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What's the Buzz? Full Company Announced for NBC's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE IN CONCERT

By: Feb. 23, 2018
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What's the Buzz? Full Company Announced for NBC's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE IN CONCERT  Image

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier this week, Tony Award-winning producer, "Hamilton" alum and "Power" co-star Brandon Victor Dixon will star as Judas and join an already stellar cast in NBC's highly anticipated special event "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert," to be aired Easter Sunday, April 1 from the Marcy Armory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, N.Y. Also joining the cast are Tony nominee Ben Daniels as Pontius Pilate, Tony nominee Norm Lewis as Caiaphas, Broadway veteran Jason Tam as Peter, "M. Butterfly" star Jin Ha as Annas and Swedish rock star Erik Gronwall as Simon Zealotes.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that the ensemble will include: Melody Betts, Felicia Boswell, Abby Corrigan, Micaela Diamond, Rory Donovan, Christine Dwyer, Mike Evariste, F. Michael Haynie, Charissa Hogeland, Bre Jackson, Mykal Kilgore, Billy Lewis Jr., Joel Perez, Justin Gregory Lopez, Angel Lozada, Vince Oddo, Kyle Taylor Parker, Jonah Platt, Conor Ryan, Christina Sajous, Justin Matthew Sargent, Heath Saunders, Joey Taranto, Syndee Winters, and Lauren Zakrin.

Dancers will be: Chloe Davis, Timothy Edwards, Shelby Finnie, Bahiyah Hibah, Juel D. Lane, Terk Lewis, Mayte Natalio , Sarah Parker, Tre Smith, and Maleek Washington.

Rounding out the full, award-winning creative team is Emmy Award-winning live television director and executive producer Alex Rudzinski ("Hairspray Live!," "Dancing With the Stars"), Emmy- and Tony Award-winning costumer designer Paul Tazewell ("The Wiz Live!," "Hamilton"), Grammy Award-winning music producer Harvey Mason Jr. ("The Wiz Live!"), musical director Nigel Wright ("Jesus Christ Superstar" world arena tour), production designer Jason Ardizzone-West ("Adele Live in NYC") and choreographer Camille A. Brown ("Once on This Island").

As previously announced, "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert," a staged version of the original rock musical, will be executive produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, John Legend, Mike Jackson, Ty Stiklorius and Alex Rudzinski.

Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony and 10-time Grammy winner John Legend has been cast as Jesus Christ, with Broadway star and acclaimed recording artist Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene. In addition, rock icon Alice Cooper will take on the role of King Herod. The production will be helmed by esteemed British theatre director David Leveaux.

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.

"Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" will be produced by Universal Television, The Really Useful Group, Marc Platt Productions and Zadan/Meron Productions.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos




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