Volume II of All-Female JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Concept Album to be Released This Week

This spring a thirty-two-woman cast and orchestra released She Is Risen: Volume I,an EP of five songs from Jesus Christ Superstar featuring powerful performances from Broadway veterans Shoshana Bean, Cynthia Erivo, Morgan James, and Orfeh, as well as a show-stopping ensemble track led by twelve-time Grammy nominated singer Ledisi. On September 18, we will see the release of She Is Risen: Volume II, the hotly awaited follow-up that brings together the extraordinary team that made the first volume a resounding success.

The journey began over three years ago. In January of 2017, an outstanding group of female performers joined forces to deliver a concert of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar to a sold-out audience at New York's Highline Ballroom. Directed by Richard Amelius, that jaw-dropping performance left fans clamoring for an audio recording of the show. In April of 2020, the first volume was released, andShe Is Risen: Volume II continues to tell this epic story.

She Is Risen: Volume II opens with"Everything's Alright," featuring Tony Award Winner Cynthia Erivo as Mary, Shoshana Bean as Judas, and Morgan James as Jesus. The second track, the ominous "This Jesus Must Die," is sung by Tony Award Winner Debbie Gravitte (Jerome Robbins' Broadway,Chicago), Bryonha Marie Parham (After Midnight,Prince of Broadway), Ann Harada (Avenue Q,Cinderella), Tamika Lawrence (Beautiful,Come From Away), and Ellyn Marie Marsh (Pretty Woman,Kinky Boots.) Track three is the raucous "King Herod's Song" performed by alt-cabaret provocateur Bridget Everett, followed by "Could We Start Again, Please?" led by Eden Espinosa (Wicked,Brooklyn) as Peter, Marva Hicks (The Lion King,Caroline Or Change) as Mother Mary, and backed by a youth choir from A Broader Way. The album closes with the 11 o'clock number, "Superstar," sung by Shoshana Bean and company.

"I am really thrilled to release She Is Risen: Volume IIthis month in what is the 50th anniversary of the release of Jesus Christ Superstar. The women featured are so incredibly special and all stars in their own right, and hearing them all come together in such pure collaboration is truly empowering," said James. "This score never gets old to me - and it's somehow even more thrilling with female voices."

Toohey was also delighted at the continuation of the project. "In this next series of songs, we dive deeper into the incredible Jesus Christ Superstar score," she said. "It was so much fun working with Bridget Everett. She had us howling at the studio with her interpretation of King Herod. Marva Hicks' new take on "Could We Start Again" is stunning and Debbie Gravitte's Caiaphas is perfectly maniacal."

Based on the groundbreaking concept album celebrating its 50th anniversary this September,Jesus Christ Superstar was composed by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Sir Tim Rice. The She Is Risen project was helmed by executive producers Richard Amelius, Torya Beard, Morgan James, and Dawn Kamerling; album producers Morgan James and Meg Toohey; engineers Vira Byramji and Hannah Tobias, with mixing and mastering by Rachel Alina.

Both albums can be purchased or streamed across all major platforms.