Lloyd Webber: Looks Not Enough For New Jesus

Andrew Lloyd Webber says he is not looking for a typical Jesus lookalike to play the lead in the new production of Jesus Christ Superstar - what he wants is charisma.

The composer will cast the title role of the rock musical in a reality TV show with Dawn French, Jason Donovan and Amanda Holden as his fellow judges.
He told Sky News the first thing he is after is "extraordinary vocal stamina" because Gethsemane is the toughest song he has ever written.
A final shortlist of 10 actors has already been draw up, described by Lord Webber as a "varied bunch".
"There's no one person who you'd say 'ah, that looks like Jesus'," he said
"I think that's great because what will happen is the public will start to have a view and it will be really interesting to see what that view is, I think far more than any of the other shows I've done."

Jason Donovan is one of the panelists helping Lord Webber find his Jesus

Jesus Christ Superstar was first performed 41 years ago at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and enjoyed an eight-year run in the West End.
Sharing the stage with Jesus will be ex-Spice Girl Mel C as Mary Magdalen and radio DJ Chris Moyles - who makes his musical debut as King Herod.
Olivier Award-winning comic Tim Minchin will play Judas.
The production marks 40 years of consecutive Lloyd Webber musicals in the West End - a fact recognised by the Ivor Novello awards, which honoured him with a Basca fellowship.
"They are always rather worrying these lifetime achievement awards because you think it rather implies that your career is clapped out and over, just give a nod to the old fella," said Lord Webber.
"(But) in my case it's not true because I'm writing a new musical at the moment," he added defiantly.