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Today in batty casting news, NBC has announced that rock-and-roll legend Alice Cooper has been tapped to star in the network's forthcoming live musical, Jesus Christ Superstar Live!.
He'll appear as King Herod in the telecast, which will be directed by David Leveaux and executive produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.
Robert Greenblatt, chairman, NBC Entertainment, said of the decision, "Alice Cooper, whose theatricality is the stuff of legend, is the perfect rock star to play Herod in our live production. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice wrote a showstopping musical number for Herod and we all look forward to the 'King of Shock Rock' taking on the King of Judea. As the casting for Superstar ramps up, we can feel the excitement building for this brand new concert experience of what has long been considered the original rock musical."
Cooper may not be known for his thespianism, but the musician has quite a few screen credits to his name, including Wayne's World, the 2012 big screen reboot of Dark Shadows, and TV appearances in series like That '70s Show and Monk.
It might be odd to hear Alice Cooper -- who rock reputation was built on blood, horror and gothic imagery -- and Jesus Christ Superstar in the same sentence, let alone hearing that the hall-of-famer will actually star as one of its characters, but here we are.
Jesus Christ Superstar Live! will air on Easter Sunday, April 1st, 2018.