After Contreras’ offensive coordinator, Carlos Trujillo, did his work on Friday night during his team’s 39-14 win over Hollywood, he was picked up by car and whisked off to Los Angeles International Airport to take a red-eye flight to Chicago so he could complete the 11th marathon of his life.
“I will never be crazy enough to do one,” Contreras head coach Manuel Guevara said.
Running 26.2 miles is pretty challenging, but Trujillo has found something he enjoys, and players admire his commitment.
“The entire varsity [team] wished him good luck,” Guevara said. “It teaches the kids that coaches challenge themselves in different ways.”
He’ll be back for practice on Tuesday as Contreras (4-3, 2-0) prepares for a key Central League game against Bernstein on Thursday night.
Trujillo, 43, said he started running marathons when he was head coach at North Hollywood. He has run marathons in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York besides Chicago.
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Adam Lambert sits on a rickety wooden chair just outside the main chapel at the Hollywood United Methodist Church on a break from rehearsing the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
Dressed in beige shorts and a vest with matching mid-calf boots, Lambert wears his trademark glitter eye makeup with thick black liner. He’s calm and collected, content to spend his lunch break chatting, even though the rehearsal schedule is a breakneck nine days total. He chalks up his easygoing demeanor to the high-wattage professionalism of the cast, and his familiarity with the music.
Lambert first heard the soundtrack on one of his dad’s vinyl records when he was about 10 years old.
“I’ve always wanted to do that musical. I’ve always wanted to play Judas,” he says with a smile. “And when they told me Cynthia [Erivo] was interested, I was like, ‘Wow, this is gonna be crazy.’”
Lambert, a fan-favorite “American Idol” runner-up who began performing with Queen in 2011, plays Judas to Erivo’s Jesus in the Hollywood Bowl production directed by Tony-winning choreographer Sergio Trujillo.
Josh Gad, who portrays King Herod, calls the cast “the musical theater version of the Avengers.” He’s referring to Erivo and Lambert, in addition to Phillipa Soo as Mary Magdalene, Milo Manheim as Peter, Raúl Esparza as Pontius Pilate, Tyrone Huntley as Simon and Brian Justin Crum as Annas. The sold-out show runs from Friday to Sunday.
Tyrone Huntley performs as Simon during a rehearsal of “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Hollywood United Methodist Church in Los Angeles.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
Judging from the ongoing commentaryand controversy over the casting on social media, a queer, Black, female actor playing Jesus and a gay actor portraying Judas feel like a revelation to fans grappling with mounting concerns about civil rights in America. Over the last six months, the Trump administration has curtailed diversity, equity and inclusion programs and attempted to roll back key legal protections for certain members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“The challenge for the audience of seeing a female Black Jesus is so exciting. And we all feel the excitement,” says Lambert, adding that the show doesn’t change lyrics or pronouns. “Maybe it doesn’t have to do with male or female. I don’t really know if it matters what gender Jesus was, because it was about the teachings and the love and the connection to faith. So shouldn’t it transcend gender?”
Power — who has it and who doesn’t — has emerged as a defining narrative in 2025. That was also the case 2,000 years ago when Pontius Pilate ordered the crucifixion of Jesus, who posed a serious threat to the religious and political primacy of the Pharisees, the Herodians and the Romans. The 1971 musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice imagines the final days of Jesus’ life, including his agony, before he ultimately accepts his fate.
Gad is keenly aware of the notion of power as historic through-line as he approaches his titular number, “Herod’s Song,” in which the King of Judea coyly mocks Jesus before taking a frightening turn into true menace.
“This is a man who’s so insecure he can’t afford to let Jesus out of his chains in order to actually face him without the help of soldiers around him,” Gad says. “My hope is that I’m getting to bring one of the greatest hypocrites to life in a way that will both make people laugh and also make them recognize that archetype.”
Brian Grohl, left, Josh Gad, Adam Lambert and Sergio Trujillo are bringing “Jesus Christ Superstar” to the Hollywood Bowl.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
The musical was first released as a concept album in 1970 and played at the Hollywood Bowl in 1971, before debuting on Broadway later that year. During its run, protests outside the stage door were commonplace, and although the musical has reached the pinnacle of success over the years, it has remained controversial.
Big summer musicals have been a staple of the Hollywood Bowl since 2000, but the shows went dark due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. With the exception of “Kinky Boots” in 2022, “Jesus Christ Superstar” is the first of what Bowl leaders hope will be an annual resumption of the beloved programming.
“We wanted to make sure that when we came back, it was the most spectacular thing we could do,” says Meghan Umber, president of the Hollywood Bowl and chief programming officer at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
“Jesus Christ Superstar,” was always at the top of the Bowl’s musical wishlist but wasn’t available until now, adds Brian Grohl, associate director of programming for the L.A. Phil.
“The number of titles that can sustain three nights at the Hollywood Bowl is a narrowed-down list already,” Grohl said, so securing the title resulted in a lot of jumping and shouting around the office. And when it came to who would play Jesus, Umber and Grohl both say Erivo topped the list. Her “yes” made all the others follow.
Adam Lambert performs Saturday during a rehearsal of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
Gad calls Erivo — who was not present at a recent rehearsal because of a previous engagement — a “generational talent.” And he’s far from alone. Talk to anyone on the cast or crew and they will immediately hold forth on her extraordinary gifts.
“I see the hand of God in her,” Trujillo says reverently. “Even now, me being in the room with her, I hear it and I see it, and it is transcendent.”
Trujillo decided to go back to the musical’s roots as a concept album and is staging the show as a bare-bones rock concert. Instead of elaborate scenic design, there are black road boxes, microphones and cords. Even the costumes are contemporary with nods to their lineage. A rhythm band will play onstage and a 37-piece orchestra will perform behind a giant LED screen that will create the illusion that the musicians are hovering in the sky above the action.
Keeping the show in the present and infusing it with the raw energy of youth culture was crucial to Trujillo’s vision, he says, adding that in the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, the musical “reflects the turbulent political times that we’re living in.”
“As I set up each one of the characters, they’re at a microphone singing and then they take the microphone and they step into the scene. I always want to remind the audience that we are in a concert, but we’re also telling the story,” says Trujillo. “Every single person understands the opportunity that we all have to take this monumental story, this monumental score, and to do it justice. So everyone is coming at it with such goodwill and so much joy.”
At a Saturday rehearsal in the church gym, Trujillo’s words ring true. The ensemble cast of more than 20 talented dancers and singers, in sweats and hoodies, run through “What’s the Buzz.” Gad watches and cheers from a table on the sidelines next to conductor and musical director Stephen Oremus, who smiles and nods his head with the beat.
“If you need me to stand in for Jesus, I’ll do it,” Gad jokes.
Phillipa Soo, who plays Mary Magdalene, sings a heartfelt rendition of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.”
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
Lambert mesmerizes the assembled crew and onlookers with a potent rendition of “Heaven on Their Minds” and Soo brings tears with a heartfelt performance of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.”
“The more time I spend with this musical, the more brilliant I understand it to be,” says Manheim during a brief break. The 24-year-old, who‘s gained a tween following after playing Zed in Disney Channel’s “Zombies” franchise, is part of the youth cohort Trujillo wanted to cast. He wasn’t as familiar with the score as the older cast members — which is part of the point.
“It’s cross-generational,” says Trujillo of the show. “This is the gift that you give to your children and then it just gets passed on.”
In 44 years of coaching high school basketball, Harvey Kitani is only getting more active. Seemingly every time his Rolling Hills Prep team is on offense, he calls out a play.
Mateo Trujillo, a senior guard, said he started studying Kitani’s playbook in eighth grade.
“I was reading it religiously,” he said.
Trujillo has the plays down pat. He scored 25 points Wednesday night as Rolling Hills Prep (21-6) opened the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs with a 76-62 win over Marmonte League champion Oaks Christian at North Torrance.
Trujillo was so pumped he looked up into the bleachers to wave to his father. Rolling Hills Prep advances to play Corona del Mar on Friday in the second round. Isayah Garcia led Oaks Christian with 25 points.
Campbell Hall 82, Chaminade 69: The Vikings won the Division 1 home game.
St. Pius X-St. Matthias 61, Bishop Alemany 56: Douglas Langford Jr. scored 15 points for PMA.
Los Alamitos 83, Vista Murrieta 74: Samori Guyness had 18 points, Trent Minter 16, Liam Gray 12, Jordan Taylor 11 and West Trevino 10 for Los Alamitos, which hosts Long Beach Poly in the second round.
Brentwood 81, Culver City 66: Freshman Shalen Sheppard had 23 points and 12 rebounds in his playoff debut for Brentwood. Shane Frazier added 18 points.
Mira Costa 70, Leuzinger 58: Jacob De Armas led Mira Costa with 17 points.
Crespi 90, Edison 54: The Celts, seeded No. 1 in Division 1, received 24 points from Jayden Xu.
Mater Dei 66, Fountain Valley 57: Blake Davidson had 19 points for Mater Dei.
Inglewood 80, Westlake 69: Jason Crowe Jr. scored 40 points for Inglewood.
Santa Barbara 62, St. Anthony 57: The Saints were beaten in the Division 1 opener.
Viewpoint 43, Capistrano Valley 42: Wesley Waddles made a game-winning layup at the buzzer for Viewpoint. Aeneas Grullon had 18 points.
Harvard-Westlake 73, La Mirada 52: The top-seeded Wolverines opened the Open Division with a decisive home victory. Nikolas Khamenia finished 25 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
Eastvale Roosevelt 74, Heritage Christian 57: No. 2-seeded Roosevelt received 24 points and 13 rebounds from Brayden Burries.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 71, JSerra 68: Zach White scored 19 points and Lino Mark returned from an injury to contribute 11 points for the Knights.
Sierra Canyon 69, Redondo Union 66: The Trailblazers held on in overtime to win their Open Division opener. Bryce Cofield had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Hudson Mayes scored 25 points for Redondo Union.
Glendora 83, Mayfair 79: Colton Gray scored 31 points for Glendora, which needed three overtimes to win.
Boys soccer
Mater Dei 1, Loyola 1: Both teams scored early but the game ended in a tie, making Saturday’s game at Mater Dei to decide which team moves on in the Open Division playoffs.
Harvard-Westlake 1, Great Oak 0: Micah Rosen scored the only goal in a Division 2 opener.
Girls soccer
Oaks Christian 0, Apple Valley 0: The two teams will play again in the Open Division playoffs at Oaks Christian on Friday.
Hart 3, Arlington 1: Mia Rodriguez scored early to propel the Hawks to the Division 1 victory.
Harvard-Westlake 1, Redondo Union 0: The Wolverines stunned the top-seeded Sea Hawks. Kaia Santomarco-King scored the winning goal.
San Pedro 4, Banning 0: The Pirates won their 20th consecutive Marine League title and improved to 22-0-2.
