Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | |
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Genre | |
Based on |
Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice |
Directed by |
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Starring | |
Composer(s) | Andrew Lloyd Webber |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
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Production location(s) |
Marcy Avenue Armory, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City, New York |
Running time | 140 minutes |
Production company(s) |
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Release | |
Original network | NBC |
Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) |
Original release | April 1, 2018 |
Chronology | |
Preceded by | Hairspray Live! |
Followed by | Hair Live! |
External links | |
Official website |
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert is an American musical television special that was broadcast live on NBC on April 1, 2018 (Easter Sunday). Executive produced by Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, and Marc Platt, it was a staged concert performance of the 1970 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar.
Description and plot
The musical is almost entirely sung-through, with a minimal to no amount of spoken dialogue. The plot is loosely based on the Canonical Gospels' accounts of the last week of the life of Jesus Christ, beginning with the preparation for the arrival of Jesus and his disciples in Jerusalem and ending with the crucifixion.
The apostle Judas Iscariot is worried that Jesus has become too swept up in the adoration of his followers, rather than focusing on his teachings about taking care of the poor, and that his following has grown too large and outspoken, which could soon provoke the wrath of the Roman empire ("Heaven on Their Minds"). Judas also object to Jesus spending his time with Mary Magdalene ("What's the Buzz / Strange Thing Mystifying"), who advises Jesus to relax ("Everything's All Right"). Judas's fears prove justified as priests Caiaphas, Annas and more gather and agree that Jesus and his movement must be crushed ("This Jesus Must Die"). Jesus enters Jerusalem filled with exaltation ("Hosanna") until he discovers that his temple has become overrun with unscrupulous merchants and money lenders. Overwhelmed by a throng of people needing his assistance, he tells them to heal themselves, and his follower Mary Magdalene attempts to calm him. Fearing that Jesus' movement is getting out of control, Judas goes to the Priests and tells them where Jesus will be the following night. The Priests pay him with 30 pieces of silver. Judas arrives at Jesus' location with Roman soldiers and identifies Jesus by kissing him on the cheek. The soldiers arrest Jesus and send him to Caiaphas, then Pontius Pilate, King Herod, and finally back to Pilate, who condemns him to death on the cross.
Cast and characters
Main
- John Legend as Jesus Christ
- Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene
- Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas Iscariot
- Alice Cooper as King Herod
- Norm Lewis as Caiaphas
- Ben Daniels as Pontius Pilate
- Jason Tam as Peter
- Jin Ha as Annas
- Erik Grönwall as Simon Zealotes
Ensemble
- 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.
- Justin Gregory Lopez
- Angel Lozada
- Vince Oddo
- Kyle Taylor Parker
- Joel Perez
- Jonah Platt
- Conor Ryan
- Christina Sajous
- Justin Matthew Sargent
- Heath Saunders
- Joey Taranto
- Syndee Winters
- Lauren Zakrin
Dancers
- Chloe Davis
- Timothy Edwards
- Shelby Finnie
- Bahiyah Hibah
- Juel D. Lane
- Terk Lewis
- Mayte Natalio
- Sarah Parker
- Willie Smith III
- Maleek Washington
Musical numbers
The musical numbers from the track list of the soundtrack.[1]
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Production
Development
On May 10, 2017, it was announced that NBC had selected Jesus Christ Superstar to be their next live musical event. Executive producers were expected to include Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Marc Platt, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Tim Rice.[2][3][4] In December 2017, it was reported that British theater director David Leveaux would direct[5] and that the show would be performed in front of a live audience at the Marcy Avenue Armory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.[6]
Members of the creative crew included costume designer Paul Tazewell and choreographer Camille A. Brown.[7]
Casting
In December 2017, it was announced that Alice Cooper had been cast as King Herod[5] and John Legend had been cast in the title role of Jesus Christ.[6] The following month, it was announced that Sara Bareilles would play Mary Magdalene.[8] In February 2018, it was announced that Brandon Victor Dixon, Norm Lewis, Ben Daniels, Jason Tam, Jin Ha and Erik Grönwall had been cast as Judas, Caiaphas, Pontius Pilate, Peter, Annas and Simon Zealotes, respectively.[9][10][11]
The production included a cast of forty-four actors, including Joel Perez and Lauren Zakrin, and additional dancers.[12][13][14]
Filming
The live production included an on-camera audience of about 1,500 people. Some of these extras lined two sides of the stage and formed a mosh pit effect.[15] The production was expected to utilize as many as twelve cameras to film the special.[12] In addition, a full dress rehearsal performance took place on Saturday, March 31, 2018 in front of an invited audience and was recorded. In the event of any difficulties during the live broadcast, the recording served as an emergency backup. It was ultimately not needed.[16]
Marketing
On January 7, 2018, NBC aired the first teaser trailer for the special during their broadcast of the 75th Golden Globe Awards.[17]
Reception
Critical response
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response from critics since it aired. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the production holds a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.5 out of 10 based on 23 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Shaking up traditional religious and musical iconography, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert is a sight to be heard, superbly infiltrating the classic source material with originality, rock legend star power, and soulful depth."[18] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the production a score of 81 out of 100 based on 13 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[19]
In a positive review, The New York Times's Noel Murray praised the special saying, "A conceptual and artistic triumph, NBC’s live telecast of Jesus Christ Superstar on Easter Sunday may have finally justified the recent live musical fad on network TV. Some technical flubs and one mixed-bag lead performance aside, the production was genuinely thrilling, taking chances with the staging of a classic but controversial Broadway show, much more daring than previous live musical broadcasts like The Sound of Music or Peter Pan."[20] Offering similar acclaim, The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney said, "But here's the thing: This was a phenomenally balanced production of Jesus Christ Superstar, in which star power was equaled by depth of feeling and characterization in all the principals. And the immediacy of television, with close-ups capable of bringing us in tight on the performers' faces, gave Jesus and Mary Magdalene a complexity that often is missing from conventional productions."[21] Lorraine Ali of The Los Angeles Times also lauded the production saying, "The show was a collision of religion and theater and pop culture that could have been one holy mess. But by the grace of God, or maybe a great cast and lots and lots of expert staging, a great musical became a great TV production."[22] In a more mixed review, Maureen Ryan of Variety said, "This musical threw together glitter, sequins, leather, writhing hotties, a few big performances pitched to the last row, and camerawork that often felt as though it was hopped up on too many lattes. Actually, the ragged edges of a unifying concept did emerge over the course of the NBC musical’s two-hour-and-20-minute running time: If its philosophy could be summed up in one word, “excess” would just about cover it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But this live show was a lot."[23]
Ratings
The production was watched by a total of 9.6 million viewers and earned a 1.7 rating in adults 18-49 in Live + Same Day.[24] It was the most-viewed program of the night of both network and cable programming.[25]
Awards and nominations
Other media
Andrew Lloyd Webber: Tribute to a Superstar
On March 28, 2018, a one-hour special titled Andrew Lloyd Webber: Tribute to a Superstar premiered on NBC in honor of Webber's 70th birthday and to promote the coming premiere of Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. In the special, Webber was interviewed by Glenn Close, John Legend, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. It also included appearances by some of the performers from Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert in various rehearsal scenes from the show.[28]
The special was executive produced and directed by Brad Lachman and written and produced by Matt Lachman. Interviews were conducted at Sardi's restaurant, Power Station recording studio, and the Renaissance Hotel Times Square. Production companies involved in the special included Brad Lachman Productions and Universal Television.[29][30]
Soundtrack
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (Original Soundtrack of the NBC Television Event) | |
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Soundtrack album by Original Television Cast of Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | |
Released | April 6, 2018 |
Recorded | 2018 |
Genre | Soundtrack |
Length | 1:35:38 |
Label | Sony Masterworks |
An official soundtrack was released by Sony Masterworks, digitally on April 6, 2018, and physically on April 27, 2018.[31]
Track listing
All music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Overture" | 4:29 |
2. | "Heaven on Their Minds" | 4:30 |
3. | "What's The Buzz / Strange Thing Mystifying" | 4:22 |
4. | "Everything's Alright" | 4:05 |
5. | "This Jesus Must Die" | 3:36 |
6. | "Hosanna" | 2:59 |
7. | "Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem" | 5:12 |
8. | "Pilate's Dream" | 1:48 |
9. | "The Temple" | 5:17 |
10. | "Everything's Alright (Reprise)" | 0:40 |
11. | "I Don't Know How to Love Him" | 3:40 |
12. | "Damned for All Time / Blood Money" | 4:33 |
13. | "The Last Supper" | 7:10 |
14. | "Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)" | 5:44 |
15. | "Transition" | 0:22 |
16. | "The Arrest" | 4:02 |
17. | "Peter's Denial" | 0:38 |
18. | "Pilate and Christ" | 2:58 |
19. | "King Herod's Song" | 3:22 |
20. | "Transition After Herod" | 0:39 |
21. | "Could We Start Again, Please?" | 2:35 |
22. | "Judas's Death" | 4:54 |
23. | "Trial Before Pilate (Including The 39 Lashes)" | 6:19 |
24. | "Superstar" | 4:34 |
25. | "The Crucifixion" | 1:48 |
26. | "John Nineteen: Forty One" | 2:48 |
27. | "Curtain Call" | 2:34 |
Total length: | 1:35:38 |
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 46 on the US Billboard 200[32], earning 13,000 album-equivalent units in its first week according to Nielsen Music, with over 11,000 units coming from traditional album sales.[33] It also debuted at number 3 the same week on the Soundtracks chart[34], as well as at number 14 on the Top Album Sales chart.[35]
Charts
Chart (2018) | Peak position |
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US Billboard 200[32] | 46 |
US Billboard Top Soundtracks[34] | 3 |
US Billboard Top Album Sales[35] | 14 |
See also
- 2018 in American television
- The Passion, a 2016 television special on Fox
References
- ↑ "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (Original Soundtrack of the NBC Television Event) by Original Television Cast of Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert on Apple Music". iTunes. April 6, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
- ↑ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (May 10, 2017). "'Jesus Christ Superstar' Set as NBC's Next Live Musical". Variety.com. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ↑ Gans, Andrew (May 10, 2017). "NBC Will Broadcast Jesus Christ Superstar Live! - Playbill". Playbill.com. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ↑ James Hibberd (May 10, 2017), "Jesus Christ Superstar is NBC's next live musical", Entertainment Weekly
- 1 2 Pedersen, Erik (December 8, 2017). "'Jesus Christ Superstar Live!': Alice Cooper to Play King Herod; David Leveaux Directs". Deadline. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
- 1 2 White, Peter (December 19, 2017). "John Legend To Play Jesus In NBC's 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!'". Deadline. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ↑ Littleton, Cynthia (February 28, 2018). "Music and Audience Take Center Stage in NBC's 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert'". Variety. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (January 6, 2018). "'Jesus Christ Superstar': Sara Bareilles To Play Mary Magdalene In NBC Live Staging". Deadline. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
- ↑ Clement, Olivia (February 22, 2018). "Hamilton's Brandon Victor Dixon to Star as Judas In NBC's Live Jesus Christ Superstar | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ↑ Boedeker, Hal (February 2, 2018). "'Jesus Christ Superstar': Norm Lewis to play Caiaphas". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
- ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray (February 22, 2018). "'Hamilton' Star Brandon Victor Dixon To Star As Judas In NBC's 'Jesus Christ Superstar'". Deadline. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- 1 2 Dawn, Randee (March 28, 2018). "NBC's 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live' Blends the Crafts". Variety. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ↑ "Flip Through Our Exclusive Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert Playbill | Playbill". Playbill. March 30, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ↑ "Credits | NBCUniversal Media Village". NBCUniversal Media Village. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ↑ Zuckerman, Esther (March 29, 2018). "Can Jesus Christ Superstar Live Capture the Holy Grail?". Variety. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ↑ Brandt, Robert (April 3, 2018). "Drummer Jamey Tate Talks Jesus Christ Superstar Live". Prologix Percussion Blog. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- ↑ Hayes, Dade (January 8, 2018). "NBC Promo For 'Jesus Christ Superstar' Primes Viewers For Easter Music Miracle". Deadline. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ↑ "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
- ↑ "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ↑ Murray, Noel (April 2, 2018). "Review: In 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' an Old Story for (Yet Another) New Millennium". The New York Times. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- ↑ Rooney, David (April 1, 2018). "'Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- ↑ Ali, Lorraine (April 2, 2018). "NBC's 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live' shouldn't have worked. Here's why it did". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- ↑ Ryan, Maureen (April 1, 2018). "TV Review: 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert' on NBC". Variety. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (April 2, 2018). "'Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert' Tops 'American Idol' & 'The Passion' To Lead Easter Sunday Ratings – Update". Deadline. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (April 3, 2018). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.1.2018". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- 1 2 Hipes, Patrick (July 12, 2018). "Emmy Nominations: 'Game Of Thrones' Tops Noms, With Netflix & HBO Leading Way". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ↑ Littleton, Cynthia (September 9, 2018). "Anthony Bourdain, 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and 'Saturday Night Live' Win Big on Night 2 of Creative Arts Emmy Awards". Variety. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
- ↑ Fujishima, Kenji (March 28, 2018). "NBC to Air Andrew Lloyd Webber Tribute to a Superstar". TheatreMania. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ↑ "Watch Now! NBC Honors Andrew Lloyd Webber With 'Tribute to a Superstar'". Broadway World. March 29, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- ↑ Nassour, Elliot (March 26, 2018). "Andrew Lloyd Webber – theaterlife". Theater Life. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- ↑ Gans, Andrew (March 20, 2018). "Masterworks Broadway Will Release Recording of Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- 1 2 "Top 200 Albums | Billboard 200 chart". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ↑ Keith, Caulfield (April 19, 2018). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Elton John & Bernie Taupin Tribute Albums Debut in Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- 1 2 "Movie Soundtracks: Top Soundtrack Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- 1 2 "Top Album Sales : Page 1". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2018.