- Adam Lambert joins Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl this summer, playing Judas alongside Cynthia Erivo as Jesus
- The limited-run production will be directed/choreographed by Sergio Trujillo and conducted by Stephen Oremus
- Jesus Christ Superstar runs from Aug. 1–3 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Adam Lambert has booked his next stage role.
The Grammy-nominee and Queen frontman is joining the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl this summer, playing Judas in the beloved Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice rock musical.
He’ll join the previously announced Cynthia Erivo, who will star in the title role. It’s the first stage project the Tony winner has had since September 2016, when she and Joshua Henry performed a one-night benefit concert performance of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years.
Directed and choreographed by Tony winner Sergio Trujillo (Real Women Have Curves: The Musical), Jesus Christ Superstar will run at the world-renowned amphitheater in Los Angeles from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3.
Two-time Grammy and Tony Award winner Stephen Oremus will also conduct and direct the musical. It’s being produced in association with Neil Meron and Robert Greenblatt.
Gao Shan/Xinhua via Getty
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Jesus Christ Superstar famously began as a concept album in 1970, with music by Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.
The rock opera reimagined the last week of Jesus’ life through the eyes of Judas Iscariot, blending biblical themes with electric guitars, bold vocals and a contemporary edge that was considered revolutionary — and controversial — for its time. Nonetheless, the album’s success quickly paved the way for a Broadway debut in 1971, where it became a cultural phenomenon.
Over the years, the show has been reimagined countless times, from arena tours to lavish revivals. Its 1973 film adaptation became a cult classic, and in 2018, NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert — starring John Legend, Sara Bareilles and Brandon Victor Dixon — brought the show to a new generation with a high-energy, televised performance.
Erivo even played Mary Magdalene in the all-female concept album Jesus Christ Superstar: She Is Risen in 2020.
Julieta Cervantes
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Lambert recently wrapped a run on Broadway, playing the Emcee in the Tony-winning production of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. The role marked his Broadway debut — though not his first stage role. He toured with Wicked before finding fame on American Idol.
“It’s unbelievable,” he previously told PEOPLE about his Cabaret casting. “I started out in theater. It was my first love and what I always envisioned myself doing for my career. When I transitioned into a recording artist, it was because I had desire to find liberation in being myself, having been a stage performer for so long. But now, coming back to the stage 15 years later, I’m finding that there’s so much freedom in the escape into a character again, knowing now what I know about the music industry.”
“So this has been such a full-circle experience,” Lambert added. “Getting to work with theater people again, I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah. These are my people. These are the kind of people I get and understand me.’ There’ve been so many moments in my rock star life, where I’ve had imposter syndrome and I’ve asked myself, ‘Do I belong here? Is this right?’ Coming back to theater, it just feels really good for the soul.”
Tickets for the Hollywood Bowl 2025 summer season are on sale now.
Starting on May 6, patrons can purchase tickets to single performances of any LA Phil-presented summer concerts at the Hollywood Bowl — from celebrated artists spanning pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz, Broadway, opera and the music of film.