Cynthia Erivo has been tapped to play Jesus Christ in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar" in August at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, NBC News reported on Tuesday.
Erivo, who was nominated for an Oscar for her lead performance in "Wicked," will star in a production directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo.
Erivo wrote on Instagram that she "can't wait" for the musical, adding that she will be "just a little busy this summer."
The role marks the Oscar nominee's return to the stage almost a decade after her Broadway debut in "The Color Purple" as Celie Harris. For that role, she won a Tony in 2016 for best lead actress in a musical.
"Superstar" also marks the return of a summer musical at The Hollywood Bowl for the first time since the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"We missed the musicals for a few years, and I think that one is a good one to return with," said L.A. Phil President and Chief Executive Kim Noltemy. "Whether it be staffing or psychological transition, we needed time to get back up to running like the machine we can be when everything's going well."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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