The Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel are bringing in some prominent performers for the latest Broadway production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
Queen collaborator and American Idol alum Adam Lambert has been cast as Judas and will star opposite “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo as Jesus for the show, which will run at the Hollywood Bowl for three nights from Aug. 1-3. This production with Lambert will aim to bring the iconic musical back to its rock roots.
Tickets for the shows go on sale at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6, alongside the other LA Phil-presented summer concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. Fans of the stars and the LA Phil can purchase tickets for the event at hollywoodbowl.com or by calling 323-850-2000.
“Each season, the LA Phil presents world-class artists in a truly one-of-a-kind setting, and this year is no exception,” said LA Phil President and CEO Kim Noltemy in a press statement. “We’re especially thrilled to welcome Adam Lambert to the cast of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and look forward to sharing this bold, fresh interpretation of a legendary musical with our audiences.”
Lambert got his first big break when he nearly won the eighth season of “American Idol” in 2009. He’s since released several albums, including his most recent, “AFTERS.” The proudly gay and LGBTQ+ philanthropist has also taken center stage as the frontman of Queen, playing stadiums worldwide. Lambert is a fan of the group and also appeared in the rock band’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” biopic. His music is heavily rock-influenced, with star power at the forefront, so having him play Judas will undoubtedly bring that element of rock and roll bad boy to the production.
The addition of Lambert is on par with LA Phil and Dudamel’s collaborative spirit, which often showcases performers of all genres. Dudamel recently led the orchestral ensemble at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival for two weekends, where they brought out a roster of impressive stars. Weekend one included performances by Laufey, LL Cool J, Maren Morris, Becky G and Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso. Weekend two subbed out different stars on the roster with surprise performances by Erivo, Natasha Bedingfield, and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.