NEW YORK - Masterworks Broadway is excited to announce today's release of four tracks from Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert – Original Soundtrack of the NBC Television Event, in advance of the production's broadcast. NBC's highly anticipated special event "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert," with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, will air Easter Sunday, April 1, from 8-10:15 p.m. ET from the Marcy Armory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, N.Y.
"Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)" by John Legend, "I Don't Know How to Love Him" by Sara Bareilles, "Superstar" by Brandon Victor Dixon and the "Overture" are now available for repeat listening via all digital service providers. Aside from these four songs, the remainder of the soundtrack will be taken from the live event and released digitally April 6 and on a two-CD set April 27.
The all-star cast features Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony and 10-time Grammy winner John Legend (Jesus Christ), Broadway star and acclaimed recording artist Sara Bareilles (Mary Magdalene), rock icon Alice Cooper (King Herod) and Tony Award-winning producer and "Hamilton" alum Brandon Victor Dixon (Judas). The stellar cast also includes Tony nominee Ben Daniels (Pontius Pilate), Tony nominee Norm Lewis (Caiaphas), Broadway veteran Jason Tam (Peter), "M. Butterfly" star Jin Ha (Annas) and Swedish rock star Erik Gronwall (Simon Zealotes).
The production will be helmed by esteemed British theatre director David Leveaux. 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").
"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.
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "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, Tim Rice, Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Really Useful Group, Marc Platt Productions and Zadan/Meron Productions.
