Editing Jesus Christ Superstar (section)

=== Original Broadway production ===
{{see also|Jesus Christ Superstar (original Broadway cast recording)}}
<!-- INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT HOW THE ALBUM WAS TURNED INTO A ROCK MUSICAL, AND SOME BRIEF INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRE-BROADWAY TRYOUT(S), IF ANY. -->
The musical opened on Broadway on 12 October 1971, directed by [[Tom O'Horgan]], at the [[Mark Hellinger Theatre]]. It starred [[Jeff Fenholt]] as Jesus, [[Ben Vereen]] as Judas and [[Bob Bingham]] as Caiaphas. Dennen and Elliman played the roles that they had sung on the album. Paul Ainsley was Herod.<ref name=Watt19711013>{{Cite news |title='Jesus Christ Superstar' Is Full Of Life, Vibrant With Reverence |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/464709711/ |newspaper=[[New York Daily News]] |last=Watt |first=Douglas |author-link=Douglas Watt (critic) |date=13 October 1971 |page=88 |volume=53 |issue=94 |edition=Final}}</ref> Carl Anderson replaced Vereen when he fell ill, and the two performers later took turns playing the role. The show closed on 30 June 1973 after 711 performances. The production received mixed reviews; the bold casting of African-Americans as Judas was lauded, but reviewer [[Clive Barnes]] from ''[[The New York Times]]'' said, "the real disappointment was not in the music ... but in the conception."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://religionnews.com/2018/03/29/the-splainer-the-stormy-surprising-history-of-jesus-christ-superstar/ |title=The 'Splainer: The stormy, surprising history of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' - Religion News ServiceReligion News Service |publisher=Religionnews.com |date=29 March 2018 |access-date=5 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1971/10/13/90698168.html?pageNumber=40 |title=TimesMachine: Theater: Christ's Passion Transported to the Stage in Guise of Serious Pop; ' Jesus Christ Superstar' Billed as Rock Opera Music's Vitality Asset to O'Horgan Work - NYTimes.com |work=The New York Times |access-date=5 April 2018}}</ref>  The show was nominated for five [[Tony Award]]s, including Best Score, but won none. Lloyd Webber won a [[Drama Desk Award]] as "Most Promising Composer", and Vereen won a [[Theatre World Award]].