Cynthia Erivo as Jesus Christ Superstar was ‘supposed to provoke’, says Adam Lambert
Cynthia Erivo’s Jesus Christ Superstar casting was meant to ‘provoke’ (Getty)
Cynthia Erivo's Jesus Christ Superstar casting was meant to 'provoke' (Getty)
Adam Lambert has shared that co-star Cynthia Erivo’s casting as the titular role in Jesus Christ Superstar was ‘supposed to provoke and challenge’.
When Wicked star Cynthia Erivo was announced to be taking up the mantle of Jesus Christ in a three night production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock musical Jesus Christ Superstar, people were pressed.
By people, we of course mean various religious zealots, all of whom seemed to object to the idea of a queer Black woman playing the son of God – and we can’t imagine that they were too thrilled when Queen frontman Adam Lambert was later announced to be joining her onstage as Judas.
Though the duo were only performing for one weekend at the Hollywood Bowl (1-3 August), in Los Angeles, the outcry was disproportionate.
But according to Adam Lambert while talking to Billboard, that’s just what the casting was going for.
“I’m excited by the challenge of presenting the audience with a production led by a female, Black “Jesus” and encourage the audience to expand their minds a bit,” he told the publication.
“Originally utilising rock and roll, Jesus Christ Superstar is supposed to provoke and challenge, that’s the point. And shouldn’t the teachings of Jesus transcend gender?”
Cynthia Erivo herself had the best response to the backlash against her own casting as Jesus Christ; also speaking to Billboard, she asked, “Why not?”
“You can’t please everyone,” she reasoned. “It is legitimately a three-day performance at the Hollywood Bowl where I get to sing my face off. So hopefully they will come and realise, ‘Oh, it’s a musical, the gayest place on Earth.’”
Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar has featured numerous racially-diverse casts since its premiere in 1971.
Erivo herself featured on an all-female Jesus Christ Superstar album called She Is Risen just three years ago, while previous stars of the musical include musician John Legend in role as Jesus, gay singer-songwriter Declan Bennett also as Jesus, and gay comedian Julian Clary as King Herod – though not in the same show.
Erivo will next be seen returning to Oz as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good.
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