From executive producers Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron comes NBC's next live musical spectacular, the groundbreaking rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert starring John Legend as Jesus, Alice Cooper as Herod and Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene along with Tony® nominee Brandon Victor Dixon (Hamilton) as Judas Iscariot. This globally celebrated classic will air on NBC with a one-of-a-kind live staging on April 1, Easter Sunday, that's sure to amaze with jaw-dropping spectacle and an all-star cast of beloved recording artists.
Set during the final week of Jesus' life, the story is told from the perspective of infamous betrayer Judas Iscariot. As more and more followers flock to Jesus, Judas grows concerned that Jesus is becoming arrogant and losing sight of his principles. So when Jesus attacks the money changers in a temple, Judas finally turns on his teacher, setting both on a path to tragedy.
Conceived as a concept album, the original 1970 recording of Jesus Christ Superstar includes the hit songs "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "I Don t Know How to Love Him" and went to #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in 1971. It was nominated for three Grammy Awards®, including Album of the Year, and ranked number one in album sales on the year-end chart ahead of Carole King's massive hit Tapestry. The first Broadway production, starring Ben Vereen, opened in 1971 and garnered five Tony® nominations in addition to winning a Drama Desk Award for Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is also fondly remembered for the 1973 Golden Globe® and Academy Award® nominated film that featured a new song written for the Broadway production, "Could We Start Again, Please?" that will be included in the live broadcast and on the soundtrack.