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Cynthia Erivo will swap her Wicked hat for a halo, as she prepares to star in the biblical musical Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl. Erivo will steer the musical as the messiah herself in early August as part of the 2025 summer season lineup, the Los Angeles Philharmonic announced Tuesday.
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber helmed, wrote the lyrics, and composed the music for Superstar. Sergio Trujillo directed and choreographed the production. Jesus Christ Superstar follows the personal relationships and struggles among Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, his disciples, his followers, and the Roman Empire. The musical featuring a rock score that includes “Superstar,”“I Don’t Know How to Love Him,”and“Gethsemane,” first opened on Broadway in 1971 at Mark Hellinger Theatre. The musical went on hiatus in 2020, when the Hollywood Bowl canceled performances due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hollywood Bowl summer lineup also includes performances by John Legend, Cyndi Lauper, John Fogerty, Josh Groban, Charlie Wilson, Alabama Shakes, Rick Springfield, and Diana Ross. Hugh Jackman will open the Hollywood Bowl summer lineup with numbers from the movie musical The Greatest Showman and Broadway’s The Music Man, with support from the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Young Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA). The Blue Note Jazz Festival, an inaugural event taking the place of the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival, will feature headliners Grace Jones, Willow, and De La Soul.
Following her turn as the ostracized Elphaba in Wicked, Erivo has garnered best actress nominations at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, Screen Actors Guild, and Academy Awards. The Tony-winning performer previously portrayed Mary Magdalene in the 2020 concept album Jesus Christ Superstar: She Is Risen, performing songs “Everything’s Alright”and“I Don’t Know How To Love Him.” Erivo will take the stage this time as the Holy Savior for three nights from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3.
“Just a little busy this summer,” Erivo wrote about the announcement on her Instagram stories. “Can’t wait.”
