Josh Gad has bowed out of the Hollywood Bowl’s three-night concert staging of Jesus Christ Superstar after testing positive for COVID-19, the actor announced on Instagram just two days before the August 1 curtain. He had been set to deliver the comic show-stopper “King Herod’s Song” but wrote that he would not risk the health of colleagues or audiences, adding that he would return only if a negative result arrived in time.
Performances run August 1–3 at the 17,500-seat amphitheatre, the venue’s first summer musical since the pandemic hiatus. Director-choreographer Sergio Trujillo leads a company headed by Tony winner Cynthia Erivo as Jesus and Grammy nominee Adam Lambert as Judas, with Broadway names Phillipa Soo, Raúl Esparza, Milo Manheim and others in principal and ensemble roles. Playbill notes that Lambert will issue a studio single of “Heaven on Their Minds” on opening night, underscoring a promotional push that continues despite the cast shuffle.
Producers have yet to name a replacement Herod, though ticket sales remain unaffected and no changes have been made to the Bowl’s refund policy. Industry observers say contingency plans introduced during the pandemic—rapid testing, standby contracts and remote rehearsals—have become standard for large outdoor events.
Gad, who next appears opposite Ariana Grande in the animated feature Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, thanked castmates for their support and urged patrons to keep their seats, calling the show “one of the greatest things you will ever see.” The engagement also affords Erivo a short break from Wicked filming, a schedule she recently described as “invigorating yet exhausting.”
