Oz. Gemma is also a vocalist in the Riverside Funk Orchestra. SIMON/Ashley Cunningham (Performing Arts) Ashley went to Bankfield High School and has appeared in a variety of productions. Ashley thoroughly enjoyed her last minute performance of Tiny Tim in the college’s A Christmas Carol. We are very grateful for the Guest Appearance of Howard Jenkins as HEROD. Howard is about to graduate from the Arden Theatre School and has secured a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music in London. His most recent production was Pirates of Penzance and a photograph of Howard with our cast and Head of Sixth Form can be seen here.
Additional choreography by: Rebecca Starkey, Lois Kenny and Abbie Rider The Dancers: Abbie Rider, Emma Poole, Lois Kenny and Sophie Richards, Ashley Horrocks, Stacey Curran, Annie Salmon, Rebecca Denbraber, Leanne Cain THE CREW: Director.............................MATT PLANT Musical Director..............DAVID LLOYD MOSTYN Choreographers................SHARON GRAHAM, STEPHEN MUSA Set assistance....................ADELE CHILDS, FIONA LEWIS Technicians.......................JAMES SIMON, PETER PHILLIPS
THE BAND: Guitar.................................JESS STUBBS Bass....................................JASON NEILD Drums................................DAVID PHILLIPS Percussion.........................SAM ROGERSON Organ.................................DARYL TYRER Violin 1..............................ALICE BROCKMAN Violin 2..............................SARAH ARMSTRONG Cello/Flute........................JOHN LEWIS Oboe..................................EMMA MORTON Basoon...............................NAOMI JONES Saxophone.........................CHRIS SCHLECHTE BOND Trumpet 1.........................KIM STEELE Trumpet 2.........................BEN LLOYD Trombone..........................ADAM TAYLOR There are many people we need to thank but if we have missed anyone from the list please note that you are not forgotten. Thanks to John Cook, Jane Pepper at Cheshire Trade Services, Estates, Finance, Reception, Maxine Mealey, David Lenderyou and all staff and students who have helped with the production.