Jesus Christ Superstar
The US album cover for the 1970 release of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Music	Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics	Tim Rice
Productions	1971 Broadway 1971 Vilnius 1971 Budapest 1972 West End 1975 Madrid 1977 Broadway 1984 Madrid 1992 Australia 1994 Prague 1996 West End revival 1998 UK Tour 2000 Broadway revival 2001 UK Tour 2003 US Tour 2004 UK Tour 2007 Madrid 2007 South Korea 2008 Iceland

Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Rock operas, Concept albums Song cycles and Oratorios all differ from a conventional rock album which usually includes songs that are unrelated to each Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944 is an English Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award Andrew Lloyd Webber Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948 is a British Composer of Musical theatre, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber Released as a double-album in 1970, it highlights the political and interpersonal struggles of Judas Iscariot and Jesus. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Judas Iscariot, יהודה איש־קריות Yəhûḏāh ʾΚ-qəriyyôṯ was according to the New Testament, one of the twelve original apostles Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) The action largely follows the canonical gospels' accounts of the last weeks of Jesus' life, beginning with Jesus and his followers arriving in Jerusalem and ending with the Crucifixion. A Biblical canon or canon of scripture is a list or Set of Biblical books considered to be authoritative as Scripture by a particular religious This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Crucifixion (from Latin crucifixio, noun of process crucifixio, from perfect passive participle crucifixus, fixed to a cross from Twentieth-century attitude and sensibilities as well as contemporary slang pervade the lyrics, and ironic allusions to modern life are scattered throughout the political depiction of the events. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Stage and film productions accordingly feature many intentional anachronisms. An anachronism (from the Greek "ana" " ανά " "against anti-" and "chronos" " χρόνος "

A large part of the plot focuses on the character of Judas who is depicted as a conflicted, tragic figure who is not satisfied with what he views as Jesus's lack of planning, and alarmed by the relatively recent claims of his divinity. Judas Iscariot, יהודה איש־קריות Yəhûḏāh ʾΚ-qəriyyôṯ was according to the New Testament, one of the twelve original apostles

Plot and songs

Act I

After an overture the production starts with a musical monologue from apostle Judas Iscariot, who expresses concern over Jesus' ever rising popularity as a "king" and the negative repercussions that it will have ("Heaven on Their Minds"). While Judas still loves Jesus, he believes that Jesus is just a man and that the movement is getting too large and will eventually be seen as a threat to the higher order. Judas believes, once this comes to pass, not only will Jesus receive the consequences, but so will all of his followers. Unlike Jesus, Judas views the movement as a secular quest to end poverty and aid the poor. However, Judas' warning falls on deaf ears, as Jesus' followers have their minds set on going to Jerusalem with Jesus. As they question Jesus as to when they will be arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus tells them to stop worrying about the future since whatever will happen is already predetermined by fate ("What's the Buzz?").

Recognizing that Jesus is irritated by the badgering from his followers, Mary Magdalene helps Jesus relax by massaging him with ointment. Saint Mary Magdalen or Mary Magdalene is described both in the canonical New Testament and in the New Testament apocrypha, as a devoted However, Judas expresses concern over the fact that Jesus is associating himself with Mary (a prostitute). Judas says that by associating with her, he (Jesus) is contradicting everything that he says and this, in turn, will be used against him and his followers ("Strange Thing Mystifying"). Jesus gets angry and tells Judas that unless he is without sin himself, he should not be judging the character of others. Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation Jesus then reproaches his apostles of being "shallow, thick and slow," and exclaims that not a single man among them cares about him.

Mary Magdalene tries to assure Jesus that everything will be all right and attempts to relax him with more ointment ("Everything's Alright"). Everything's Alright is a song from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. In response, Judas angrily insists that the money used to obtain the ointment should have been used for more to help the poor. Jesus sadly explains that he and his followers do not have the resources to help every poor person.

Meanwhile, Caiaphas, Annas and other high-ranking proud Jewish priests meet to discuss Jesus and his movement. Yosef Bar Kayafa ( Hebrew יוסף בַּר קַיָּפָא joˑsef bar qayːɔfɔʔ (which translates as Joseph son of Caiaphas) also known simply as Annas (also Ananus) son of Seth was a Jewish High Priest from AD 6 to 15 and remained an influential leader afterwards At this point, his followers continue to grow by the thousands, so much that even the higher order is aware of the hype. Given the size of Jesus' movement and the fact that the movement consists of Jews who are unwilling to accept the Romans as their kings (in contrast to the high Jewish priests), the priests believe that he is becoming a threat to the Roman Empire. And if the Roman Empire is threatened, then many Jews will suffer – perhaps even those who are not following Jesus. As all of the priests attempt to solve the problem of Jesus and his followers, Caiaphas states that the only real solution is to kill Jesus ("This Jesus Must Die").

As Jesus and his followers arrive in Jerusalem, they are confronted by Caiaphas, who demands that Jesus disband them. However, Jesus replies that putting an end to the hysteria is impossible ("Hosanna"). Afterwards, Jesus is approached by his apostle Simon Zealotes. St Simon redirects here See also Saint-Simon. The apostle called Simon Zelotes, Simon the Zealot, in Luke Realizing the popularity that Jesus has attained, Simon suggests that he (Jesus) lead his mob in a war against Rome and gain absolute power ("Simon Zealotes"). But Jesus vehemently rejects this suggestion, stating that none of his followers understand what true power is nor do they understand his true message ("Poor Jerusalem").

Meanwhile, Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, reveals that he has dreamed of meeting with Jesus and seen the aftermath of Jesus' death, where he, Pilate receives all of the blame. However, Pilate is not entirely clear of the meaning of his dream ("Pilate's Dream").

Jesus arrives at the temple in Jerusalem and finds that it is being used for selling everything from weapons to prostitutes and drugs. When Jesus arrives, he is furious and demands that the merchants and money changers leave the temple ("The Temple"). Angry and tired, Jesus wanders off and gets confronted by a mob of lepers, cripples, and beggars, all wanting to be healed. However, the mob is too large and Jesus gets overwhelmed. Unable to solve everyone's problems for them, Jesus tells the crowd to heal themselves.

After the mob leaves, Mary Magdalene finds Jesus upset. Mary tells him to rest. ("Everything's Alright-Reprise") While Jesus is asleep, Mary reflects on the fact that while she is in love with Jesus, he is unlike any man that she has loved before. Everything's Alright is a song from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. As a result, Mary does not know how to cope with her feelings ("I Don't Know How to Love Him"). "I Don't Know How to Love Him" is a song originally from the 1970 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice hit Rock opera Jesus Christ

Meanwhile, Judas worries more and more about Jesus' ever growing movement. He promises to help the priests against Jesus, while emphasizing that he is acting with unselfish motives ("Damned for All Time"). Caiaphas demands that Judas should reveal the whereabouts of Jesus, so that the authorities can apprehend him and imprison him. In exchange for the information, Judas is offered money. Judas initially turns down the offer, as it raises some ethical concerns within him. But he eventually obliges when Caiaphas tells of charities that he can give the money to. Judas decides that it would be better to turn Jesus in before his movement gets any bigger, which would thus lead to the deaths of not only him, but all of his followers as well. Thus, presumably to save the thousands of followers and himself, Judas reveals that on Thursday night, Jesus of Nazareth will be at the garden of Gethsemane ("Blood Money"). Gethsemane ( Greek ΓεσΘημανι Gesthēmani ' Hebrew: גת שמנים, from Aramaic גת שמנא Gat Šmānê, lit

Act II

On Thursday, Jesus meets with his twelve apostles for the Last Supper. In the Christian Gospels the Last Supper (also called the Lord's Supper or Mystical Supper) was the last meal Jesus shared with his Jesus realizes, unbeknownst to the apostles, that this will be his last supper with them. As Jesus passes bread and pours wine for his dining partners, he reminds them that they should remember him during supper by thinking of the wine as his blood and the bread as his body. Upon reflection, he angrily exclaims that nobody will even remember him after he dies and that two of his closest friends will betray and deny him. Jesus then reveals that Peter will be the one who denies him, not once, but three times. Before Jesus says another word, Judas reveals to everyone that he is the person who will make the betrayal, but Jesus allows him to go. Judas attempts to explain why he will do it, but Jesus refuses to listen. This makes Judas angry and he blames Jesus for all the trouble that has occurred up until this point. Upset, Judas leaves to find the Roman soldiers and bring them to Jesus ("The Last Supper").

After his apostles go to sleep, Jesus speaks to God, addressing him as "father. " Jesus questions God as to why he must be the one to die and what his death will mean in the grand scheme of things. But Jesus recognizes that he cannot go against God's divine plan – whether he knows what his death will mean or not – and agrees to die in accordance with the plan ("Gethsemane").

Judas arrives with the soldiers and, in order to point Jesus out to them, kisses him on the cheek. Afterwards, Jesus gets arrested. As his apostles wake up, they attempt to fight the authorities in order to free their Messiah, but Jesus asks them to put their swords away and let the authorities take him to Caiaphas. As the Roman soldiers take him to Caiaphas, a mob, imitating newsreporters, asks Jesus what he plans to do, but Jesus declines to comment. When Jesus meets with Caiaphas, Caiaphas asks if he is the son of God. Yosef Bar Kayafa ( Hebrew יוסף בַּר קַיָּפָא joˑsef bar qayːɔfɔʔ (which translates as Joseph son of Caiaphas) also known simply as Jesus responds: "That's what you say, you say that I am. " This answer provides enough justification for the high priests to send Jesus to Pontius Pilate ("The Arrest").

Meanwhile, Jesus' apostle Peter is confronted by an old man, a soldier, and a maid by a fire. Each state that they remember seeing him with Jesus, but to all three people, Peter denies that he knows him. Peter's denial is witnessed by Mary, who, after the three people leave, asks Peter why he denied Jesus. Peter responds that he had to do it in order to save himself, since he would possibly be arrested and prosecuted if it is discovered that he is a close friend of Jesus. Mary wonders how Jesus knew ahead of time that Peter would deny him ("Peter's Denial").

When Jesus is brought to Pilate, Pilate mocks him. When Pilate asks Jesus if he is the son of God, Jesus gives Pilate the same answer that he gave Caiaphas: "that's what YOU said" (in the original recording). Pilate is unsatisfied with his answer, but eventually comments that since Jesus is from Galilee he is not under his jurisdiction, and sends him to King Herod ("Pilate and Christ"). "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, Herod Antipas (short for Antipatros (before 20 BC &ndash after AD 39) was a first century AD ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title

King Herod has heard all the hype about Jesus and is excited to finally meet him. He asks him lots of things - "Change my water into wine" - "Walk across my swimming pool", but Jesus ignores him. Herod decides that Jesus is just another phony messiah and does not even want to take the time to prosecute him. Herod sends him back to Pilate ("King Herod's Song").

In a scene added for the Broadway production, the apostles and Mary Magdalene wistfully remember the beginnings of their movement and solemnly wish that they could just start again ("Could We Start Again Please?").

At this point, Judas has seen Jesus, beaten and battered by the authorities. Feeling extreme guilt, he meets again with the high priests and expresses regret over what he has done. Judas feels that in the aftermath, he will be blamed for the death of Jesus and will forever be remembered as a traitor. Caiaphas states that Judas has nothing to be ashamed of and that what he has done will save everyone. However, this does nothing to rid Judas of his guilt. As Judas is left alone, he feels betrayed by God for having chosen him, within the divine plan, to be the one to betray Jesus. Judas blames God for murdering him and hangs himself ("Judas' Death").

Jesus is brought back to Pilate for his trial. Pilate asks Jesus to defend himself, but Jesus barely speaks. Pilate asks the crowd if they would crucify their king, to which the crowd declares "We have no king but Caesar!". (In the Broadway production, a stanza is added where Pilate admonishes the crowd for their sudden respect for Caesar, as well as how they "produce Messiahs by the sackful". Pilate goes on to declare that while Jesus is not mentally stable, and should be imprisoned, he (Jesus) does not deserve to die, and demands that the crowd give him a reason to do so. The crowd breaks into an improvised pep rally style cheer about how Jesus has defied Rome. A pep rally is an event occuring in USA Canada and Puerto Rico (specificaly Notre Dame High School in Caguas Pilate calls the crowd hypocrites, for their hatred of Rome is far greater than that of Jesus. ) Reluctant to kill Jesus, Pilate attempts to satisfy the crowd's bloodlust by flogging him. After 39 lashes, however, the crowd is still unsatisfied. At this point, Jesus is so badly beaten that Pilate cannot handle the guilt. Hoping that he can somehow free Jesus, Pilate pleads with him to defend himself. But once again, Jesus refrains from any such defense. With the crowd screaming for Jesus' crucifixion and with Jesus refusing to give a reason for Pilate not to kill him, Pilate reluctantly agrees to crucify him. Pilate declares that if Jesus won't defend himself, Pilate now "washes his hands" of his death ("Trial Before Pilate").

As Jesus prepares to be crucified, he is met by the spirit of Judas. Judas questions why Jesus chose to arrive in the manner that he did and if what happened to him was really part of a divine plan ("Superstar").

Jesus slowly dies on the cross ("The Crucifixion"). The play ends with an orchestral piece, "John 19:41. " The title is a reference to a verse in the Bible about Jesus being laid in the tomb (Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid John 19:41)

Music

Instrumentation

The musical is scored for Piano, Flute/Piccolo, Flute/Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Horn, 2 Trumpets, Trombone, Drums, Percussions, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Violin I and II, Viola and Cello. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin

From album to Broadway

Main article: Jesus Christ Superstar (album)

The UK album cover for the 1970 release of Jesus Christ Superstar. Jesus Christ Superstar is a 1970 Rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

The opera was first heard as an album before being staged on Broadway and later in London's West End. An album or record album is a collection of related audio or Music tracks distributed to the public Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" On the original album, the part of Jesus was sung by Ian Gillan, the lead singer of Deep Purple who later also worked with Black Sabbath and others, and that of Judas by Murray Head. Ian Gillan (born 19 August, 1945 in Hounslow, London) is an English Rock music Vocalist and Songwriter Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968 Black Sabbath are an Murray Head (born Murray Seafield Saint-George Head, 5 March 1946, London) is an English Actor and Singer, The future Gary Glitter had a one-liner as a priest and Michael d'Abo appeared as King Herod. Paul Francis Gadd (born 8 May 1944 is an English Glam rock Singer and Songwriter, and is better known by his Stage name Gary Michael David d'Abo (born 1 March 1944, Betchworth, Surrey) is an English Singer and Songwriter, best known The title song, "Superstar", sung by Judas, and "I Don't Know How to Love Him", sung by Mary Magdalene (Yvonne Elliman) about her relationship with Jesus, were both big hits. "Superstar" is the title song from the 1971 Rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Judas Iscariot, יהודה איש־קריות Yəhûḏāh ʾΚ-qəriyyôṯ was according to the New Testament, one of the twelve original apostles Saint Mary Magdalen or Mary Magdalene is described both in the canonical New Testament and in the New Testament apocrypha, as a devoted Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951 in Honolulu Hawaii) is an American Singer and Actress. A cover of the latter song, recorded by singer Helen Reddy, would also reach the top 15 on the U. Helen Reddy (born October 25, 1941) is an Australian/American Singer / Songwriter. S. pop singles charts in early 1971. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar.

The original album has a strong and often very aggressive rock flavor that is very different from Webber's later work. This is in part due to the emotive singing of Murray Head and Ian Gillan and the playing of well-known rock session musicians such as guitarists Neil Hubbard and Chris Spedding, bassist Alan Spenner and drummer Bruce Rowland. Neil Hubbard is a British Guitarist who performed with The Grease Band, Joe Cocker, Roxy Music and played on the original 1970 Christopher John Spedding (born 17 June 1944, in Staveley, Derbyshire) is an English Rock and roll and Jazz Alan Spenner ( 7 May 1948 - 11 August 1991) was a British bass player who performed with The Grease Band, The musical arrangements are often multi-layered, featuring rock and classical elements, and contain many abruptly shifting dynamics and time signatures.

Early community productions

In June of 1971, the "first" US staged version was performed at Southold High School in Southold, New York by students of the school. Southold is a town in Suffolk County, New York, United States. ^[1] However, other unauthorized productions were also going on at the time, eliciting a response in court from the authors, eventually shutting down several hundred productions between them before the official premiere (and becoming a benchmark in copyright law). The show remains a favorite for community and regional theater, sometimes with women taking male roles (particularly Judas).

Original Broadway production

On October 12, 1971, the show, directed by Tom O'Horgan, opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Tom O'Horgan (born May 3 1926) is an American theatre and Film director and Composer. The Mark Hellinger Theatre was a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 237 West 51st Street in midtown- Manhattan until it was converted The Broadway production received mixed reviews, as reviewers from the New York Times deemed it to be a heartless overhyped production; Andrew Lloyd Webber has also criticized it harshly. ^[2] The show starred Jeff Fenholt as Jesus, Ben Vereen as Judas and Bob Bingham as Caiaphas. Jeffrey Craig Fenholt (born 1951 is a Singer noted for his performance as the title character in the Broadway theatre adaptation Ben Vereen (born October 10, 1946, in Miami Florida) is an American Actor, Dancer, and Singer who has Robert 'Bob' Bingham born 29 October 1946 in Seattle, Washington U Barry Dennen, the original Pilate on the "Brown Album," had been living and working in London when he recorded the LP. Barry Dennen (born February 22, 1938 in Chicago Illinois) is an American actor singer and writer He was back in the States in time to play Pilate on Broadway. Yvonne Elliman, the original Mary Magdalene, was also a part of the cast. Kurt Yaghjian sang Annas. Ted Neeley and Anita Morris also appeared in the cast. Ted Neeley (b Teddie Joe Neeley September 20, 1943 in Ranger TX USA is a rock and roll Drummer, singer actor composer and record Anita Rose Morris ( March 14, 1943 - March 2, 1994) was an American actress Carl Anderson stepped into the role of Judas when Vereen fell ill, and the two performers later took turns playing the role. Carl Anderson ( February 27, 1945 – February 23, 2004) was an American Singer, Film and Theatre The show closed after an 18 month run.

Controversy

The Broadway show and subsequent productions were condemned by some religious groups. Tim Rice was quoted as saying "The idea of the whole opera is to have Christ seen through the eyes of Judas, and Christ as a man, not as a God. " Some Christians considered this, as well as the omission of the resurrection, to be sacrilegious. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object They also found the character of Judas too sympathetic and some of his criticisms of Jesus offensive. ^[3][4] At the same time, some Jews said that it bolstered the anti-Semitic claim that the Jews are responsible for Jesus' death by showing most of the villains as Jewish (Caiaphas and the other priests, Herod) and showing the crowd in Jerusalem calling for the crucifixion. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility Yosef Bar Kayafa ( Hebrew יוסף בַּר קַיָּפָא joˑsef bar qayːɔfɔʔ (which translates as Joseph son of Caiaphas) also known simply as ^[5][6] Many religious groups protested outside the theater during the first Broadway production.

The play was banned in South Africa for being "irreligious. "^[7]

Other 1970s productions

The first stage performance of Jesus Christ Superstar in Europe was performed on the 25th of December, Christmas, in Vilnius, Lithuania in 1971.

Jesus Christ Superstar was performed in 1971 in Hungary. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic The performance was based on the original studio version, and the band and orchestra parts were transcribed to a five piece rockband. The group, Korong, whose Tibor Miklós wrote the Hungarian lyrics, was, after a few enormously successful performances in Budapest's university clubs, banned from performing it. Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political,

Superstar opened at the Palace Theatre in London in 1972, starring Paul Nicholas as Jesus and Stephen Tate as Judas. The Palace Theatre, is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster. Paul Nicholas (born Paul Oscar Beuselinck 3 December 1945 in Peterborough, England) is an English Actor and Stephen Tate is a British actor and musical theatre artist Television Credits He is possibly best known for his recurring role as Alan in the 1970s television This production was much more successful, running for eight years and becoming the United Kingdom's longest-running musical at the time (it was later surpassed by other works but remains the fifth longest-running). During its 20th anniversary, the production featured Paul Nicholas from the original cast as Jesus. Paul Nicholas (born Paul Oscar Beuselinck 3 December 1945 in Peterborough, England) is an English Actor and

In May 1972 the original Australian production opened at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney, later moving to the Palais Theatre in Melbourne^[8]. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Directed by Jim Sharman, the cast featured Trevor White as Jesus, Jon English as Judas and Marcia Hines as Mary Magdalene (the first black woman to play this role); other cast members included Reg Livermore, Doug Parkinson, John Paul Young and Stevie Wright. Jim Sharman was born 12 March, 1945 in Sydney, Australia, as James David Sharman Jonathon James English (born 26 March, 1949 in Hampstead London, England) is a rock singer, Musician, Marcia Elaine Hines (born 20 July 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA is a Vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved Reginald Dawson Livermore AO (born 11 December 1938) is an Australian Actor, singer theatrical performer and television presenter Doug Parkinson is an Australian singer who first came to fame with his band Doug Parkinson In Focus in 1969 and had numerous hits on the Australian Top 40 charts John Paul Young (born June 21, 1950 in Glasgow, Scotland) is an Australian Singer best known for his 1978 worldwide hit Stephen Carlton 'Stevie' Wright (born December 20, 1948, in Leeds, England) is an Australian musician and songwriter who has been It ran until February 1974.

In 1976, Jesus Christ Superstar began its first U. S. national tour with a company managed by Laura Shapiro Kramer. Laura Shapiro Kramer (b July 27, 1948) is a US author producer and film maker The tour continued until 1980. In 1977, the musical was performed at the first annual Illinois High School Theater Festival. Jesus was portrayed, in this rendition, by an African American woman.

1990s productions

The North American touring revival of "Superstar" in 1992, titled the AD Anniversary Tour, starred Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson reprising their 1973 film roles as Jesus and Judas and getting rave reviews for their performances. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Ted Neeley (b Teddie Joe Neeley September 20, 1943 in Ranger TX USA is a rock and roll Drummer, singer actor composer and record Carl Anderson ( February 27, 1945 – February 23, 2004) was an American Singer, Film and Theatre Jesus Christ Superstar is a 1973, Oscar-nominated film adaptation of the Rock opera of the same name, based on the last weeks of the life This production also starred both Dennis DeYoung of Styx and James O'Neil (Founding Artistic Director of the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, CA) as Pontius Pilate, and Syreeta, Irene Cara, and Christine Rea as Mary Magdalene. Dennis DeYoung (born February 18, 1947) is an American singer Songwriter, Musician and producer best known for being a founding Styx ( pronounced: /stɪks/ is an American Rock band. Their hit songs have included " Come Sail Away " " Babe " " Syreeta Wright ( August 3, 1946 – July 6, 2004) who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was an American Irene Cara Escalera ( March 18, 1959) is an American singer and actress Originally expected to run for three to four months, the tour ended up running for five years.

A 1992 Australian concert cast, starred John Farnham as Jesus, Jon Stevens as Judas and Kate Ceberano as Mary Magdalene. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. John Peter Farnham, AO (born July 1, 1949) is a British-born Australian pop Singer. Jon Stevens (born 1962) is a New Zealand -born singer now an Australian citizen Kate Ceberano (born 17 November, 1966) is an award winning Australian pop vocalist entertainer Saint Mary Magdalen or Mary Magdalene is described both in the canonical New Testament and in the New Testament apocrypha, as a devoted The Australian production was produced by the entrepreneur Harry M. Miller. Harry Maurice Miller (born 6 January 1934) is an Australian promoter and publicist

A concert version was performed on November 15 and 16, 1998 to launch the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, California. Incorporated in 1866 the city of San Buenaventura (usually referred to as Ventura) is the County seat of Ventura Three performances were given, starring Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson and the company from the AD Anniversary Tour. All three shows were sold out, and RTC is now in its 9th Season as a theatre company in Ventura, CA.

In 1994, a New Zealand production (also produced by Harry M. Miller) saw changes in production style, such as the rock guitar solo introducing the show played by a guitarist on a spotlighted, elevated platform, and costuming which included a complete lack of sandals. Jesus was played by Darryl Lovegrove; Caiaphas by Frankie Stevens, elder brother of Jon Stevens (the two played together on stage when the production toured Australia, with Jon in his previous role as Judas); and Judas by the stage, television and cinema star Jay Laga'aia. Jay Laga'aia (born 10 September 1963 is a television and film Actor. Red laser was used to represent the whip during the scourging; similarly lasers were used for the wounds of the crucifixion. The show closed with an expanding cone of green laser, centered on Jesus' crucified corpse, shining through mist to eventually envelop the whole audience.

Also in 1994, a stage version titled Jesus Christ Superstar: A Resurrection was produced and performed in Atlanta, Austin and Seattle. This version featured many musicians from the Atlanta alternative scene, including the Indigo Girls members Amy Ray as Jesus and Emily Saliers as Mary Magdalene, and fellow guitarist Michael Lorant as Judas. Indigo Girls are an American Folk rock duo consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. Amy Elizabeth Ray (born April 12 1964 is an American singer-songwriter and member of the well-known contemporary folk duo Indigo Girls. Emily Saliers (born July 22, 1963) is an American Singer-songwriter and member of the Indigo Girls. Michael Lorant is an American singer-musician best known known for producing the album Jesus Christ Superstar: A Resurrection, a project done with

In 1997, Superstar was revived in London. Directed by Gale Edwards, this version of Superstar was updated to appeal to a new generation of fans. It starred Steve Balsamo and Zubin Varla as Jesus and Judas. Steve Balsamo is a British singer and songwriter famous for his lead role on the London version of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' during the mid-90s Zubin Varla is a British Actor and Singer. He performed the role of Judas in a 1996 London revival of Jesus Christ Superstar Referred to as the "Lyceum Production," it was relatively successful. The Lyceum Theatre is a 2000-seat West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, on Wellington Street just off the Strand. This eventually led Gale Edwards to restage the show for a UK tour, followed by a video starring Glenn Carter as Jesus and Jerome Pradon as Judas. '''Glenn Carter''' (b 27th March 1964 is an English stage actor and Singer-songwriter known particularly for his leading roles in musicals staged in London's West End Jérôme Pradon was born in Boulogne-Billancourt, France on 3rd June 1964 This "new" interpretation of the show was revived on Broadway in 2000 again starring Carter, but a last minute change made Tony Vincent, who had played Simon in the video, step into the role of Judas. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Tony Vincent, original name Anthony Peter Strascina is a singer and actor born in Albuquerque New Mexico (July 25 1973) and based out of See also Simeon Simon is a common name from Hebrew שִׁמְעוֹן Šimʿon, meaning "he has heard" It opened to mixed reviews and closed quickly. It was more popular in its UK/European run; it opened in 1998 and closed around 2001. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar.

2000s

In 2002, a national tour was begun with the 1980s rock star Sebastian Bach as Jesus and Carl Anderson once again as Judas. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Sebastian Bach (born Sebastian Philip Bierk, on April 3, 1968) is a Canadian heavy metal singer best known as ex- Frontman Carl Anderson ( February 27, 1945 – February 23, 2004) was an American Singer, Film and Theatre Bach received mixed reviews, while Carl Anderson was again praised. In April 2003, following a disagreement with the director, Bach was replaced with the Broadway star Eric Kunze. Carl Anderson eventually left the show after being diagnosed with leukemia and died in 2004. He was replaced by Lawrence Clayton, who had appeared as Simon and understudied the part of Judas in the previous national tour.

In August 2004 a new national UK tour began, directed by Bill Kenwright. Bill Kenwright CBE (born 4 September, 1945, in Liverpool, Merseyside, England) is an Actor and Theatrical Originally scheduled to end in December, the tour's success resulted in a longer run, and it continued through August 2005. Glenn Carter reprised his role as Jesus and the British pop singer James Fox played Judas, with Emma Dears as Mary Magdalene. '''Glenn Carter''' (b 27th March 1964 is an English stage actor and Singer-songwriter known particularly for his leading roles in musicals staged in London's West End James Fox, real name James Richard Mullett (born April 6, 1976 in Cardiff, Wales) is a Pop music Singer, Songwriter

A live-in-concert, one-night only, performance of JCS took place at The Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on August 13, 2006, reuniting Ted Neeley, Yvonne Elliman and Barry Dennen from the 1973 film, Broadway and Los Angeles productions of the show, as well as Ben Vereen (the original Judas on Broadway), and Jack Black as Herod. Ricardo Gonzálo Pedro Montalbán Merino KCSG (born November 25, 1920) is a Mexican Television, Theatre, and Film Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Thomas Jack Black Jr (born August 28 1969 is an American Actor, Comedian and Musician. The performance also featured Larry Friedman as Annas, Chris Carey as Caiaphas, and Chuck DiMaria as one of the priests. All three were featured performers in the AD Anniversary Tour between 1993 and 1997, as well as the world-famous Agape Choir. The performance benefitted YouTHeatre-America!, and The Ricardo Montalban Theatre.

Also in 2006, a tour (originally billed as "The Ted Neeley Farewell Tour", now billed as the new "A. D. Tour"), starring Ted Neeley as Jesus and Corey Glover (of rock band Living Colour) as Judas, began in September and has played over 120 venues to date, with bookings through 2009. Ted Neeley (b Teddie Joe Neeley September 20, 1943 in Ranger TX USA is a rock and roll Drummer, singer actor composer and record Corey Glover (born November 6 1964 in Brooklyn New York) is an American Musician. Living Colour is an American Funk metal band from New York City, formed in 1983

On the 20th and 21st of March 2008, Drew Sarich reprised his role as Jesus opposite Serkan Kaya as Judas in Vienna, Austria. Drew Sarich (born August 24, 1975) is a stage actor and singer from St Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich

Other international productions

The show has become a cultural phenomenon and has been produced many times, including productions in Ireland, Hungary, India, New Zealand, Italy, France, Mexico, Chile, Bulgaria, South Africa, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Greece, Australia, The Philippines, Panama, Colombia (Misi Group), Croatia (Theater Komedija), Bolivia (where it was also released as a TV movie) and many more. Two notable Jesus were Takeshi Kaga of Iron Chef fame in the 1976 Japanese version, and the singer Camilo Blanes Cortés aka Camilo Sesto in the 1975 Spanish one. is a well known stage and movie Actor in Japan who is probably best known internationally for his portrayal of Chairman Kaga in the Japanese television show Iron Chef Iron Chef is a Japanese television program produced by FujiTV. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Camilo Blanes Cortés (born September 16 1946) better known in the entertainment world as Camilo Sesto is a Spanish singer and composerwho enjoyed fame Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. In Germany, the show can be seen every year in different productions by a number of the country's repertory theaters. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

Other recordings and broadcasts

In 1980 the first ever Polish production of Jesus Christ Superstar appeared on stage, starring Marek Piekarczyk as Jesus and Andrzej Sledz as Judas. The show was well received by many in Poland and has been revived many times since.

In 1994, a studio recording under the name of "Jesus Christ Superstar: A Resurrection" was released and starred various artists including the Indigo Girls. A video recording of their performance at SXSW in Austin was released as well but went out of print after only a few months. Bootleg copies still remain.

In a 1996 radio production for BBC Radio 2, Jesus was played by Tony Hadley, Judas by Roger Daltrey and Mary Magdalene by Frances Ruffelle. Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE (born 1 March 1944) is an English rock Vocalist, songwriter and actor best known as the

Around 1999/2000, a Italian performance of Jesus Christ Superstar was broadcasted on radio. The cast starred Paride Acacia as Jesus, Egidio La Gioia as Judas and Olivia Cinquemani as Mary. Carl Anderson appeared on this recording as well, singing the song Superstar. In 2000 a national tour began witch was directed by Carl Anderson and starred many of the same cast members from the radio broadcast.

In 2005 the first Dutch national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar began in The Netherlands. Produced by Joop van den Ende the production starred Dieter Troubleyn as Jesus, Martin van der Starre as Judas and Casey Francisco as Mary. Jamai Loman who previously won the Dutch version of Idols played Simon. The tour was a great success and ran for 2 years straight.

On 22 April 2008, the song "Superstar" was performed on American Idol by contestant Carly Smithson, before getting eliminated the following day. Carly Smithson ( Irish: ??? (née Hennessy; Irish: Ó hAonghusa) (born September 12, 1983) is a Meteor Award

Films

Main article: Jesus Christ Superstar (film)

A film adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar was released in 1973, and was the eighth highest-grossing film of that year. Jesus Christ Superstar is a 1973, Oscar-nominated film adaptation of the Rock opera of the same name, based on the last weeks of the life The year 1973 in film involved some significant events Events The Marx Brothers ' Zeppo Marx divorces his second The film, directed by Norman Jewison, was shot in Israel and other Middle Eastern locations. Norman Frederick Jewison CC, BA, LLD (born July 21, 1926) is an Academy Award -winning Canadian Film For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson were both nominated for 1974 Golden Globe Awards for their portrayals of Jesus and Judas. Ted Neeley (b Teddie Joe Neeley September 20, 1943 in Ranger TX USA is a rock and roll Drummer, singer actor composer and record Carl Anderson ( February 27, 1945 – February 23, 2004) was an American Singer, Film and Theatre The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner Bob Bingham reprised the role of Caiaphas, having played the part in the original Broadway production. Robert 'Bob' Bingham born 29 October 1946 in Seattle, Washington U Yosef Bar Kayafa ( Hebrew יוסף בַּר קַיָּפָא joˑsef bar qayːɔfɔʔ (which translates as Joseph son of Caiaphas) also known simply as Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Barry Dennen (Pontius Pilate) and Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene) were the only performers who remained from both the original recording and Broadway cast. Barry Dennen (born February 22, 1938 in Chicago Illinois) is an American actor singer and writer Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951 in Honolulu Hawaii) is an American Singer and Actress. Though it attracted criticism from some religious groups, the film was generally well received.

A further film adaptation was released in 2000, starring Glenn Carter as Jesus, Jérôme Pradon as Judas and Rik Mayall as Herod. '''Glenn Carter''' (b 27th March 1964 is an English stage actor and Singer-songwriter known particularly for his leading roles in musicals staged in London's West End Jérôme Pradon was born in Boulogne-Billancourt, France on 3rd June 1964 Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall (born 7 March, 1958) is an English Actor, Writer and Comedian. The film was directed by Gale Edwards and Nick Morris, and won an Emmy in 2001 for Best Performing Arts film. The style of the film is more like the stage version than the location-based 1973 adaptation, and used many of the ideas from the tour from around that time.

Awards

1972 Tony Award nominations

• Tony Award for Best Original Score - Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Tim Rice
• Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Ben Vereen
• Tony Award for Best Scenic Design - Scenic Design by Robin Wagner
• Tony Award for Best Costume Design - Costume Design by Randy Barcelo
• Tony Award for Best Lighting Design - Lighting Design by Jules Fisher

1972 Theatre World Award

• Theatre World Award - Ben Vereen (WINNER)

1972 Drama Desk Awards

• Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Composer - Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber (WINNER)

2000 Tony Award nomination

• Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical - Produced by The Really Useful Superstar Company, Inc. The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the Composers and Lyricists of the best original score written for a musical This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the' Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design for outstanding set design of a play or musical. This is a list of the winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Costume Design. This is a list of the winners of the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design in a play or musical, first presented in 1970 The Drama Desk Award, created in 1955, is an award which recognizes shows produced on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-off-Broadway, and The Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical has been awarded since 1994 , Nederlander Producing Company of America, Inc. ; Produced in association with Terry Allen Kramer

References

1. ^ Suffolk Times article on the original Southold High School production.
2. ^ "Jesus Christ Superstar: A note from Andrew Lloyd Webber"
3. ^ "Jesus Christ Superstar", Critically Examined in Light of The Bible - by E. L. Bynum
4. ^ Free Presbyterian Church - Online Pamphlet
5. ^ SUPERSTAR' FILM RENEWS DISPUTES:Jewish Groups Say Opening Could Stir Anti-Semitism Reasons Given Company Issues Statement - New York Times
6. ^ village voice > news > Mel Gibson's Jesus Christ Pose by Jessica Winter
7. ^ Jesus Christ Superstar: Show facts and figures
8. ^ 1972 Australian production

External links

• Jesus Christ Superstar at the Internet Broadway Database
• Jesus Christ Superstar Zone.com
• Guide to JCS online JesusChristSuperstar. The Internet Broadway Database ( IBDB) is an online Database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel net.
• Ted Neeley's personal website Neeley On The Road.
• SuKaDe's Ted Neeley website. Teddie Neeley Three - TNT
• Cindi's Ted Neeley and Joseph Fuqua Page
• The Official Andrew Lloyd Webber Site
• JCS at www.timrice.co.uk
• Suffolk Times article on the original Southold High School production.
• Farewell Tour Website The Official Site of Ted Neeley's Farewell Tour.