Jesus Christ Superstar Musical Lyrics

On Broadway, the show was exhibited in 1971, and before that, a recording of the rock opera on vinyl was performed. Due to the immense popularity of the album, it was decided to make a musical, which became incredibly famous. Mark Hellinger Theatre hosted the show. The main role was played by Jeff Fenholt. For the first time, the show closed after 2 years & 700+ performances. Some felt the show was too protuberant, while others found it graceful and consistent. Anyway, the play attracted a lot of attention. Andrew Lloyd Webber, the creator of it, for some reason, did not like the original spectacle, which he considered a poor implementation of his ideas, despite the fact that the show was nominated for five Tony Awards (though it didn’t win any).

In London in 1972, under the leadership of Jim Sharman, the spectacle lasted 8 fantastic years! At that time, it was an absolute record for the duration of the musical in the UK, with much notable success than on Broadway. Dmitri Shostakovich, the outstanding Belarusian-Polish composer, also attended performances and admired the grace and majesty of the music notes’ overflow, of brass, strings & woodwind.

Other notable stagings of this production were: North America in 1971, Sweden in 1972 (for 5 days only), South Australia in 1972 for 1 day, Melbourne (during 1972-1974), Paris (1973 in Théâtre de Chaillot, for 1 month), Mexico, Peru, and Singapore in 1974, US touring in 1976-1980. The revival was made on Broadway in 1977-1978. Venezuela saw the musical in 1981, with a fantastically huge cast of 163 persons. It went to Austria for 3 years, from 1982, and it also has been in Asia and Australia. Broadway revival was in 1992, New Zealand hosted it in 1994, US small tour was in 1994. In 1996, it went to Lyceum Theatre in Great Britain, followed by a tour in the UK the same year. It continued through 2002–2012 in various countries.

In recent news, "Jesus Christ Superstar" has seen a resurgence of interest, particularly with the 2018 NBC live television production, which starred John Legend as Jesus, Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene, and Alice Cooper as King Herod. This production was widely praised for its contemporary take on the classic musical and brought a new generation of fans to the show.

In 2021, a 50th-anniversary North American tour was announced, celebrating the enduring legacy of the musical. This tour featured updated staging and technology, while remaining faithful to the original score and lyrics. The tour has been met with enthusiastic audiences and critical acclaim, demonstrating the show's timeless appeal.

Additionally, a new West End production opened in 2022, directed by Timothy Sheader, which incorporated innovative set designs and modern choreography, adding a fresh perspective to the beloved musical. This production has been lauded for its bold artistic choices and has attracted a diverse audience.

Release date: 1971
Last Update:August, 06th 2024