VIDEO: Craig Zadan and Neil Meron on JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, the Future of Live Musicals, and More

TV, film, and theatre producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have had a big year, having brought one of the most cherished Broadway musicals to living rooms everywhere this spring. Now they are talking all about how they made Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert happen in Deadline's latest edition of Behind the Lens.

Zadan and Meron are known for producing the Oscar-winning best picture Chicago. Their other pictures include Hairspray, The Bucket List, and Footloose. Most recently, Zadan and Meron sold a new original musical fantasy based off of the characters of Hans Christian Andersen to FOX 2000 in a substantial seven-figure deal. The pair have also produced SMASH, Hairspray Live, The Sound of Music Live, The Wiz Live, Promises Promises, and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

The NBC event was a one-of-a kind live staging of the iconic 1971 Broadway rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. The event was executive produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" was originally conceived as a concept album that hit #1 on the Billboard charts, and eventually 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 Tony Awards, including Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for Vereen. Lloyd Webber won a Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Composer.