TV: Rock Icon Alice Cooper Chats with Richard Ridge About His Upcoming Turn in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE!

Alice Cooper, a seminal figure in rock 'n' roll whose compelling stage presence has made him a must see for five decades, has been cast as the flamboyant King Herod in NBC's staged rock concert of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE! to be aired Easter Sunday, April 1. Recently, BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was able to chat with the rock legend about his upcoming role. watch to see what Alice had to say about the musical, his upcoming turn as Herod, and what he's doing to prep for the big live show!

"Alice Cooper, whose theatricality is the stuff of legend, is the perfect rock star to play Herod in our live production," said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. "Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice wrote a showstopping musical number for Herod and we all look forward to the 'King of Shock Rock' taking on the King of Judea. As the casting for 'Superstar' ramps up, we can feel the excitement building for this brand new concert experience of what has long been considered the original rock musical."

A Rock & Roll Hall of Famer who has sold more than 50 million records, Cooper has released 26 studio albums over his career, with nine reaching platinum or gold status. Two of his most popular albums, "Billion Dollar Babies" (1973) and "School's Out" (1972), reached #1 and #2, respectively, on the Billboard Albums chart. His latest album, "Paranormal," was released in mid-2017, receiving critical praise and topping charts worldwide. In December 2017, Cooper concluded his world concert tour covering over 100 shows on five continents. He recorded "King Herod's Song" at the request of Lloyd Webber and Rice for the 2000 release of a cast album from the 1996 production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" in the U.K.

Cooper's songs have been featured in countless soundtracks for film and TV as both a songwriter and singer, including most recently Netflix's "GLOW" and HBO's "Vinyl." As an actor, Cooper has appeared in more than two dozen productions, including films such as Tim Burton's remake of "Dark Shadows" and his iconic "we're not worthy" performance in "Wayne's World."

The "Jesus Christ Superstar" album hit #1 on the Billboard charts and made its way to the stage in 1971. It is based on the final week of Jesus' life. The 1971 musical opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway and starred Jeff Fenholt as Jesus and Ben Vereen.as Judas. It was nominated for five Tonys, including Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for Vereen. Lloyd Webber won a Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Composer.

Since then, the musical has been considered a classic and has become a staple of theatre and music organizations throughout the world. It has been performed in nearly 20 countries and translated into 18 different languages. There have been many revivals of "Jesus Christ Superstar" over the 46 years since its debut, including 2000 and 2012 Broadway versions that each earned a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Musical. The 1973 film was directed by Oscar winner Norman Jewison and starred Ted Neeley.