Jesus Christ Superstar: Behind the Scenes of the Worldwide Musical Phenomenon

Entertainment writer Nassour (Honky Tonk Angel) offers an uneven account of the genesis of the polarizing 1970s rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. Created by English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, the production grew out of the pair’s 1969 single “Superstar,” which features “a contemporary Everyman questioning all aspects of Jesus’s mission” and was sung live on British TV prior to its release in stores, igniting “a firestorm of protests” that “jamm[ed] the ITV network switchboard for more than an hour.” Further controversy followed as Webber and Rice expanded the song into a double album (in 1970), a Broadway show (in 1971), and finally a Hollywood film (in 1973), eliciting a divided response from the Christian community—many felt the musical was “blasphemous” and “sacrilegious,” while some American priests used excerpts in sermons and Sunday school discussions. Though rich with intriguing trivia (a pre-fame Bette Midler was nearly cast as Mary Magdalene in the Broadway production), the narrative suffers from repetition (including several recycled quotes and facts) and tends to fawn over its subject (much is made of the “marvelous” songs presented on the original album and the “beautifully arranged” performances on Broadway’s opening night, when “each tune received hosannas).” Still, devoted fans of the musical may want to take a look. (Dec.)