NEED TO KNOW
John Stamos is stepping onto the stage to replace Josh Gad in Jesus Christ Superstar after the Frozen star contracted COVID.
Stamos, 61, will take on the role of King Herod in the live production at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Friday, Aug. 1. Cynthia Erivo stars as Jesus opposite Adam Lambert as Judas in the musical, according to the Hollywood Bowl and Playbill.
“Well… this weekend just got Biblical,” the Full House alum wrote in an Instagram post. “I’m stepping in as King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar at the @HollywoodBowl, starring the brilliant @cynthiaerivo . King @Joshgad unexpectedly got hit with COVID (feel better soon, brother!)and while I didn’t push him down the stairs, I am grateful for the chance to step into the gold lamé,” the post read.
“This is an honor. A dream. And also a little insane because… I just stepped off a plane from @thebeachboys tour in Spain and have less than 24 hours to pull this off. Wish me luck. And let’s rock the Bowl,” the post, shared on Thursday, July 31, read.
On Wednesday, July 30, Gad, 44, confirmed through an Instagram statement that he will miss the musical’s opening weekend.
“It is with enormous heartbreak that I inform you all that unfortunately, I have contracted a virus known as COVID (remember that one little bastard from season one of ‘earth really sucks right now?’?” Gad wrote in all caps.
John Stamos/Instagram
Gad said “out of an abundance of caution” as well as “respect for my cast,” he would not be in Jesus Christ Superstar unless he tested negative in the next 48 hours.
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“It truly breaks my heart, but I can assure you all that this is going to be one of the greatest things you will ever see,” he continued.
Jesus Christ Superstar was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. It began as a concept album in 1970, before debuting on Broadway the following year. The musical was adapted into a movie in 1973, a made-for-TV movie in 1999 and a 2018 live NBC special that starred John Legend and Sara Bareilles.
