Great Performances: Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert showcases the iconic rock opera featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Rocky Mountain PBS presents the 2018 Emmy Award-winning production Saturday, December 7 at 9pm. EGOT winner John Legend leads the cast as Jesus Christ with Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene and rock legend Alice Cooper as King Herod.
The musical recounts the biblical story of the final weeks of Jesus’ life, focusing on the relationship between Jesus and Judas (Brandon Victor Dixon). When Judas turns on his teacher, his fateful decision sets both men on a path to tragedy.
Originally conceived as a 1970 concept album, “Jesus Christ Superstar” hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1971 and made its Broadway debut that year, earning five Tony nominations. Considered a classic, the musical became a staple of theater and music organizations throughout the world, including 2000 and 2012 Broadway productions that each earned a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Musical.
Notable Talent:
- John Legend – Musician and EGOT winner, earned an Emmy Award for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, multiple GRAMMY Awards, an Oscar for Best Original Song and a Tony Award for co-producing “Jitney.”
- Sara Bareilles – EMMY Award nominee for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, Seven-time GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter, actor, composer and lyricist of Tony-nominated Broadway musical “Waitress.”
- Alice Cooper – Three-time GRAMMY-nominated Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, known as “The Godfather of Shock Rock.”
- Brandon Victor Dixon – EMMY Award nominee for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, Tony-nominated actor for Broadway’s “Shuffle Along,” starred as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton” and Berry Gordy in “Motown the Musical.”
- Norm Lewis – Tony-nominated actor for Broadway’s “Porgy and Bess.” Recently appeared in the Broadway revival of “Once on This Island,” and was the first African American actor to play the title role in “The Phantom of the Opera.”
- Andrew Lloyd Webber – Legendary composer and EGOT winner, earned an Emmy Award for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, three-time GRAMMY winner, including two awards for Best Cast Show Album (“Evita” and “Cats”), an Oscar for Best Original Song (“You Must Love Me”) and seven-time Tony winner, including three awards for Best Original Musical Score (“Evita,” “Cats” and “Sunset Boulevard”), three for Best Musical (“Cats,” “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Sunset Boulevard”) and one special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement.
- Tim Rice – Legendary lyricist and EGOT winner, earned an Emmy Award for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, three Tony Awards (two for “Evita” and one for “Aida”) three Oscars (“Evita,” “The Lion King” and “Aladdin”) and five GRAMMY Awards.
Song List:
“Overture”
“Heaven on Their Minds”
“What’s the Buzz?”
“Strange Thing Mystifying”
“Everything’s Alright”
“This Jesus Must Die”
“Hosanna”
“Simon Zealots/Poor Jerusalem”
“Pilate’s Dream”
“The Temple”
“Everything’s Alright (Reprise)”
“I Don’t Know How to Love Him”
“Damned for All Time/Blood Money”
“The Last Supper”
“Gethsemane”
“The Arrest”
“Peter’s Denial”
“Pilate and Christ/King Herod’s Song”
“Could We Star Again, Please?”
“Judas’s Death”
“Trial Before Pilate/39 Lashes”
“Superstar”
“Crucifixion”
“John 19:41”
Series Overview:
Throughout its more than 40-year history on PBS, Great Performances has provided viewers across the country with an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming. The series is produced by THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET. WNET is one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers.
Watch more Great Performances productions at pbs.org/gperf.
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