Not long it was announced that rock singer (and Christian) Alice Cooper would play Herod in a live version of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” airing on April 1, Easter Sunday, on NBC, Oscar-, Grammy- and Tony-winning singer/songwriter John Legend has joined the cast in the title role.
The 1970 rock opera — with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice — is loosely based on the Gospels and chronicles the last few days of Christ’s life. This three-hour telecast will originate from the Marcy Armory stage in Brooklyn.
Ted Neeley played Jesus in the 1973 film version (and married one of the dancers). He followed Jeff Fenholt, who played the role on Broadway (and later converted to evangelical Christianity). Both sported long, fair hair and an impressive rock-singing range.
Here’s a bit of Neeley in the movie (which was shot on location in the Holy Land):
Here’s a taste of Legend (with Common):
The most high-profile performers to play the role of Judas have been Ben Vereen on Broadway; and Carl Anderson, who died in 2004, both on Broadway and in the movie. Vereen and Anderson had significant singing and acting stage careers. Vereen is also a prolific TV actor; and Anderson released many jazz and soul recordings.
There’s been no announcement yet who’ll play Judas, but it would seem they’d want someone who’s a vocal contrast to Legend, known as a smooth R&B and pop crooner. Let the fantasy casting begin.
If he can act, I think Filipino singer Arnel Pineda, who went from YouTube to lead singer of Journey, would be amazing.
I’m also interested to see who will play Mary Magadalene. Hawaii native Yvonne Elliman played the role both on Broadway and in the movie. She also possessed a unique voice with a wistful, folky quality — very unlike many Broadway performers.
Here’s her signature song:
They’ll also need a Mary that can hold her own against Legend, who brings impressive musical and acting chops. But the casting is, so far, off to a good start.
From The Los Angeles Times:
“Just woke up to Andrew LLoyd Webber tweeting about me. It’s a good day,” the “All of Me” singer said Tuesday on social media, forwarding a message from the man behind the original musical’s music.
“We are thrilled to have @johnlegend join us as Jesus for @JCSTheMusical Live! this Easter #TeamALW,” said Webber. He, Legend and lyricist Tim Rice are among the executive producers on NBC’s version.
“This score demands a singer with an amazing range and an actor with great depth, and there isn’t anyone better to bring this story to a new audience,” NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt said in a statement. “His casting is also groundbreaking as the traditional image of Christ will be seen in a new way.”
And from Entertainment Weekly:
The original musical, based on the final week of Jesus’ life, opened on Broadway in 1971, and Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who wrote it, will executive produce the event.
“John Legend is a superstar,” Rice said in a statement. “As a performer, his voice is infectious and effortless. As an actor, he is believable and honest. I’m thrilled he will be able to share his portrayal of Jesus with the world.”
While we know that Cooper is now a Christian, Legend’s faith is a more complicated question. In an interview a few years ago, he said:
I have my issues with faith nowadays. I grew up in a religious home, but I’m not religious right now. But I’m trying to get back in touch with the things that were good about the faith that I grew up with.
I never lost the sense of moral compass. I never lost the sense that the world is bigger than just me, and that there’s more to life than just me as an individual, that there’s a lot more. And I try to live that way now, and I think I was influenced by my religious upbringing in that sense. I was taught that.
As I wrote about previously, Cooper made a long journey from faith to hedonism and back to faith again. Wherever someone is at any point in time, remember that only God knows how the story ends.
Image: Courtesy Air Force Reserve Command/Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr., 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
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