NewsPHOTO ARCHIVE: Jesus Christ Superstar on Stage and ScreenThe new Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Jesus Christ Superstar begins previews March 1. Playbill.com looks back at a number of past stage and screen adaptations of the rock opera.
By
Matthew Blank
February 29, 2012
Superstar first came to life as a 1970 double LP, which is credited as the birth of the musical theatre concept recording. The show opened at Broadway's Mark Hellinger Theatre in October 1971. Director Tom O'Horgan's cast featured Jeff Fenholt as Jesus, Ben Vereen as Judas and Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene.
It received Broadway revivals in 1977 (starring William Daniel Grey and Patrick Jude) and 2000 (with Glenn Carter and Tony Vincent). Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson starred in the 1973 film adaptation, which was directed by Norman Jewison and shot on location in Israel.
Superstar has been staged all around the world regularly over the last 40 years.
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PHOTO ARCHIVE: Jesus Christ Superstar on Stage and Screen
Directed by Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, The Who's Tommy), Jesus Christ Superstar was a critical hit at the Stratford Festival, where it played an extended, sold-out run last summer. It transferred to the La Jolla Playhouse for an engagement through Dec. 31. Superstar will officially open on Broadway March 22.
The work was initially conceived a stadium event, according to current director McAnuff, whose new production straddles Christ's historic rise as a religious phenomenon and contemporary media sensationalism, through the incorporation of news tickers. The cinematic staging puts focus on the multi-layered emotional triangle between Jesus Christ, Judas Iscariot and Mary Madgelene.
Superstar has choreography by Lisa Shriver, musical direction by Rick Fox, set design by Robert Brill, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy and video design by Sean Nieuwenhuis.
Dodger Properties and the Really Useful Group produce the Broadway production.
For tickets visit Ticketmaster, or phone (877) 250-2929.
The production will include Bernstein’s incidental music for Lillian Hellman’s adaptation of The Lark, and Menotti’s The Unicorn, The Gorgon, and The Manticore.