Daily TribuneThe actress takes on the central female role in the iconic rock musical when the international touring production opens in Manila this May.
Filipina actress Gab Pangilinan joins the cast of the iconic musical as Mary Magdalene, considered to be one of the most coveted roles in musical theater
All photos courtesy of GMG Productions
British actor Luke Street will play Jesus, while Ethan Hardy Benson plays his nemesis Pontius Pilate
Kodiak Thompson plays the priest Annas, Javon King is Judas, and Grant Hodges is Caiaphas
Jesus Christ Superstar is known for being ahead of its time with its iconic '70s rock score
Principal casting was just announced for the international tour of the Olivier Award-winning production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar, which will run from May 2 to 31, 2026 at The Theatre at Solaire.
Joining principal cast members Luke Street (Jesus), Javon King (Judas), Ethan Hardy Benson (Pilate), Grant Hodges (Caiaphas), and Kodiak Thompson (Annas) is Manila-based Filipina actress and singer Gab Pangilinan in the role of Mary Magdalene, “We are incredibly happy to have Gab Pangilinan in the international company of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Gab is a respected and accomplished artist, and her casting as Mary Magdalene highlights the strength of Filipino theatre talent, says Carlos Candal, CEO of GMG Productions.
Pangilinan is a multi-awarded stage and screen actor who has played an array of roles with leading local theater companies including PETA, Tanghalang Pilipino, Atlantis Theatrical, and is a co-founder of Barefoot Theatre Collaborative. She is best known for her performances in Side Show, Ang Huling El Bimbo The Musical, and is also a three-time Philstage Gawad Buhay nominee for Pingkian: Isang Musikal, The Last Five Years, and Mula Sa Buwan. The actress also won Best Leading Female Performance (Digital) at the 27th Asian Television Awards for Still: A Musical Narrative Series, and was most recently seen in We Aren’t Kids Anymore and Othello.
Leading the principal cast for Jesus Christ Superstar is Luke Street in the role of Jesus. The UK-based actor and singer has worked across the UK and the West End in shows like Bat Out of Hell , Jersey Boys, Out There, and Gypsy. Having previously alternated the roles of Simon, Jesus, and Judas in the 2023 UK tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, he is delighted to now be playing Jesus for audiences around the world.
Actor and dancer Javon King, who straddles between New York and Melbourne, steps into the role of Judas, a role he previously played in the musical's Australian tour. He took home a Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing Sky Masterson in Guys And Dolls, and was cast as Angel Dumott Schunard in the 20th & 25th Anniversary Tours of RENT. Cast as the musical's other villain, Pontius Pilate, is Ethan Hardy Benson. He has had a long history with the musical, having portrayed Jesus, Annas, and Pilate in various productions across the United States.
UCLA-trained American actor Grant Hodges is Caiaphas, saying he is "grateful to be putting the robes back on and sharing this story with the world alongside some of my favorite human beings." He was previously cast in the 50th anniversary national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar in the same part. Rounding out the principal cast, as of this announcement, is Kodiak Thompson as the priest Annas, a role he played in the US and Canada tour. Among his other theater credits are Chicago on Broadway, and Off-Broadway, in DRAG: The Musical.
A global phenomenon that has wowed audiences since it first came out as a concept album in the '70s, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR explores the extraordinary events that led to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes of his betrayer, Judas Iscariot. The sung-through musical explores the personal relationships and struggles among Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ disciples, his followers, and the Roman Empire. The iconic rock score contains such well-known numbers as Superstar, I Don’t Know How to Love Him, and Gethsemane.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR first opened on Broadway in 1971 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, while the original London production opened at the Palace Theatre the following year. By the time it closed in August of 1980, it had played 3,358 performances, become the longest-running musical in West End history at that time. The show has been produced and reimagined numerous times since, including a Broadway revival in 2012, an ITV competition TV show called Superstar to cast an arena tour of the show, and a return to the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in 2018, on the 45th anniversary of its Broadway debut, and again in 2020. The production also played a West End engagement at the Barbican in 2019, followed by a UK tour in 2023/24.The musical will also have a limited run at the iconic London Palladium in summer 2026.
Featuring lyrics and music by Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar, and Tony winners Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, this iteration of the musical is a reimagining of the original by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. It went on to win the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and the 2016 Evening Standard Award for Best Musical. Leading the creative team is director Timothy Sheader, and joined by choreographer Drew McOnie, production designer by Tom Scutt, lighting design by Lee Curran, sound design by Nick Lidster, and music supervision by Tom Deering.
The international tour of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, which has traveled across North America, the UK, and Australia, arrives in Manila at The Theatre at Solaire and runs from May 2 until May 31, 2026. Tickets are available now exclusively through TicketWorld. Alas, the producers say no further extensions are possible.
The 2026 Tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is produced by GMG Productions and David Ian for Crossroads Live and Work Light Productions. The original production was produced by London's Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.
