Posted in: Current News, Editor's Picks TV News, Preview, Trailer, TV, YouTube | Tagged: alice cooper, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Annas, ben daniels, bleeding cool, Brandon Victor Dixon, broadway, cable, Caiaphas, Choir Choir Choir, easter, Easter Sunday, Erik Gronwall, Good Friday, hamilton, Jason Tam, Jesus Christ, jesus christ superstar, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!, Jin Ha, John Legend, judas, King Herod, live, Mary Magdalene, musical, nbc, Norm Lewis, Peter, Pontius Pilate, Sara Bareilles, Simon Zealotes, streaming, sunday, television, tim rice, tv
Hamilton's Brandon Victor Dixon Previews NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!
With NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! set to bow before a live viewing audience this Easter Sunday, the network's released a small tease of what viewers can expect Sunday night in the form of Hamilton's Brandon Victor Dixon's (Judas) joining 400 singers from Choir! Choir! Choir! for an amazingly uplifting performance.
Dixon joins a line-up that includes singer/songwriter John Legend as Jesus Christ; singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene; rock star Alice Cooper as King Herod; Ben Daniels as Pontius Pilate, Norm Lewis as Caiaphas, Jason Tam as Peter, Jin Ha as Annas and Swedish rock star Erik Gronwall as Simon Zealotes. Webber, Rice, Legend, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Mike Jackson, Ty Stiklorius and Alex Rudzinski will executive produce; with Universal Television, The Really Useful Group, Marc Platt Productions and Zadan/Meron Productions sharing production duties.
NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! airs this Sunday night, April 1, at 8 p.m. ET:
https://youtu.be/qDdi6DKdIaA
From executive producers Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron comes NBC's next live musical spectacular, the groundbreaking rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE!" Set during the final week of Jesus' life, the story is told from the perspective of infamous betrayer Judas Iscariot.
As more and more followers flock to Jesus, Judas grows concerned that Jesus is becoming arrogant and losing sight of his principles. So when Jesus attacks the money changers in a temple, Judas finally turns on his teacher, setting both on a path to tragedy.
Originally conceived as a concept album that hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts, the show eventually made its way to the stage in 1971 and garnered five Tony nominations in addition to winning a Drama Desk Award for Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Now this globally celebrated classic comes to NBC in 2018 for a one-of-a-kind live staging on Easter Sunday that's sure to amaze with jaw-dropping spectacle, an all-star cast of beloved recording artists and a fresh soundtrack featuring such hits as "Heaven on Their Minds," "I Don't Know How to Love Him" and "Superstar."
And if that isn't enough to get you to tune in Sunday night, NBC also gives you a behind-the-scenes look at show prep from the cast and creative's perspective; and small sample of Legend's version of "The Last Supper":
https://youtu.be/JO2qyS27714
https://youtu.be/ho3vGNasPOA
Created by Webber and Rice, the original Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar starred Jeff Fenholt as Jesus of Nazareth, and ran from October 1971 through July 1973. Director Norman Jewison helmed a film version of the rock opera in 1973, starring Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson as Jesus and Judas, respectively; with both receiving Golden Globes nominations in 1974 for their performances.
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! continues NBC's most recent run of live musical specials, which has also included The Sound of Music Live!, Peter Pan Live! and The Wiz Live!.