On Easter Sunday, NBC staged Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert in an exciting and creative performance that captured the essence of the original Broadway show while adding to the narrative with impressive stage sets, beautiful costumes, and talented celebrities in the cast.

Performing in front of a live audience at the Marcy Avenue Armory in Brooklyn, the cast executed the songs from the original rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Playing the lead role of Jesus Christ was singer John Legend. Throughout the show, he gave a consistently compelling depiction of the story of Christ, especially in his incredibly emotional performance of “The Crucifixion” alongside the other stage actors who contributed to the spectacle.

Another big name involved in the performance was singer Sara Bareilles who played the role of Mary Magdalene. Her impressive vocals added a feminine and refreshing sensation to the performances of “What’s The Buzz,” “Everything’s Alright,” and “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” amongst others, as well as the performance of “Can We Start Again Please” which is not in the original 1970 discography but was originally added for a movie version of Superstar.

Heavy metal and rock musician Alice Cooper also gave an enjoyable performance as King Herod in a fairly circus-esque “King Herod’s Song.”

Some of my personal favorite points of the show were the performances of “Pilate and Christ,” “Trial Before Pilate,” and “Judas’s Death.”

Pontius Pilate was played by Ben Daniels, and his joint performance with John Legend in “Pilate and Chris” was extremely dramatic and intriguing, and truly demanded the viewer’s attention. Similarly, “Trial Before Pilate” was intense and full of action, namely the emotional power and response provoked by the 39 lashes of Christ in the middle of the song.

Despite the show’s title, I felt that Judas was a true kingpin in its success. Brandon Victor Dixon’s role was dynamic yet touching as he performed “Judas’s Death” with such fervor, leading up to his hanging that perfectly ended the song and his part in the show. 

Truly a must-see for anyone interested in a melting pot of skill sets, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert was executed with absolute intense passion and raw talent; it came together in an incredible show that took viewers on an emotional roller coaster throughout the whole production.