JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR-ABOUT THE PLAY

Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera in two acts with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice and based on the last seven days in the life of Jesus Christ.

In 1972, Jesus Christ Superstar exploded onto the West End stage and changed the face of musical theatre forever. The first musical ever to incorporate rock music, it was acclaimed by the press and public alike and launched the careers of the young songwriting duo Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The score, which is one of their best, is packed with hit songs including I Don't Know How to Love Him, Could We Start Again Please and, of course, Superstar.

The original London production starred Paul Nicholas as Jesus, Stephen Tate as Judas and Dana Gillespie as Mary Magdalene. By the time it closed after some eight years and 3,358 performances it had become the longest running musical in West End history.

There have been many productions of Jesus Christ Superstar over the past twenty-five years in over 15 countries across the globe including India. In 1992, an Australian concert version stages in a series of vast arenas have broken all box office records attracting an audience of over one million and the soundtrack has made it to the top of the US charts three times.

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Jesus Christ Superstar ran on Broadway from 1971 to 1973 and grossed £2.8 million at the box office. Critics hailed it as the 'best English musical in years'.
• It ran in the West End from 1972 - 80, becoming the longest-running musical grossing £7.5 million.
• Jesus Christ Superstar still holds the record as the fifth longest running musical in the history of the West End. It was beaten from the top spot by three other Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals - Cats, Starlight Express and Phantom of the Opera.
• The role of Jesus was originally played by Paul Nicholas, who went on to become a household favorite as Vince in the BBC TV series, "Just Good Friends".
• Jesus Christ Superstar has been staged in over 15 countries including India, Kenya, Mexico and Zimbabwe.
• A Japanese kabuki production played at London's Dominion Theatre in 1992.
• The 1973 film starring Ted Neeley as Jesus, Carl Anderson as Judas and Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene took £8.6 million at the box office.
• In 1992 an Australian concert version attracted an audience of one million. The subsequent album became the largest selling record of the year.
• Jesus Christ Superstar was banned in South Africa where it was deemed to be irreligious.

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