Beginning in March and running through July 30, Minnesota’s Chanhassen Dinner Theatre is presenting the Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber classic ’70s rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. Among the large cast on stage and in the opera’s band are Gustavus graduates Nickie Kromminga ’98 and Chad M. Anderson ’08, with adjunct professor of music Paul Hill as percussionist for performances in March and April.
Jesus Christ Superstar, considered music’s first “rock” opera, recounts the final seven days of Christ’s ministry on earth. It was initially released as an audio recording because the producers feared the stage performance would be considered too sacrilegious. When it did open on Broadway in 1971, it was an immediate hit and ran for more than 700 performances, with the iconic ’70s rock sounds of “Superstar,” “King Herod’s Song” and “What’s the Buzz?” tempered by the more melodic folk tunes in “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Hosanna,” and “Everything’s Alright.”
Superstar is Nickie Kromminga’s ’98 thirteenth production at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre going back 10 years. She recently appeared in All Shook Up and Footloose! on the theatre’s mainstage. She has also appeared in productions at the Ordway Center and the Plymouth Playhouse. When not acting, Nickie is a freelance choreographer.
Chad M. Anderson ’08 recently finished Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Ordway Center. Like Kromminga, Anderson has performed in a number of productions at the Chanhassen including Footloose!, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Producers. He has also performed at Tokyo DisneySea, the Rainbow Room at the Rockerfeller Center and some Off-Broadway productions.
Jesus Christ Superstar continues at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre through July 30. Tickets to see the production including Nickie Kromminga ’98 and Chad M. Anderson ’08 are available on the CDT website.
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