He’ll star in the production, which will air on Easter Sunday.
Five years ago, NBC reignited the live musical genre with The Sound of Music Live!, which drew 18.6 million viewers, and grew to 21.8 million in live-plus-7. Now, on the heels of Fox’s ratings stumble on Sunday night with A Christmas Story Live!, NBC is preparing to resuscitate the genre yet again, and it’s tapped John Legend to lead the charge.
The network has cast Legend as Jesus Christ in its next live musical, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!, which it will air on Easter Sunday, April 1. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1971 rock opera will be staged at the Marcy Armory in Brooklyn, N.Y., in front of an audience. Earlier this month, Alice Cooper was cast as King Herod.
The musician, actor and producer has won Oscars, Grammys and Tonys for his many projects, including La Land, the acclaimed series Underground and the film Selma.
“We’re all overjoyed to have world-class musical artist and producer John Legend starring as Jesus,” said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt in a statement. “This score demands a singer with an amazing range and an actor with great depth, and there isn’t anyone better to bring this story to a new audience. His casting is also groundbreaking as the traditional image of Christ will be seen in a new way.”
For the first time in five years, NBC did not air a live musical in December, after postponing Bye Birdie Live! due to scheduling difficulties with star Jennifer Lopez. Fox stepped in with A Christmas Story Live!, but the telecast drew just 4.48 million total viewers —the lowest total of any broadcast show that night—and a 1.5 rating in the 18-49 demo.
Those total viewer ratings were less than half of those for NBC’s Hairspray Live! last December, which drew 9 million viewers and a 2.3 in the demo. That production had been the lowest-rated of NBC’s four holiday musicals.
A Christmas Story’s ratings were roughly one-third of the audience that Fox’s previous big live musical, Grease Live, attracted in January 2016. That telecast was viewed by 12.2 million viewers, and had a 4.3 demo rating; those numbers surpassed all of NBC’s recent live musical efforts except for The Sound of Music Live!
While NBC has already vowed to return with a holiday musical in 2018—“Next Christmas, I guarantee you we will come back with a Christmas musical,” Greenblatt told Adweek —the genre is suddenly on wobbly footing in the aftermath of A Christmas Story Live!’s performance. But NBC could help right the ship if Jesus Christ Superstar delivers.
Fox did mount its own Easter-themed live musical in March 2016: The Passion, which used contemporary songs to depict Jesus’ final days on earth. That broadcast was watched by 6.7 million and received a 1.6 demo rating.
The live musicals have become a lucrative annual tradition. Last year’s Hairspray Live! generated an estimated $24.9 million, more than double The Sound of Music’s $11.2 million, according to Kantar Media. Grease Live brought in $15.7 million for Fox in January 2016.
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Jason Lynch
@jasonlynch
Jason Lynch is Adweek’s senior editor for television, covering trends, technology, personalities and programming across broadcast, cable and streaming video. Formerly TV Editor for People magazine, he has been covering the TV and movie industries for more than a decade.
