The “Wicked” star returns to the stage nearly a decade after after her acclaimed Broadway debut in “The Color Purple.”
Cynthia Erivo will star as Jesus in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Jesus Christ Superstar,” slated to run at the beginning of August at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Erivo, hot off her performance as Elphaba in the hit film adaptation of “Wicked,” took to her Instagram story on Tuesday to confirm the news.
“Just a little busy this Summer. Can’t wait!!,” she wrote, reposting Broadway World’s announcement to her Instagram Story.
The role marks the Oscar nominee’s return to the stage nearly a decade after her acclaimed Broadway debut in “The Color Purple” as Celie Harris, which earned her a Tony in 2016 for best lead actress in a musical.
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“Jesus Christ Superstar,” Lloyd Webber’s iconic rock opera, made its world premiere on Broadway in 1971 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre. The Tony-nominated musical is a loose retelling of Jesus’ final days through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. With a score that blends rock, gospel and symphonic influences, the show explores the complex relationships between Jesus, his disciples and the Roman Empire.
Tony-winning choreographer Sergio Trujillo will direct and choreograph the production at the Hollywood Bowl, which will run from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3. Additional casting details have yet to be announced.
Erivo is no stranger to the material. She performed “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from an all-female album version of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” titled “She Is Risen,” which released in 2020.
