STRATFORD, Ont. - Paul Nolan sticks to the script in playing "Jesus Christ Superstar" lead

As he blows away audiences with his stirring lead performance in "Jesus Christ Superstar" at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Paul Nolan finds himself being asked the same question a lot these days: How do you play Jesus Christ?

"First of all, you have to take what material is in front of you, because you can't play something that's not there, and try to do with it what (show creators) Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice were intending, which was a version of the story of the Passion of Jesus," the Rouleau, Sask., native said in a recent interview.

"Some of it I can't really talk about because it's subconscious. But consciously I just look at it and look at what they were trying to do: they were trying to tell the story of Jesus as a man and how he experienced what was happening to him as a man."

This is Nolan's third time playing Jesus of Nazareth in a production of the epic rock opera, which began as a concept album and debuted on Broadway in 1971 with a score by Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Rice.

Nolan previously played the role at Stage West Calgary and at the Sunshine Festival Theatre Company in Orillia, Ont.

"I've loved all three productions of the show that I've done ... and I got a lot out of them, but this one has a lot more money behind it," said the actor-singer, who's also performing in the festival production of "The Grapes of Wrath."

"I think the intention to make it a rock concert and the sound capabilities that the theatre has and that they've upgraded to support this show are really quite important."

The Stratford production, helmed by the festival's Tony Award-winning artistic director, Des McAnuff, opened to rave reviews last month.

The production chronicles the last week of Christ's life and has a contemporary feel as it explores what McAnuff has called the Jesus, Judas and Mary Magdalene "love triangle."

Chilina Kennedy plays Mary and Josh Young plays Judas, who fears Christ's growing following will upset the oppressive Roman regime.

Other cast members include Tony winner Brent Carver, who plays Pontius Pilate, and Bruce Dow as King Herod.

"I would compare (Jesus) to the Dalai Lama now," said Nolan, 32. "He was a man, so all of his wisdoms and whatnot were still getting processed through a person who had fear and who in the Garden of Gethsemane exposed his doubt.

"I find it incredibly compelling to look at that because for me, it is every man's journey, in a way. I think that human beings ask the question, 'Why?' I think it's a very human trait that doesn't exist in -- well, we don't know -- but likely doesn't exist in animal life.

"And that is the question that Christ is asking: 'Why should I die?"'

Lloyd Webber and Rice saw the Stratford production on separate nights last month and raved about it.

Several other theatre producers have also gone to see it, prompting rumours that the Stratford production is bound for Broadway or another city.

Nolan said his schedule is clear for when the production ends its run at Stratford on Oct. 29 and he'd "love" to go somewhere else with it.

"Des, he's obviously struck gold, judging by the way the audience is responding to this show," said Nolan, who studied with voice teachers in Regina and attended Toronto's Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts.

"All of the ducks are in a row for this production."