Buzz
During the 1970s, a groundbreaking opera centered on Jesus of Nazareth bridged the gap between rock music and musical theater. While Jesus Christ Superstar's bold musical style sparked controversy among religious communities, it dominated the Billboard charts. The production also paved the way for the British wave of Broadway hits in the 1970s and 1980s, leading to blockbusters like Cats and Les Miserables. In 2018, NBC aired a live adaptation featuring John Legend as Jesus and Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene. Discover the fascinating story behind this iconic show.
1. IT STARTED AS A CONCEPT ALBUM AFTER THEATRICAL PRODUCERS REJECTED IT.
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, who crossed paths in 1965 at ages 20 and 17, respectively, achieved their initial success with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1968. Their next project centered on another Biblical character: Jesus of Nazareth. The duo aimed to create an innovative rock opera, narrated from Judas’s viewpoint, detailing Christ’s betrayal and crucifixion. However, no producer was willing to stage the production—Lloyd Webber remembered being told it was "the worst idea in history." Undeterred, they turned it into an 87-minute, double-disc concept album, which debuted in 1970.
What seemed like a setback turned out to be a hidden advantage. Both creators believe that starting Superstar as an album allowed them to refine the score more efficiently than if they had begun with a stage production. “Recording it first,” Rice explained, “made it more concise, eliminated the need for a script, modernized the tone, amplified its rock elements, infused it with energy, and resonated with a younger audience. These benefits emerged from the album format. At the time, we didn’t fully grasp this, as Andrew and I were focused on theater, not records. However, this approach not only improved the work but also served as excellent promotion. By the time it reached the stage, audiences were already familiar with the entire score.” The show premiered on Broadway in 1971.
2. A BOB DYLAN VERSE INSPIRED JUDAS’S PORTRAYAL IN THE MUSICAL.
The line “Did Judas Iscariot have God at his side?” from Dylan’s 1964 track “With God on Our Side” sparked the idea. Lloyd Webber later noted that this lyric became "Tim's foundation for the script ... Judas was clearly not a simple villain, and the story raises questions about whether his actions were a result of the political climate of the time."
Rice has characterized the Bible’s portrayal of Iscariot as a “one-dimensional villain,” and he aimed to give Judas depth and humanity in Superstar.
3. ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER SKETCHED PART OF THE TITLE SONG ON A NAPKIN.
In a 2015 interview, the composer mentioned that he couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment the now-famous melody first came to him: “What I do recall is that I forgot it.” However, in 1969, while walking along London’s Fulham Road, the tune suddenly returned to him. "I passed a restaurant ... named Carlo's Place, and I knew the owner slightly ... I went in and asked, 'Can you give me a piece of paper?'" he recalled. "I was terrified I’d forget it again." Instead of paper, Lloyd Webber was handed a napkin, and he hastily scribbled the main theme of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which became one of the show’s most iconic songs.
4. THE TUNE FOR “I DON’T KNOW HOW TO LOVE HIM” WAS BORROWED FROM AN EARLIER SONG TITLED “KANSAS MORNING.”
“Kansas Morning,” a tribute to the Sunflower State, was co-written by Rice and Lloyd Webber and released in 1967. ("I love the Kansas morning," the lyrics went. "Kansas mist at my window.") While working on Superstar, the duo repurposed the melody with new lyrics, creating Mary’s Act I solo.
Webber has acknowledged that the melody bears a resemblance to a theme from Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor (1845). "It’s likely due to my family background," the composer explained. "I simply absorbed that influence."
5. YVONNE ELLIMAN LANDED THE ROLE OF THE ORIGINAL MARY MAGDALENE AFTER LLOYD WEBBER HEARD HER PERFORM AT A NIGHTCLUB.
While searching for singers for the concept album, Lloyd Webber visited the historic Pheasantry Club in Chelsea to evaluate a jazz singer for the role of Pontius Pilate. “I realized he wasn’t right for the part,” Lloyd Webber told The Daily Mail in 2012, “but his opening act—a stunning 17-year-old Hawaiian girl named Yvonne Elliman, who played guitar while singing—was incredible. She embodied everything I envisioned for Mary Magdalene.” He contacted Rice, who “agreed we had found our Mary.” Elliman became the only album performer to reprise her role on Broadway, during the 1971 arena tour, and in the 1973 film adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar.
6. LLOYD WEBBER DESPISED THE ORIGINAL BROADWAY VERSION.
The two-disc concept album for Superstar debuted in September 1970 and climbed to the top of the Billboard charts by February 1971. As American fans began staging unofficial live performances in churches and theaters nationwide, producer Robert Stigwood proposed an official concert tour. The first show was held at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena on July 12, 1971.
The natural progression was to bring the show to Broadway, where it premiered in October. Directed by Tom O’Horgan, the production received harsh criticism, including from The New York Times’s Clive Barnes, who remarked, “I must admit to feeling somewhat disappointed … It felt like seeing the Empire State Building for the first time. Not uninteresting, but underwhelming and lacking artistic depth.”
Lloyd Webber himself loathed the production. “I’ve never seen such a misguided interpretation of my work,” he later stated, describing it as a “crass and tasteless rendition.”
Despite Lloyd Webber’s dissatisfaction, Superstar enjoyed a successful run of over 700 performances and earned five Tony Award nominations, though it didn’t secure any wins.
7. IT SPARKED OUTRAGE AMONG RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES.
"In terms of controversy ... Jesus Christ Superstar is like Christina Aguilera botching the national anthem at the Super Bowl," entertainment journalist Tim Cain once noted. "Controversy ... surrounded it from the moment it debuted."
The musical faced protests from the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. Evangelist Billy Graham also criticized it, claiming it bordered on “blasphemy and sacrilege" and objected to its omission of the Resurrection. “Without the Resurrection, Christianity loses its foundation,” he said. (However, he conceded that “if the production ... encourages young people to explore the Bible, it might have some value.”) In South Africa, the Publications Control Board temporarily banned Superstar, fearing it would “offend the religious beliefs of certain groups.” Even the British National Secular Society protested during its West End premiere.
However, some groups defended the show. For instance, in 1971, the Vatican’s radio station broadcast the entire concept album, accompanied by commentary from Lloyd Webber, Rice, and religious leaders. “This is unprecedented for [Vatican Radio],” a papal spokesperson stated, “but we believe this work holds significant value.”
8. POPE PAUL VI RECEIVED AN EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW OF THE 1973 FILM ADAPTATION.
Jesus Christ Superstar has been adapted into film twice: the first in 1973 and a direct-to-video version in 2000. The 1973 film was directed by Oscar-nominated Norman Jewison (known for 1987’s Moonstruck). He organized a private screening for Pope Paul VI, who praised the film. According to Ted Neeley, who portrayed Jesus, the pope remarked, “Mr. Jewison, I not only admire your stunning rock opera film, but I also believe it will attract more people to Christianity worldwide than anything before.”
9. IT INSPIRED RICHARD O’BRIEN TO BEGIN WRITING THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW.
After touring with Hair, Richard O’Brien joined the London cast of Superstar in 1972. “I was hired for the chorus and slated to take over as Herod,” he told Pink News. However, O’Brien’s portrayal of Herod as a flamboyant Elvis impersonator didn’t sit well with the producers. “They decided against me as Herod, paid me off, and let me go,” O’Brien recalled. “I went home and started composing Rocky on my guitar. I was frustrated because they labeled Superstar a rock opera. While it has some great songs, it’s not true rock and roll. Writing Rocky was a joy because my passion for authentic rock music fueled the songs.”
10. THE SEARCH FOR A LEAD ACTOR IN ONE PRODUCTION BECAME A REALITY TV SHOW.
In 2012, ITV in the UK premiered Superstar, a reality competition similar to The Voice. The show, produced by Lloyd Webber, coincided with preparations for a new UK concert tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. Contestants competed for the chance to play Jesus, with Sunderland’s Ben Forester emerging as the winner. He starred in the tour alongside former Spice Girl Mel C, who also served as a judge on the program.
