Who Played Judas In Jesus Christ Superstar 2018

Hamilton’s Brandon Victor Dixon to Star as Judas In NBC’s Live Jesus Christ Superstar

FilmTV Breaking News Brandon Victor Dixon, who starred in Hamilton, will play Judas in NBC’s Live! ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ they say. Tony Award nominees will also be on hand to participate in the broadcast. Jen Ha, Ben Daniels and Norm Lewis, KPOP star Jason Tam, and Hamilton alum Ben Daniels and Norm Lewis The role of Judas will be played by Brandon Victor Dixon in the live broadcast of Jesus Christ Superstar on NBC. The cast also includes John Legend as Jesus, Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene, and Alice Cooper as King Herod, all of whom were previously revealed.

WENN photo by Joseph Marzullo Tony Award nominees will be be appearing in the future concert event as well.

Other cast members include Broadway actor Jason Tam (Les Miserables) as Peter, M.

SARA BAREILLES AND JOHN LEGEND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WAITRESSES LIVE FROM NBC’S JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR The concert version of the musical, which will be broadcast on Easter Sunday, April 1, will be executive produced by Superstarcomposer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice.

  • Additionally, television director and producer Alex Rudzinski (Hairspray Live!
  • (The Wiz Live!
  • Brown will be part of the creative team (Once on This Island).
  • He was previously seen on Broadway in The Red Letter Plays: Fucking A.
  • The actor Dixon has a recurring role as Terry Silver in the Starz television series Power.
  • The Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar opened in 1971 and was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Original Score for Lloyd Webber and Rice, among other honors.
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Look Back at the Original Broadway Production of Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway

The musical premiered on October 12, 1971, at the Mark Hellinger Theatre in New York City. a total of 19 PHOTOS Jeff Fenholt and the rest of the cast Friedman-Abeles/New York Public Library for the Performing Arts the year 1971’s Jesus Christ Superstar” src=””Ben Vereen during a rehearsal for the Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971.

Jeff Fenholt and Paul Ainsley are two of the most talented musicians in the world.

Ben Vereen and Yvonne Elliman rehearsing for the Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971.

Ben Vereen in the Broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar” src=”Ben Vereen in the Broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar, 1971″ the year 1971’s Jesus Christ Superstar Marta Heflin is a model and actress.

Jeff Fenholt and the rest of the cast Jeff Fenholt and the rest of the cast Yvonne Elliman, Jeff Fenholt, and the rest of the cast and crew Ben Vereen in the Broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar” src=”Ben Vereen in the Broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar, 1971″ Christ the King, 1971Yvonne Elliman, Jeff Fenholt, and the ensemble of Jesus Christ Superstar

‘Hamilton’ Star Cast as Judas in NBC’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar Live’

The Mark Hellinger Theatre hosted the premiere on October 12, 1971. Photographs (nineteenth) Featuring Jeff Fenholt and his ensemble. For the Performing Arts at New York Public Library Friedman-Abeles Christ the King, a 1971 motion picture,” src=””On the set of Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971, Ben Vereen was in character as an angel.

Jeff Fenholt and Paul Ainsley are two of the most talented musicians in the world today.

Fenholt, Jeff Ben Vereen and Yvonne Elliman rehearsing for the Broadway production ofJesus Christ Superstar in 1971.

Yvonne Elliman and Jeff Fenholt are two of the most prominent figures in the world of fashion.

Christ the King, a 1971 motion picture,” src=””Musical theater star Ben Vereen appears in the Broadway production Christ the King, a 1971 motion picture, Featuring Jeff Fenholt and his ensemble.

Yvonne Elliman and Jeff Fenholt are two of the most prominent figures in the world of fashion.

Featuring Jeff Fenholt and his ensemble.

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Jesus Christ Superstar Live: Power’s Brandon Victor Dixon Cast as Judas

The Judas of NBC’sJesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert has been identified. Brandon Victor Dixon, a Broadway star and Tony Award winner best known to television fans as Powerlawyer Terry Silver, has been cast as Jesus’ not-so-loyal apostle in an upcoming live special to be shown on Easter Sunday, April 1. (Dixon was also the cast member of the Broadway musical Hamilton who openly confronted then-Vice President-elect Mike Pence while the Vice President-elect was in attendance at a performance of the show in November 2016.) The network also reported that Tony nominees Ben Daniels (The Exorcist) and Norm Lewis (Scandal) will play Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas, respectively.

Butterfly) will play Annas, and Swedish rock musician Erik Gronwall will play Simon Zealotes, among other newcomers.

Among the cast members are John Legend as Jesus, Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene, and Alice Cooper as King Herod in this latest rendition.

Please share your thoughts on the current round of casting for NBC’sJesus Christ Superstar, and whether or not this latest round of casting piques your curiosity.

The performers of Easter’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ had their own hallelujah moments

It is fair to say that NBC’s presentation of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1970 rock opera musical “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!,” which was televised from the Armory theater in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg on Easter Sunday, was a rousing success. The rock ‘n’ religion revival, which was visually ambitious (if occasionally audio-challenged, thanks to an overenthusiastic audience of 1,200), drew nearly 10 million television viewers, who were treated to performances by superstars such as John Legend as Jesus Christ and Alice Cooper as King Herod.

  • “It was a significant step forward for us,” adds Meron.
  • ” We were completely unprepared for the overwhelmingly positive reception from the audience, which was a touch overwhelming.” (NBC) >> WATCH: Video Q & A sessions with this season’s most exciting contenders » In addition, the reviewers were complimentary.
  • Dixon’s performance as Judas included outstanding pieces like as ‘Superstar,’ which needed athleticism and some major soulful belting on Dixon’s part.
  • According to reports in The Envelope, here’s how some of them witnessed the incident.
  • We would sing songs from musicals, and one of the pieces we performed was an Andrew Lloyd Webber medley, according to him.
  • “I was raised in a religious family with many pastors,” says Legend, “but it’s also essential to consider about how Andrew and Tim felt about him, not simply how religious persons think about him,” adds Legend.

In Legend’s opinion, “anyone who thinks for one second about where Jesus was born and reared would quickly realize that he does not look like the Nordic folks who have played him in the past.” “The objective was to have a cast that looked like America, and to have a varied ensemble.” One more hallelujah: “I managed to go through without making any poetic mistakes,” he says with a grin.

  1. In my childhood, I was raised as a Catholic, and I remember being captivated by the hymn ‘Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)’; it had an emotional impact on me.
  2. “The setting in which she lives in this play corresponds to a lot of the religious stories that we are all familiar with,” she explains.
  3. The thing about Mary that I admire most is that she is so uncomplicated: she is a mirror of purity and love.” Bonus: While Bareilles truly wanted to keep Mary’s garment, she ended up taking another element of her costume instead: the hat.
  4. I’m not sure I should tell anyone, but I like them.” King Herod is played by Alice Cooper (NBC) Cooper first saw the musical while on tour in the 1970s, and he later recorded the song “King Herod’s Song” for a London cast recording of the play in 1996.
  5. According to him, “Tim Rice was looking for a bit more venom than the one they had previously.” He wanted Herod to be a little more realistic in his outlook.
  6. The band desired a stronger rock-and-roll sound in this rendition.

In his opinion, “if you’re going to have a villain, make him an arrogant one who’s very much in love with himself and who treats the audience with contempt.” “My presentation is a mix of vaudeville and heavy rock, and it’s entirely improvised.” As a result, I informed the director that I was interested in playing that role.” Bonus: Herod’s gold silk outfit was covered with oil-painting prints of all of his victims, which was a hallelujah moment.

From what I hear, my outfit accounted for almost one-third of the total cost of the entire cast, he adds.

Judas, the antihero: In his words, “my lofty objective was to get people to have a different opinion on someone they thought they knew.” “It’s a perspective I wish we could adopt more often in our interactions with individuals in our immediate environment.” Davison sees connections between Judas and the character he played in the Broadway production of “Hamilton,” Aaron Burr, in “Hamilton.” According to him, they “have some of the same features.” “‘Hamilton’ is the name of the program, but you see a lot of it from Burr’s point of view; Aaron is the one who shot him, and he’s the most dangerous weapon in our nation’s armory.” Bonus for singing hallelujah: He did not shave his head in preparation for the role: “God made that decision for me eight or nine years ago,” says the author of the book.

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Jesus Christ Superstar, With John Legend and Sara Bareilles, to Re-air on Easter Sunday

It is fair to say that NBC’s presentation of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1970 rock opera of “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!,” which was televised from the Armory theater in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg on Easter Sunday, was a smash hit. The rock ‘n’ religion revival, which was visually ambitious (if occasionally audio-challenged, thanks to an overenthusiastic audience of 1,200), drew nearly 10 million television viewers, who saw superstars such as John Legend portraying Jesus Christ and Alice Cooper portraying King Herod perform on stage.

According to Meron, “It was a significant step forward for us.” This was a genuine test to see if viewers would remain with it and respond to it – and for us, this was a tremendous success.

Lorrain Ali, writing in the Los Angeles Times, stated of Legend and Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene, “They brought the melodies to life for a modern audience without losing the original appeal of the tunes.” Dixon, with his gruffer voice and more dramatic delivery, was a good match for their melodic delivery.

  1. “He was spot on with each of his assessments.
  2. According to The Envelope, here’s how some of them witnessed it unfold.
  3. According to him, “we would perform songs from musicals, and one of the things we did was an Andrew Lloyd Webber tribute.” It wasn’t until it came time to prepare for this that I realized I hadn’t seen the whole thing.
  4. If you think about where Jesus was born and reared for a second, he most likely does not look like the Nordic actors who have represented him in the past, according to Legend.
  5. Among others who have performed are Sara Bareilles (Mary Magdalene) and Jennifer Hudson (Mary Magdalene) (NBC) When she first viewed the picture, she was approximately 12 years old, recalls.
  6. It was about listening to a variety of various renditions of the songs, and when it came time to go look into the eyes of the folks you were on stage with, it was about connecting with Mary.
  7. As far as Bareilles knows, Mary is the only significant female character in the musical who has a voice.

The thing about Mary that I admire most is that she is so simple: she is a representation of purity and love.” As an added bonus, while Bareilles truly intended to keep Mary’s garment, she ended up taking another item of her costume: The Mary sandals are my favorite pair of shoes.

According to him, “Tim Rice was looking for a bit more venom than they had previously.” He wanted Herod to be a little more realistic in his judgment.

The group desired a stronger rock-and-roll sound in this rendition.

In his opinion, “if you’re going to have a villain, make him an arrogant one who is completely in love with himself and who treats the audience with contempt.” It is vaudeville and hard rock in my presentation, and it is entirely improvised,” says the performer.

In addition, Herod’s gold silk suit was decorated with oil-painting reproductions depicting the faces, bodies, and clothing of all of his victims as a thank-you gift.

‘How hard will you be hunting for this on Monday?’ I said when the concert was ended.

When you see something for the first time: When Dixon was preparing for the performance, he recalls hearing more than one song from it for the first time the week before rehearsal began.

“Judas” is an antihero.

Some of their qualities are similar, according to him.

How John Legend, Sara Bareilles and Co-Stars See ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Roles (Published 2018)

Since high school, John Legend hasn’t performed in a musical theater production. In the meanwhile, when NBC approached him about the possibility of playing the title part in a live broadcast of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” he said that “it was difficult to turn down the role of Jesus Christ.” In the latest broadcast musical, Mr. Legend, who is best known as an R&B singer and composer, is channeling his inner rocker as he leads an all-star ensemble in the role of a rock star. The rock musical “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which features songs written by a young Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, tells the story of the week that culminates in Jesus’ crucifixion.

See also:  When Was Jesus Crucified

The broadcast will run on NBC on Easter Sunday (which is also known as Good Friday) at 8 p.m.

As a live concert rather than a fully staged musical, it will be played in the historic National Guard armory in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood in front of a live audience of around 1,300 people.

Legend in the title role, the production, directed by David Leveaux, is massive.

John Legend (Jesus)

Image courtesy of Eric Liebowitz/NBC News In terms of religion I was raised in a Pentecostal Christian family that was rather fundamentalist in their beliefs. Growing up, my grandfather served as my preacher. As a pastor himself, my father participated in the church choir as a drummer. My mother served as choir director, while my grandmother served as the church organist. My father would even take on the role of Jesus in several of our church’s passion plays. Despite the fact that I am no longer religious, there is no way that being up in that setting, as well as growing up singing that music, could not have an affect on your life.

And I participated in a couple genuine theatrical performances while I was in high school, including “Big River,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The most difficult aspect for me right now was simply knowing all of the material since I’m so used to playing songs that I’ve written for myself.

When it comes to thinking about love and what it means — love for those who are near to you, but also love for all of mankind — a lot of it comes back to what he was ready to give up.

Andrew and Tim argue that Judas may have had a valid argument — that Judas may have had legitimate grounds for challenging Jesus’s methods — on this episode of the podcast.

Brandon Victor Dixon (Judas)

ImageCredit. NBC News Photographer Virginia Sherwood Regarding religion, I grew raised in the Episcopal Faith, attended private school in that church, and attended chapel on a daily basis. Throughout my youth, it was a steady companion. After that, we began to move our attention to the Unitarian church. Spirituality, rather than religion, now plays an important part in my life. Religion, in my opinion, is a political construct, but spirituality is a community construct, and there is a significant distinction between the two.

  1. In regards to Judas, what I’ve discovered is that he is significantly less guilty of the crimes against which he is convicted than most people believe.
  2. On ‘Superstar,’ I had never watched the program, hadn’t heard the music, and had no idea what I was getting myself into until I got the job.
  3. Judas comes back?’ I was in shock.
  4. I was completely taken aback.

Sara Bareilles (Mary Magdalene)

ImageCredit. NBC News Photographer Virginia Sherwood In terms of religion I am unquestionably someone who believes in God and the workings of the universe as a whole, but I do not adhere to any specific religious ideology. Given that I was up as a Catholic and attended a Catholic school, the tale of Jesus and his crucifixion is one that I hold close and dear to my heart. When I return home, I continue to attend Catholic Mass with my parents. Even though I no longer attend church, the routine, the familiarity, and the comfort of our church community as a child are all things I recall with great fondness now, despite the fact that I no longer attend.

  1. It’s a kind of enhanced reality in which you get to tell very beautiful tales, but everything is a little strange, and I really enjoy seeing the emotional responses that people have when they see it.
  2. His message was certainly championed by her, and she was unquestionably a follower and believer in him throughout history.
  3. My first experience with the film “Superstar” was when I was 12 or 13 years old and was very into a lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals.
  4. I recall being overcome by emotion as I listened to the music.

For someone who grew up in the church, as intimate as your relationship with Jesus can be, it was really interesting and nuanced to look at him as a human, as well as to look at Mary as a human, and to look at Judas as a human, and to look at Jesus as a human.

Alice Cooper (King Herod)

ImageCredit. NBC News Photographer Virginia Sherwood In terms of religion My father worked as a preacher. My grandfather was an evangelist, and he passed away recently. Furthermore, my wife’s father is a Baptist minister. I was a prodigal son in the sense that I grew up in the church, went as far away as you could possible go, and then came back. As soon as I became sober, I began to see things clearly — I had all the fame and fortune and fortune that came with it, but I began to realize that what was most important to me was my connection with Jesus Christ, whom I torment to the point of near-coma on this program.

  1. When I’m at home, I participate in a men’s Bible study on Wednesday mornings.
  2. Every Sunday, I attend to church with my family, including my wife and children.
  3. ‘Consider what you’ve given up in order to be a Christian,’ they say.
  4. Are you on the verge of succumbing to alcoholism?
  5. I’m handing it back to him, as promised.
  6. Broadway is usually one of my favorite Sirius XM channels.
  7. And ‘Guys and Dolls,’ since Damon Runyon was a great admirer of my father’s growing up.

As a result, we were able to participate in this production, which took place in a real theater.

On Herod, I’m thinking he’s going to be a type of Elvis imitation, which is why I’m dressed all in gold and wearing a gold suit that fits well.

That’s exactly how I want to approach this.

At first, he appears to be quite self-centered, but as the story progresses, he becomes increasingly enraged, and by the conclusion, he’s right in Jesus’s face, expressing his displeasure with him and with the whole situation.

There’s an underlying theme here in that everyone is still curious about who this individual was.

Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar Live’

  • Dario Calmese of NBC provided the photograph. Jesus Christ Superstar Live is a television show that airs on NBC, and it features performers such as John Legend, Alice Cooper, and Sara Bareilles. The play is a rock opera loosely based on the final week of Jesus’ life, beginning with his entrance and concluding with his crucifixion. It is performed in the style of a rock opera. Also depicted are the conflicts that arose between Judas Iscariot and Jesus Christ. Dixon, like several of his co-stars in the film, comes from a religious background, as he said to the New York Times: “I grew raised in the Episcopal Faith, went to private school in that church, and attended to chapel every day.” Throughout my youth, it was a steady companion. After that, we began to move our attention to the Unitarian church. Spirituality, rather than religion, now plays an important part in my life. Religion, in my opinion, is a political construct, but spirituality is a communal construct, and there is a significant distinction.” As for what Dixon has taken away from his experience performing inJesus Christ Superstar Live, he claims that “Judas is significantly less responsible of the crimes that he is accused of than people imagine.” Judas is very aware of the corruption of the message, and he is also intensely aware of the risk of the message being out of control — of commitment and love and togetherness and community becoming fanaticism and zealotry.”
  • Video Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar Live’ is the subject of this video. 2018-04-01T19:00:48-04:00
  • According to NBC, Brandon Victor Dixon would portray Judas, “an apostle of Jesus who is concerned about the plight of the poor and the ramifications of Jesus’ popularity.” Dixon previously earned a Tony Award in 2014 for her work as a producer on the Broadway revival of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” which was nominated for the award for Best Revival of a Musical. Also in 2006, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance as Harpo in “The Color Purple,” and he was nominated again in 2016. Dixon’s description on NBC indicates that he “now co-stars as Terry Silver on the Starz smash seriesPower,” according to his NBC bio. He was most recently seen on Broadway in the role of Aaron Burr in “Hamilton.” Some of Eubie Blake’s other Broadway credits include “Shuffle Along” (for which she received a Tony Award nomination), “Motown the Musical” (for which she received both Grammy and Drama League Award nominations), and “The Color Purple” (Tony Award nomination). Simba in “The Lion King” is on a national tour. Off-Broadway: “F**king A,” “Rent,” and “The Scottsboro Boys” are among the shows now playing (Lucille Lortel, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle and Laurence Olivier Award nominations). One Life to Live, Law Order: Criminal Intent, and The Good Wife are examples of television shows. Dixon was born and reared in Maryland, and he graduated from Columbia University.” Dixon’s performance inJesus Christ Superstar Liveis significant since the tale is delivered from the viewpoint of Judas. Another thing Dixon mentioned as an example of how he’s made an effort to convey a point is to embrace the significance of the tale itself. As Dixon said to Billboard, “I’m attempting to concentrate less on the singing and more on the lyrics.” The words used to portray this scenario are highly particular, and they influence the singing. I’m looking forward to it since it’s rock music. I was aware that it would need me to sing on my upper notes, but I was not afraid. Judas, the figure played by Dixon, is said to have been one of Jesus Christ’s first twelve followers, according to the New Testament. In Brooklyn, New York, Jesus Christ Superstar Live takes place in the Marcy Armory, which is located in Williamsburg. Watch the live broadcast on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/PT and 7 p.m. CT for the live production

Meet the Scene-Stealing Actor Who Played Judas in NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live

Dario Calmese – NBC News contributed to this photograph. John Legend, Alice Cooper, and Sara Bareilles are among the talents that will appear in the NBC show Jesus Christ Superstar Live! From his arrival to his crucifixion, the play is a rock opera loosely based on the final week of Jesus’ life, which begins with his entrance and concludes with his crucifixion. Aside from that, it shows the battles between Judas Iscariot and Jesus Christ on the cross. The actor, like several of his co-stars in the film, comes from a religious background, as he said to the New York Times: “I grew up in the Episcopal Church, went to private school in that church, and attended to chapel every day.” Throughout my teens, it was a constant.

Spirituality, rather than religion, now occupies a significant position in my life.

This is significant.” As for what Dixon has taken away from his experience performing inJesus Christ Superstar Live, he claims that “Judas is significantly less responsible of the crimes that he is accused of than people imagine.

2018-04-01T19:00:48-04:00; According to NBC, Brandon Victor Dixon would portray Judas, “an apostle of Jesus who is concerned about the plight of the poor and the ramifications of Jesus’s widespread popularity.” Dixon previously earned a Tony Award in 2014 for her work as a producer on the Broadway revival of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” which was nominated for Best Revival of a Musical at the time.

  • The character of Harpo in the musical “The Color Purple” earned him a another nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in 2006, and he was nominated again in 2016.
  • A few of Eubie Blake’s other Broadway appearances include “Shuffle Along” (which earned him a Tony Award nomination), “Motown the Musical” (which garnered him nods for both the Grammy and the Drama League Awards), and “The Color Purple” (Tony Award nomination).
  • Off-Broadway: “F**king A,” “Rent,” and “The Scottsboro Boys” are among the shows now showing (Lucille Lortel, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle and Laurence Olivier Award nominations).
  • Dixon was born and reared in Maryland, and he is a Columbia University graduate.
  • Another thing Dixon mentioned as an example of how he’s made an effort to convey a point is to embrace the meaning of the tale as it is told.
  • ” Because the words used to portray this narrative are highly precise, the voice are shaped by them as well.
  • Despite the fact that I knew it would need me to sing on my highest range, I was not intimidated.

The Marcy Armory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, is the venue for Jesus Christ Superstar Live. Watch the live broadcast on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/PT and 7 p.m. CT for the live production.

VIDEO: Watch Brandon Victor Dixon Perform Title Song from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR!

Please do not misunderstand us. This is going to be the most enjoyable portion of your day. Watch as Brandon Victor Dixon, who will portray Judas in NBC’s forthcoming production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE IN CONCERT, plays the song “Superstar” in the video embedded below! The show is scheduled to air on Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, which is a Sunday. In the role of Jesus Christ, rock superstar John Legend, who has won Oscars, Golden Globes, Tony Awards, and ten Grammy Awards, has been cast, as previously reported by BWW.

  1. It will be a one-of-a-kind live production of the legendary 1971 Broadway rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, which will air on NBC in the fall.
  2. After being designed as a concept album that peaked at number one on the Billboard charts, “Jesus Christ Superstar” ultimately found its way to the stage in 1971.
  3. The Mark HellingerTheatre on Broadway hosted the premiere of the 1971 musical, which featured Jeff Fenholt as Jesus and Ben Vereen as Judas.
  4. Lloyd Webber received the Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Composer for his work on The Phantom of the Opera.
See also:  How Many Years Between Adam And Jesus

VIDEO: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Finds Its Judas, Peter, Simon & More- Meet the New Cast Members!

According to a story published this afternoon by BroadwayWorld, further members of the “Jesus Christ Superstar Live!” cast have been named. A one-of-a-kind live production of the legendary 1971 Broadway rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice will be televised on NBC on Easter Sunday (April 1, 2018). Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan, and Neil Meron will serve as executive producers for the production. Check out some of the cast’s previous performances to get to know them better!

In her words, “It’s such a beautiful, profound musical, and I’m humbled to be a part of this production.” Legend is one of the most varied and gifted artists working in the entertainment industry today, having achieved great success as a musician, concert performer, composer, actor, as well as a music, film, and theater producer.

  1. Mary Magdalene is played by Sara Bareilles.
  2. “This score and this show have been a part of me from a very early age, and singing these famous songs will be one of the greatest joys of my life,” Bareilles said.
  3. I consider myself tremendously fortunate to be a part of it!” Brandon Victor DixonasJudas is a fictional character created by author Brandon Victor Dixonas.
  4. Dixon is no stranger to playing the adversary, having spent the previous year performing at the Richard Rogers Theatre in the Broadway blockbuster Hamilton.
  5. King Herod is played by Alice Cooper.
  6. Take a look at his first attempt at “King Herod’s Song”!
  7. Porgy and Bess, Les Miserables, and most recently, Once On This Island are just a few of the plays in which you’ve heard Tony and Grammy nomineeNorm Lewis perform on stage.

Peter Peter will be played by Jason Tam, who is best known for his roles as Paul in the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line and David in the musical If/Then.

Simon Zealotes is played by Erik Gronwall.

Jin HaasAnnas (Jin HaasAnnas) Jin Hare recently appeared as Song Liling in M.

Ben Danielsas is a writer who lives in New York City.

Ben Daniels was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in the revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

1 on the Billboard charts in 1971, and the show eventually found its way to the stage.

Broadway’s Mark HellingerTheatre hosted the world premiere of the 1971 musical, which was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for Ben Vereenas’ Judas in the title role.

Since then, the musical has been hailed as a classic and has become a mainstay of theatre and music organizations around the world, including the United States.

The Broadway revivals of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in 2000 and 2012 each received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

Check out the most recent promotion listed below! Produced by Universal Television, The Really Useful Group, Marc Platt Productions, and Zadan/Meron Productions, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” will air on television in the United States.

NBC’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar Live’ Finds Its Judas

Photo courtesy of Rob Kim/Getty Images for the Tribeca Film Festival On April 18, 2017, in New York City, Brandon Victor Dixon attends AT TTribeca’s joyful launch of Untold Stories: An Inclusive Film Program at Thalassa, which is hosted by the organization. UPDATE: As part of NBC’s upcomingJesus Christ Superstar Livespecial, the network has revealed that Tony Award-winning producer, Hamilton star, and poweractor Brandon Victor Dixon has been cast as Judas. Tony contender Ben Daniels will play Pontius Pilate, Tony candidate Norm Lewis will play Caiaphas, Broadway veteran Jason Tam will play Peter, M.

  • The forthcoming special, which will show on Easter Sunday, April 1, will include John Legend in the role of Jesus, Sara Bareilles in the role of Mary Magdalene, and Alice Cooper in the role of Herod.
  • This Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, the multi-talented vocalist has been cast in NBC’s special eventJesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!
  • Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment, stated in a news statement that “we’re all pleased” to have “world-class musical talent and producer John Legend” portray Jesus.
  • There isn’t anyone better to do it.” His casting is also momentous since the traditional picture of Christ will be perceived in a fresh light as a result of his performance.
  • His voice is contagious and effortless to listen to when he performs.
  • My excitement at the prospect of him performing his portrayal of Jesus in front of a worldwide audience is unmatched.” Upon learning of the news, Legend turned to Twitter this morning to share his joy.
  • It’s a pleasant day.
  • Additionally, he stated, “I’m overjoyed to be a part of this production of Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!
  • We’ve already put together an extraordinary team, and I’m confident that when we’re finished casting, we’ll have together some of the most talented people in the world to do this job credit.” Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!

‘Hamilton’ Star Brandon Victor Dixon To Star As Judas In NBC’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’

For the Tribeca Film Festival, photo courtesy of Rob Kim/Getty Images AT TTribeca’s Untold Stories: An Inclusive Film Program was officially launched on April 18, 2017 at Thalassa in New York City, with Brandon Victor Dixon in attendance. UPDATE: As part of NBC’s upcomingJesus Christ Superstar Livespecial, the network has revealed that Tony Award-winning producer, Hamilton star, and poweractor Brandon Victor Dixon will play Judas. Tony contender Ben Daniels will play Pontius Pilate, Tony candidate Norm Lewis will play Caiaphas, Broadway veteran Jason Tam will play Peter, M.

  1. It will be broadcast on Easter Sunday, April 1, and will star John Legend as Jesus, Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene, and Alice Cooper as King Herod.
  2. ORIGINAL: As an Oscar winner, Golden Globe winner, Tony nominee, and 10-time Grammy nominee, John Legend is now preparing to take on the role of Jesus Christ on the cross.
  3. that will air on Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018.
  4. Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment, said in a news statement that “we’re all pleased” to have “world-class musical talent and producer John Legend” portraying Jesus.
  5. ” As a result of his casting, the traditional picture of Christ will be perceived in a completely different light.” “John Legend is a celebrity,” said Tim Rice, the lyricist for Jesus Christ Superstar.
  6. Moreover, he is credible and truthful in his performances as an actor His portrayal of Jesus will be shown over the world, and I’m happy about it.” As soon as he learned of the news, Legend turned to Twitter to share his delight.
  7. A pleasant day has arrived.
  8. As a performer in this show, I’m humbled to be a part of such a strong and significant production.

The crew we’ve assembled so far has been tremendous, and I’m confident that when we’re finished casting, we’ll have some of the best actors and actresses in the world to do this project right.” April 1, NBC will broadcast a live performance of Jesus Christ Superstar!

How Judas stole ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’

Brandon Victor Dixon, the star of the hit Broadway show “Hamilton,” stole the show from NBC’s live performance of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Celebrity names such as John Legend, who will play Jesus, and “Waitress” singer Sara Bareilles, who will play Mary Magdalene, have both been widely pushed by the network. It was a fantastic performance by both of them — Legend in the show’s final crucifixion scene and with the song “Gethesmane,” and Bareilles in the show’s smash hit, “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.” Dixon, 36, however, was the one who brought the house down on the stage at the Marcy Avenue Armory in Williamsburg.

  1. David Rooney, the theatrical reviewer for the Hollywood Reporter, also singled him out.
  2. According to actor Joshua Henry on Twitter, “Ladies and gentlemen, in case you DIDN’T know him, let me introduce you to him.” Introducing @BrandonVDixon on Twitter.
  3. In a tweet, musician James K.
  4. When I didn’t receive a response from them, I became concerned.

‘You must be in the correct location.'” In the role, Dixon made an imprint on the audience when he addressed Vice President Mike Pence directly from the stage: “We, sir — we — are the diverse people of America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, the planet we live on, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights.” In the hopes of inspiring you to maintain our American principles and to act on our behalf, we hope you will watch this presentation again and again.” The statement was composed by Lin Manuel-Miranda, the author of “Hamilton,” and other members of the production group.

President Trump, on the other hand, requested an apology from Vice President Pence.

‘Jesus Christ Superstar’: Why Jews, Christians and even its composer hated it at first

In the newest edition of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which aired live on NBC on Easter Sunday, singer John Legend was in the lead role, and the show drew thousands of people who were enthralled by the music and, above all, the force of the tale. When it premiered on Broadway in 1971, many Christians, Jews, and even the composer were vocal in their opposition to the show. Now it is one of the most frequently produced productions in history. “It was certainly the worst night of my life” when the show premiered.

  1. As a teenager in London, Webber, who was already a burgeoning musical-theater composer, was acquainted to fledgling lyricist Tim Rice, who became a lifelong friend.
  2. However, it was their second effort, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which is a reworking of the Old Testament account of the “coat of many colors,” that won them widespread fame.
  3. ‘Why don’t you think about the tale of Jesus?’ the dean of St.
  4. “We were messing about with various ideas,” Rice added.

As he said in the documentary “The Making of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’,” “I’ve always believed that, if I ever became a writer or something, Judas Iscariot would make an excellent topic, since the tale from his point of view would be interesting.” Once the young guys had finished writing the rock opera, they had a difficult time finding a venue that would be willing to stage it.

  1. “This is the dumbest concept that has ever been thought of,” Webber said in the documentary.
  2. When it was first released in 1970, “Jesus Christ Superstar” caused quite a stir in the United Kingdom, and was even briefly banned by the BBC for being sacrilegious.
  3. Suddenly, finding a producer, even if they were on the other side of the world, was not an issue at all.
  4. And it was at this point that everything started to go wrong.
  5. Religious opponents took issue with the same method Rice hoped would make it more intriguing: the emphasis on Judas’s point of view, which Rice thought would make it more engaging.
  6. Others were outraged because Jesus was shown as a “mere man” and that he and Mary Magdalene appeared to have more-than-friendly affections for one another, despite the fact that they were not.

Marra, a professor at Fordham University who also happens to be a practicing Catholic, told the New York Times that it was “asinine” for Catholics to let “Jesus being blasphemed.” Israeli and Jewish officials were particularly concerned that the opera implied that Jews were responsible for Jesus’ execution, which they worried would revive anti-Semitism in the community.

  • Following a viewing of director Tom O’Horgon’s dazzling show, which featured a bold, multi-ethnic ensemble, a massive special-effects “chrysalis,” and even a drag queen playing King Herod, it’s possible that Webber felt compelled to join the picketers.
  • When Guy Flatley of the New York Times requested Webber and Rice for a review, they described the situation as follows: Somewhere deep within Andrew, a gurgling sound can be heard, and his melancholy brown eyes roll upwards toward the heavens.
  • “Let’s just say that we don’t believe this production to be the final version of the story.” “I had a great time watching the show,” Tim adds.
  • “It seemed to me to be more of an intimate drama between three or four people.” “We’re simply a couple of English boys who haven’t seen a show on Broadway,” Tim explains in his introduction.
See also:  How To Repent To Jesus

They categorically rejected any anti-Semitism, with Rice exclaiming: “Norman Jewison, who directed ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ is going to make the movie of ‘Superstar,’ and he’ll be doing it right here in Israel!” Don’t you think it’s reasonable to assume that the man who directed “Fiddler on the Roof” would be the best person to recognize anti-Semitism?

  • According to a representative who spoke to the New York Times, the Anti-Defamation League is renewing its condemnation ahead of the film’s release.
  • Anyone who has ever watched a western film is familiar with the fact that the good guys wear white hats and the evil men wear black hats.
  • Many performances of “Jesus Christ Superstar” have been followed by small demonstrations during the course of the show’s 48-year career.
  • And, in 1999, the Vatican formally authorized it, including a play as part of the Jubilee Year celebrations in 2000, which were broadcast worldwide.
  • Alice Cooper took on the role of King Herod.

So yet, there hasn’t been a single objection. Instead, the phrase “Jesus Christ Superstar” became a hot topic on Twitter. Corrected version: An earlier version of this story said that the Broadway premiere occurred in 1973. It was the year 1971. Continue reading Retropolis:

Live In Concert (2018)

Live in Concert is a classification. Year of publication: 2018. English is the language of instruction. Official release, stage/television cast, and other types of media IMPORTANT: This is the cast as mentioned in the official credits of the television special, and in some cases, such as with the dancers, it may not necessarily follow that of the album’s vocals. John Legend sings about Jesus of Nazareth. Judas Iscariot. Brandon ‘Victor Dixon’ is a fictional character created by author Victor Dixon.

Ben Daniels portrays Pontius Pilate.

Erik Grönwall is a Swedish architect.

Jin HaPeter.

Michael Haynie, Charissa Hogeland, Bre Jackson, Mykal Kilgore, Billy Lewis Jr., Justin Gregory Lopez, Angel Lozada, Vince Oddo, Kyle Taylor Parker, Joel Perez, Jonah Platt, Conor Ryan, Christina Sajous, and Justin Snipes were Matthew Sargent, Heath Saunders, Joey Taranto, Syndee Winters, and Lauren Zakrin are among those who have appeared on the show.

  • Lane, Terk Lewis, Mayte Natalio, Sarah Parker, Willie Smith III, Maleek Washington, and many more.
  • Matt Rohde is in charge of the keyboard.
  • Jamey Tate plays the drums.
  • Jason Jackson plays the trombone.
  • Julia Jones is the concertmaster.
  • Gina Dyches, Ally Jenkins, Jessie Montgomery (principal), Yumi Oshima, and Ina Paris perform on violin II.
  • Andrew Borkowski (principal), Patrice Jackson-Tilghman, and Adele Stein are cellists.
  • In the first act, there is an overture called Heaven on Their Minds.
  • Hosanna Simon Zealotes / Jerusalem in Poverty Pilate’s Nightmare The Temple is a religious building in the city of Jerusalem.
  • The Garden of Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) Transition The Retainment Peter’s Refusal to Acknowledge Pilate and the Crucifixion The Song of King Herod Could we perhaps re-start the transition after Herod’s death?

Judas’s Execution in the Presence of Pilate (Including The 39 Lashes) Superstar The Crucifixion is a historical event that took place in the year 1520. John 19:41 – The Final Curtain

Audio Production Information

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber served as executive producers. Harvey Mason, Jr. was in charge of the album’s production. Andrew Hey was in charge of recording. Derik Lee contributed to the additional engineering. Andrew Hey andHarvey Mason, Jr. mixed the track in Jungle City in New York City. In addition, Hundredup Studio in Los Angeles provided further mixing. Daniel Alba and Oscar Zambrano of Zampol Productions in New York City were in charge of mastering. Nigel Wright is the music director.

  • Michael Aarons is the music coordinator for the show.
  • Danielle Engen is a journalist.
  • Haley Bennett is the Associate Music Coordinator.
  • The ensemble cast.

Historical Notes from a Fan

During the song What’s The Buzz, John Legend appears in the role of Jesus Christ. (Image courtesy of NBCUniversal Media, LLC 2018) There’s nothing quite like live television when it comes to entertainment. With no retakes and just a limited opportunity to interrupt production in the case of a hiccup, it instills a sense of anticipation in the viewer. Everything appears to be capable of occurring at any time. Live musicals, notably in the United States, used to be a significant element of television programming at one point in time.

With as many stars and as many under-rehearsed production numbers as the networks could conjure, ‘Spectaculars’ became the trend.” While such masterpieces as Mary Martin’s star act in Peter Pan littered the landscape of the 1950s and 1960s, throughout the following decades, the focus switched to professionally shot (and edited) performances as opposed to real live presentations.

  1. NBC chairman Robert Greenblatt joined forces with producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, through their company Storyline Entertainment, to bring The Sound of Music Live!
  2. Carrie Underwood played Maria von Trapp in the live production, which premiered in December 2013.
  3. received a mixed reception from critics, but the ratings didn’t lie: with a total of 18.62 million live viewers (excluding those who watched on DVR later or those who watched encore presentations), The Sound of Music Live!
  4. Zadan and Meron were contracted to create other live musicals for NBC in the future, since the network had made up its mind that it wanted more from the show.

(Image courtesy of NBCUniversal Media, LLC 2018) According to Greenblatt, the formula was straightforward: choose a recognizable title (preferably a Broadway classic that is family-friendly and features a lot of familiar songs), cast it with appropriate stars and supporting talent culled from both television (especially if they already had NBC ties) and the theater district, broadcast it as a special holiday event, and (hopefully) profit.

  • NBC’s live productions included Peter Pan Live!
  • (with Common, Amber Riley, Uzo Aduba, Ne-Yo, David Alan Grier, Mary J.
  • (with Harvey Fierstein, Kristin Chenoweth, Jennifer Hudson, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Sean Hayes, and Rosie O’Donnell).
  • (which was a huge success) and A Christmas Story Live!
  • Fox, a network best known in the United States for being morally — and politically, in its reporting — conservative, decided to cash in on the live musical format by airing a television special calledThe Passion in spring 2016.
  • The event, which included a combination of live and pre-recorded pieces broadcast from New Orleans and featured music talents Jencarlos Canela, Prince Royce, Trisha Yearwood, Chris Daughtry, and Seal, as well as Tyler Perry presenting and narrating, had a mixed reception.
  • They also pointed out that, despite its implied connection to recent live musicals, it was not truly live and that its format was dissimilar to a traditional stage musical, among other things.

(Image courtesy of NBCUniversal Media, LLC 2018) NBC, a subsidiary of Universal (which owns the film rights toJesus Christ Superstar), should have gone head-to-head with Fox by presentingJCS, either as a rebroadcast of any of the existing films/video or as a live special, which would almost certainly have destroyed Fox’s derivative dreck in terms of ratings.

Because of Jennifer Lopez’s hectic schedule, NBC’s planned live Christmas production of Bye Bye Birdie was postponed, leading many in the theatrical industry to speculate whether the network would abandon live musicals entirely.

That’s why it came as a huge surprise when NBC announced at their annual upfront presentation in spring 2017 that they would present JCS as their next live musical event, which would air the following Easter Sunday.

Additionally, in addition to the regular team of Zadan and Meron, Marc Platt, a well-known producer and Universal executive who had announced a film remake of JCS on his slate ten years prior, as well as the musical’s creators Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber themselves, would be joining the executive producing unit.

  • (Image courtesy of NBCUniversal Media, LLC 2018) “We want to fill out this iconic show with as many recording artists as possible to give appropriate voice to what is the original rock opera score,” Greenblatt said at the time.
  • As stated on the JCS Zone forum, this reviewer feels that they are searching for rockers and that anyone who believes them has suffered a terrible fall off of their pedestal.
  • Things went quiet immediately following this initial announcement, however.
  • After then, the only fresh information was a brief excerpt from a video interview with Zadan and Meron for a Broadway news website, in which they stated that JCS will be “different” (how informative).

(Image courtesy of NBCUniversal Media, LLC 2018) However, the quiet was broken in early December with the news of the first casting announcement: Alice Cooper, who had previously played King Herod in the 1996 studio recording that accompanied the first West End revival of JCS, would be reprising the role.

The same day, David Leveaux was announced as the show’s director, a surprising choice given his mixed track record with revivals (his Ninewith Antonio Banderas was decent, but his Fiddler on the Roofwith Alfred Molina was ghastly and packed with “change for the sake of change”) and the fact that the show was now being billed as a concert, whereas Leveaux was best known for serious narrative.

  1. They did, however, concede that casting a performer of color as Christ was a risky decision given the political context in which the United States was operating at the time.
  2. An announcement for the character of Mary Magdalene was made a month later, with Sara Bareilles, the creator and star of the Broadway smash play Waitress and a global success as a singer/songwriter in her own right, being cast.
  3. Following this news, the first teaser trailer for the film was presented on NBC during the broadcast of that year’s Golden Globe Awards, which aired immediately afterwards.
  4. (Image courtesy of NBCUniversal Media, LLC 2018) At this moment, the rumor mill, which had previously been unusually quiet, began to churn in full force, with the most of it focusing on Judas’s pivotal position in the plot.
  5. Luis Fonsi is the voice behind the hit radio song “Despacito,” according to Riedel.

Given that Easter was just two months away and that no more members of the cast had been named and that no one had been reported to be rehearsing, it’s no surprise that speculation was taking over (previous efforts by NBC had taken as little as three months and as long as a year and a half to rehearse).

As of mid- to late-February, the full cast had been announced, and it included numerous Broadway stars, including Brandon Victor Dixon (Hamilton), Jin Ha, and Norm Lewis among the leads, as well as Swedish hard rock/heavy metal singer-guitarist Erik Grönwall and television personalities Ben Daniels, Joel Perez (The Voice), Jason Tam, and Lauren Zakrin, among others.

Camille A.

JCS fans were treated to an exclusive first look at the production design at the Paley Center for Media in New York City at the end of February, which was streamed live on Facebook.

In keeping with her usual style, Alice Cooper demonstrated a strong understanding of Herod; John Legend’s unnecessarily flippant (some referred to it as “douchey,” while others observed that it “spoke volumes about ego” in response to an audience member’s question about whether or not any of the original stars had been consulted for their input on the special was more disconcerting.

Choir!

The Crucifixion is a historical event.

Technical aspects were certainly impressive: as many as twelve cameras were used in the production of the special, and the on-camera audience numbered more than 1,500 people, with some of the extras lining the stage’s two sides, creating a “mosh pit” effect.

After a month since its premiere, the more-than-casualJCSfans are still divided on whether it was merely mediocre (not the best production, but with some good moments in terms of design and casting) or downright terrible.

Having been publicly and privately chastised on social media for daring to express a mixed reaction to the broadcast (at best), this reviewer will take the high road and avoid any discussion whatsoever of either the broadcast itself or the performances featured in it.

In the words of a friend of the reviewer, people who had never seen or heard it before had messaged her to express their enjoyment and inquire as to how it compared to The Brown Album or the movie, among other things.

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