Jesus Christ-Superstar: Last News

James Beeks, the actor fired last week from his gig as Judas in a touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar following his arrest for participation in the January 6 Capitol siege, will remain free on pretrial release despite angering a U.S. District Court judge by claiming “divine” authority.

EXCLUSIVE: Neil Meron, a force behind bring live events to television including such musicals as Jesus Christ Superstar, Annie and The Sound of Music, has joined Andrew Lloyd Webber’s London-based Really Useful Group as a consultant, Lloyd Webber announced today.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Aaron Tveit has been a fixture on New York stages, appearing in shows including “Wicked,” “Next to Normal” and “Catch Me if You Can,” and he recently wrapped a second run as Christian in “Moulin Rouge!,” which bowed before the pandemic arrived and returned after Broadway reopened. But it’s television that has been helping him most rapidly expand his repertoire. Tveit takes on a cavalcade of roles in Apple TV+’s “Schmigadoon!,” a parodical love letter to musicals, created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio and starring Keegan Michael-Key and Cecily Strong as a couple working out the kinks in their relationship in a magical land populated by characters from the stage. The series, which focused on musicals of the ’40s and ’50s in its first season, sends up shows ofthe ’60s and ’70s in its second, set in the magical land of “Schmicago.”

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Tim Rice will be the 2023 recipient of the esteemed Johnny Mercer Award at the 52nd Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner slated for Thursday, June 15, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.   The Johnny Mercer Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Songwriters Hall of Fame and is reserved for a songwriter or songwriting team who has already been inducted in a prior year and whose body of work is of such high quality and impact that it upholds the gold standard set by the legendary Johnny Mercer. Tim Rice was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999.  

James D. Beeks, a Broadway actor known for his work in Kinky Boots, Aida and Ragtime, has been arrested on charges related to the Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaThe U.S. touring production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” has suspended James D. Beeks from its ensemble after the musical theater performer was arrested on charges related to the Jan.

Jesus Christ Superstar,” the and Straight Outta Compton actor tells me over Zoom. “Diverse people all coming together and rocking out? That always was so cool and inspiring.

NBC will broadcast the holiday musical event Annie Live!, with Robert Greenblatt as executive producer along with Neil Meron, who has served as executive producer on such NBC’s live musicals The Sound of Music Live! and Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.

'I Don’t Know How to Love Him' was originally written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice in 1970