It was Easter Sunday in 2018. While most people were finishing up ham dinners or hunting for plastic eggs, NBC was busy trying to pull off a minor miracle at the Marcy Armory in Brooklyn. They were staging Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, and honestly, the stakes were weirdly high. Before this, the "live TV musical" trend had been a bit of a mixed bag. You had some hits, sure, but you also had some pretty stiff performances that felt like high school theater with a massive budget. This one changed the vibe entirely.
Rock operas are loud. They are sweaty. They are supposed to feel a little bit dangerous. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice didn't write this thing in the 1970s to be a polite church play; they wrote it as a conceptual rock album that ticked off a lot of religious groups back in the day. What NBC got right—and what fans still obsess over—was leaning into the "concert" part of the title. It wasn't just a play; it was an event.
The John Legend and Sara Bareilles Factor
Let’s talk about the casting, because that is where most of these live specials live or die. John Legend as Jesus was a choice that people debated for weeks. Does he have the rock scream? Can he hit the Gethsemane notes? Legend brings a very specific kind of soul to the role. He isn't a Broadway belter in the traditional sense, but his version of Jesus felt human. He looked tired. He looked burdened. When he sat at the piano, it felt like a natural extension of the character’s soul rather than a choreographed "moment."
Then you have Sara Bareilles. She played Mary Magdalene. Bareilles is one of those performers who makes everything look effortless, which is actually really hard to do when you’re singing "I Don't Know How to Love Him" in front of millions of live viewers. Her voice has this crystalline purity that cut through the arena rock noise. It grounded the show.
Alice Cooper’s Two-Minute Takeover
You cannot discuss Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert without mentioning King Herod. They cast Alice Cooper. Let that sink in. The man who spent decades being the "Godfather of Shock Rock" was playing the flamboyant, mocking King of the Jews. He only has one song. It’s a vaudeville-style track that sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the heavy rock score. Cooper showed up in a gold suit, looking exactly like the legendary rocker he is, and basically ate the scenery. It was perfect casting because Herod is supposed to be a distraction—a grotesque, wealthy man who thinks the whole crucifixion thing is just a bit of a laugh.
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Why the Production Design Actually Mattered
Most TV musicals use flat, painted sets. They look like sets. The 2018 live concert went the opposite direction. They used an industrial, gritty space. The walls were crumbling. There was scaffolding everywhere. Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Judas, was constantly climbing up and down these metal structures. It felt like a warehouse rave in the best possible way.
The lighting wasn't just "stage lighting" either. It was designed by Al Gurdon, who does Super Bowl halftime shows. We’re talking about massive beams of light, strobe effects, and a live audience that was actually in the scene. The audience wasn't sitting quietly in plush theater seats. They were standing around the stage, cheering, reaching out to touch Legend’s robe. It blurred the line between the biblical story and a modern celebrity obsession. That is exactly what the original 1970 album was trying to say: how do we treat icons when they’re right in front of us?
Brandon Victor Dixon Stole the Whole Show
Okay, look. John Legend was the headliner. But Brandon Victor Dixon? He was the engine. If you’ve seen him in Hamilton, you know he has the pipes, but his Judas was something else entirely. Judas is the most complex character in the show. He’s the one who sees the disaster coming. He’s the one who thinks the movement has lost its way.
Dixon’s performance of the title track "Superstar" at the end—descending from the ceiling in a silver fringed outfit while backup singers danced in sequins—was peak television. It shouldn't have worked. It should have been cheesy. Instead, it was electric. He managed to balance the vocal gymnastics required for the role with a genuine sense of heartbreak. You actually felt bad for the guy who betrayed the Messiah. That’s a tough sell.
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Handling the Controversy and the Legacy
Back in 1971, the show was protested. People thought it was blasphemous because it didn't show the Resurrection—it ends with the Crucifixion. It focuses on the politics and the human emotions rather than the divinity. By 2018, that shock had worn off, but the production still felt urgent. It reminded people that this is a story about a guy who was bucking the system and the people who were terrified of what that meant.
The "Live in Concert" version ended up winning a bunch of Emmys, including Outstanding Variety Special. It also made John Legend an EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony). That’s a huge deal. But more than the awards, it proved that you could do "high art" on network television without it being boring. You can have a live orchestra, a cast of Broadway veterans, and a pop star, and if the direction is right, it works.
Technical Feats Nobody Noticed
People forget how hard it is to mix sound for a live rock concert in a stone armory. Usually, the echoes would ruin everything. The sound team had to mic every single instrument and performer so precisely that the viewers at home heard a studio-quality mix while the people in the room felt the bass in their chests.
The camera work was also insane. There were no "bad shots." David Leveaux, the director, used the cameras to move through the crowd, making it feel like a documentary. When Jesus is being lashed—a sequence that was surprisingly brutal for network TV—the camera stayed tight on Legend’s face. It didn't flinch. That’s bold for a holiday broadcast.
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Key Takeaways from the 2018 Broadcast
- Live Audiences Matter: Having a "mosh pit" of fans changed the energy from a stiff play to a breathing event.
- Casting Against Type: Putting a rocker like Alice Cooper next to a soul singer like John Legend created a friction that kept the show interesting.
- The Power of the "Concert" Format: By not trying to hide the wires or the band, the production felt more honest.
- Judas is the Lead: No matter who plays Jesus, the show is always won or lost on the strength of the Judas.
If you are looking to revisit this, it's worth watching with a good sound system. Most of the clips are on YouTube, but the full broadcast is where you see the pacing. It builds and builds until that final, silent moment where the cross disappears into the light. It’s a masterclass in how to modernize a classic without stripping away what made it special in the first place.
Actionable Insights for Musical Fans
If you're diving back into the world of rock operas or specifically this production, start by listening to the 1970 Original Concept Album (the "Brown Album") first. It gives you the raw, gritty blueprint that the 2018 concert was trying to emulate. Then, watch the 2018 version specifically to see how Brandon Victor Dixon handles "Heaven On Their Minds." It’s widely considered one of the best live vocal performances in recent TV history. Finally, compare the ending of this version to the 1973 film directed by Norman Jewison; the 2018 version uses light and architecture to tell the story of the crucifixion, whereas the film uses the desolate Israeli desert. Seeing those different creative choices will give you a much deeper appreciation for why Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert was such a massive win for NBC and for theater fans everywhere.