Whether you already have you church outfit pressed or the only praying you’ll be doing is in front of some collard greens and mac and cheese, John Legend will be doing his part to spread the good word this Easter Sunday. The “Glory” singer will be playing Jesus Christ in NBC’s live version of Jesus Christ Superstar set to air April 1st.
If you’re not familiar with the beloved rock musical, Refinery29 reports “the show positions Jesus Christ as a benefactor of happenstance — the right man at the right time, not necessarily the ‘chosen’ Messiah described in religious texts.” The play is told from the point of view of Judas, one of Jesus’s disciples in the Bible, whose name has become synonymous with “traitor” based on his actions leading up to Jesus’s crucifixion. Jesus Christ Superstar takes the “there’s two sides to every story” approach examining how fame can warp a person’s perception and asks what happens when Jesus Christ isn’t just a prophet, but also a celebrity and remixes that tale to include elements ego and the power of fame.