Sara Bareilles Joins Cast Of NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live
The "Love Song" singer-songwriter just landed a major role.
NBC announced on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, that Sara Bareilles has been cast as the female lead, Mary Magdalene, in Jesus Christ Superstar Live, Entertainment Tonight reports.
"To say I'm excited about this performance is the understatement of the century," the 38-year-old musician said in a statement. "This score and this musical have been a part of me from a very young age and it will be one of the great thrills of my life to sing these iconic songs. It's incredible to see the beloved medium of musical theatre being embraced by television audiences, and this cast and creative team is extraordinary. I feel extremely lucky to be a part of the project!"
The "She Used To Be Mine" singer-songwriter is, of course, no stranger to the world of musical theater. She received Tony and Grammy nominations for penning the music and lyrics of the hit Broadway musical Waitress. After making her Broadway debut in the lead role of Jenna in 2017, Bareilles is expected to return to the show for a limited engagement between Jan. 16 and Feb. 25, 2018.
NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt also released a statement about the exciting casting news. "We're overjoyed to have Sara Bareilles play Mary Magdalene and I can guarantee that her interpretation of the standard 'I Don't Know How to Love Him' will become an instant classic," he said. "I was lucky enough to see Sara in Waitress and she gave as moving and as beautifully sung a performance as I've seen on a Broadway stage in a long time."
As Nicki Swift previously reported, John Legend will play Jesus Christ in this David Leveaux-directed concert production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic rock opera. He will also be serving as executive producer, along with Webber, who composed the music, and Tim Rice, who wrote the lyrics. Mike Jackson, Ty Stiklorius, Marc Platt, Craig Zeden, and Neil Meron will also serve as producers. As previously announced, Alice Cooper has been cast as King Herod (via Deadline).
Jesus Christ Superstar Live is slated to air on NBC on Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018.