‘Hamilton’ Star Brandon Victor Dixon To Star As Judas In NBC’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’
Hamilton alum Brandon Victor Dixon is going from 18th century America to biblical times. Two-time Tony nominee Dixon is set to play Judas in NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.
The live concert, which will fittingly air on April 1 Easter Sunday, will be performed at Marcy Armory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY on April 1 Easter Sunday. The television event has also added a who’s who roster of theater performers including Tony nominees Ben Daniels, who will play Pontius Pilate and Norm Lewis, who is set for the role of Caiaphas. Broadway vet Jason Tam will assume the role of Peter while M. Butterfly star Jin Ha will portray Annas. Swedish rock star Erik Gronwall rounds out the cast as Simon Zealotes. They will join previously announced stars John Legend, who will play the titular Jesus Christ; Sara Bareilles who will play Mary Magdalene; and Alice Cooper who will portray the polarizing King Herod.
Directed by David Leveaux, the Jesus Christ Superstar creative team that isn’t a stranger to Broadway or live musical performances. The team includes Emmy Award-winning live television director and executive producer Alex Rudzinski (Hairspray Live!, Dancing With the Stars), Emmy- and Tony Award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell (The Wiz Live!, Hamilton), Grammy Award-winning music producer Harvey Mason Jr. (The Wiz Live!), musical director Nigel Wright (Jesus Christ Superstar world arena tour), production designer Jason Ardizzone-West (Adele Live in NYC) and choreographer Camille A. Brown (Once on This Island).
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert is a staged version of the original 1971 Tony Award-nominated rock musical which will be executive produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, the minds Broadway version. Marc Platt, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, John Legend, Mike Jackson, Ty Stiklorius and Alex Rudzinski will also executive produce.
The “Jesus Christ Superstar” album hit #1 on the Billboard charts and made its way to the stage in 1971. It is based on the final week of Jesus’ life. The 1971 musical opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway and starred Jeff Fenholt as Jesus and Ben Vereen as Judas. It was nominated for five Tonys, including Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for Vereen. Lloyd Webber won a Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Composer.
Dixon will play Judas, an apostle of Jesus who has concerns about the poor and the consequences of Jesus’ popularity. Dixon won a Tony award as a producer for Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which won for Best Revival of a Musical. In 2006 Dixon was nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Harpo in The Color Purple, and again in 2016 for his role as Eubie Blake in Shuffle Along. On television, Dixon currently co-stars in the popular Starz series Power and has appeared on The Good Wife.
Ben Vereen portrayed Judas in the original musical and scored a Tony nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. Carl Anderson played the role of Judas in the 1973 Oscar-nominated film version of Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Norman Jewison. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.
Dixon is repped by CESD.