Jesus Christ Superstar as an NBC Live Musical for Easter 2018

I wonder who will be starring in it?

 

Of course, but by airing it on Easter Sunday isn't NBC doing exactly that? Then again it'll be April 1st so...

 

Another answer is...there was no Easter back then. Chocolate bunnies had yet to be invented, and FORGET about finding any licorice jellybeans...!

 

The challenge with doing JCS is always getting people who can act but are capable of reasonably credible rock singing, not typical musical theatre singing. Getting a hard rock singer to sing Jesus the first time around set a difficult standard.

 

Easter is determined by the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon (first full moon on or after the spring equinox, calendar date March 21). So Easter falls between March 22 and April 25. So April 1st is early but not the earliest possible. It will be on April 25th in 2038 (70th anniversary of The White Album) but you will have to wait for 2285 to put on your Easter bonnet on March 22.

 

I had the great pleasure of being in a production of JCS several years ago as the apostle James. It was extremely fulfilling to have the opportunity to do an in depth study of the work and be able to perform it onstage.

The playhouse had negotiated several years for the musical and one of the stipulations was that advertisement could only extend a limited number of miles from the theatre.

We had several weekends of performances and it was an awesome experience.

The original album remains my favorite interpretation. I must admit it's still strange hearing Ian singing Deep Purple songs after identifying him so much with JCS.

 

The film sucks! That is why you don't show Norman Jewison's film, although there were some good scenes in the film.

It is for the same reason that you don't show Milos Forman's motion picture of the Broadway play Hair, It sucks as well.

What makes something that hasn't come out a stupid remake?

It is a live production of something that has already been a live production.

And I'm not referring to the B'way production. There were many, and far better, live productions both before and after Broadway.

I have seen some of them.

 

Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson from the Movie, recreated their rolls as Jesus and Judas in an excellent stage production between 1992 and 1997, grossing over 100-million dollars. I saw this production in Atlanta at the Theater where Gone With The Wind premiered.

Ted and Carl were friends, when Carl died of Cancer in 2004, Ted sang "Why Must I Die", at Carl's memorial service.

Ted has played Jesus in many stage productions through the years afterward,

 

The film doesn't suck. In my opinion it's a classic & it doesn't need to be crapped on, like both The Sound of Music and The Rocky Horror Picture show have been, in this idiotic and misguided attempt to remake them via live television.

 

The photography is quite good.

 

This could be interesting, depending on who they cast.

Here's a bit of trivia: Jesus Christ Superstar was twice consecutively nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys: the London production was nominated in 1972 (and lost to Tapestry by Carole King) and the Broadway soundtrack was nominated in 1973 (and lost to The Concert for Bangladesh).

 

Watched the 1973 film on Easter on Blu-ray, great movie, Ted Neeley and the rest of the cast were perfect in their roles IMO.

 

Sadly, Barry Dennen passed away in Sept. after injuries from a fall.
He was Pilate on the classic brown album as well as the 1973 film.
He was also in the films, The Shining (1980), Kentucky Fried Movie, and Titanic (1997).
RIP Barry:

 

Didn't Tenacious D cover the whole album?

 

I don't believe NBC will ever be that brave, when it comes down to it. Upon further reflection, I'm pretty sure the plans will "go away" quietly.

 

I performed the role of Herod when I was in my late teens. That would have been only a few years after its release. The original album is so deep in my memory that I would be willing to bet I could sing the entire album to this day.

 

I had my first pair of A7's (Altec Lansing, Voice of the Theater) speakers, back when I was sixteen.

Budget was running low, so I had to go with a under hundred dollar Pioneer integrated 13-Watt amplifier.

But we used to play the original boxed set, at near concert levels.

So, so realistic. I have a boxed set sitting under the TT right now. I still play it every so often.

Now I have tubes and it keeps getting better.

 

Sadly in today's age the title alone will be enough fodder for Twitter. I don't think the younger generation is even aware of the original and would be completely thrown off by this. Not to say it won't be great or that I wouldn't check it out just think there'll be some kind of backlash involved.

 

Why should you want to know?

 

I'll watch it. I've seen every version of this live & on video I can find. Probably my favourite version of this one since the original version (no one can beat Ian Gillan) is the 2012 arena tour. A pretty strong cast & gorgeous visuals. Worth tracking down.



Jesus Christ Superstar Preview Clip

 

im a Godpsell person myself but I agree the original double lp is pretty awesome but....I dont think this will happen. they have a lot more less controversial musicals to destr...pay homage to

 

Ever since I heard Spoonman by Soundgarden, I thought Chris Cornell would have made a perfect Jesus. He had the pose down pat as well.

 

So, Bye Bye Birdie got pushed to next year instead of this year.

Geez Hollywood. Are you that desperate enough already as it is?

 

Barry died too?

Now him and Carl (who also sang Friends and Lovers with Gloria Loring) are singing in heaven together.

 

Oh look..

Hollywood is churning out this garbage next.

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