In 1971, director Norman Jewison took a group of young actors, singers, and dancers to war-torn Israel to shoot the film adaptation of the hit rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. Filming on location and walking in the footsteps of the actual biblical characters that they were portraying not only made an impact on these performers but on audiences worldwide who, five decades later, still watch annually and love this cinematic presentation. This is their story... in their own words!
Acting
Original cast reuniting, still emotional 40 years later
Production
Guerrilla filming in active conflict zones
Director
Frank Munoz
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The cast performed the entire score live at the ruins of Avdat, a Nabatean city in the Negev Desert, with no audience—just crew and desert.
Jesus Christ Superstar was banned in several countries upon release for being 'sacrilegious,' yet the 1971 Israel shoot happened with government cooperation despite regional tensions.
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