Dec. 17, 1975:
As Scrantonians prepared to celebrate the birth of Jesus, some 1,800 people took time to experience a rock opera dealing with his death.
The tour of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s iconic rock musical, came to the city’s Masonic Temple for one night only. The show starred Robert Corff as Jesus, Thomas Young as Judas, Prissy Lancaster as Mary Magdalene, William Stenson as Caiaphas and Alan Martin as King Herod.
A review of the show in the Dec. 21 edition of The Scranton Times found that all those performers did extremely well in their roles. Heavy applause followed Lancaster’s performance of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” the reviewer wrote, and Young received a curtain call and standing ovation for his portrayal of Judas.
The stars of “Jesus Christ, Superstar'” a controversial rock-musical scheduled to open in New York on Oct. 13, 1971, get together backstage at the Mark Hellinger Theater after a preview performance of the show Oct. 12, 1971. Shown are, from left: Ben Vereen, who plays Judas; Jeff Fenholdt, who plays Jesus; and Yvonne Elliman, who plays Mary Magdaline. (AP Photo)
The review also mentioned that the use of a fog machine in this touring production was a first for Scranton.
This show might have been the first official production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” to come to Scranton, but it actually was the show’s second coming. On Sept. 25, 1971, a few weeks before the musical’s Broadway debut, the American Rock Opera Company performed an unofficial version called “Super Star” for 4,000 people at University of Scranton’s Long Center.
Sun, Sep 12, 1971 – 45 · The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pennsylvania) · Newspapers.com
Since 1975, the show has played Scranton several times. A January 1994 production featured Ted Neeley as Jesus. Neeley, who played that role on Broadway and in the 1973 film version, returned to Scranton with the show in 2007 and 2010.
Former Living Colour singer Corey Glover, left, stars as Judas in Broadway Theatre League’s season-ending show “Jesus Christ Superstar,” at Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple. Submitted Photo
Sunday April 1, 2018, R&B superstar John Legend will portray Jesus in a live production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” on NBC. Legend served as music director at Bethel AME Church in Scranton for several years in the mid 1990s while attending University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Legend’s costars for the Easter production include Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene, Alice Cooper as King Herod and Ben Daniels as Pontius Pilate.
Updated – April 11, 2020
NBC will be rehiring the 2018 live version of Jesus Christ Superstar at 7pm on April 12.
Below is a version of the musical from 2012. It stars Ben Foster as Jesus and Mel C as Mary Magdalene. This and many other musicals for Andrew Llyod Webber are being placed on YouTube for free for several days by the composer. You can check out what is coming next at his website – The Shows Must Go On – https://www.andrewlloydwebber.com/the-shows-must-go-on/
Brian Fulton has been the librarian at The Times-Tribune for the past 15 years. On his blog, Historically Hip, he writes about the great concerts, plays/musicals and celebrity happenings that have taken place throughout NEPA. He is also the co-host of the local history podcast, Historically Hip. He competed and was crowned grand champion on an episode of NPR quiz show “Ask Me Another.” Contact: bfulton@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9140; or @TTPagesPast
