Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo lit up the Hollywood Bowl this August, taking on one of musical theatre’s most iconic — and traditionally male — roles: Jesus Christ.
For three sold-out nights (1–3 August), the London-born star led Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, directed by Tony Award-winner Sergio Trujillo with music by Stephen Oremus. The show went full throttle back to its rock roots, with a glittering cast: Adam Lambert as Judas, Phillipa Soo as Mary Magdalene, Raúl Esparza as Pilate, and John Stamos stepping in as King Herod after Josh Gad caught COVID.
In a gender-blind twist, Erivo’s Jesus wasn’t just about high notes — though her powerhouse voice shone on showstopper Gethsemane. Barefoot one moment, pacing and tearful the next, she brought a raw humanity to the role. Dressed in a white fringed gown, wrestling sneakers, and a crystal cross, she delivered the part like a rock gig — mic in hand, heart on sleeve.
Her casting lit up social media months before opening night:
The Backlash: Some conservative Christians branded it “blasphemy”, citing her identity as a queer Black woman. One pastor wrote online: “Too bald, brown, and bi to play Jesus.” MAGA-aligned accounts called it “woke nonsense” and swore off the show. Others argued the musical itself was irreverent.
The Applause: Fans — especially in LGBTQ+ circles — hailed it as bold, inclusive, and perfectly in the spirit of Superstar’s history of pushing boundaries. “Jesus would have loved this,” one supporter posted. Another said, “She’ll slay — it’s Cynthia Erivo.”
Erivo brushed off the hate with a laugh in a Billboard chat: “It’s three days at the Hollywood Bowl where I get to sing my face off. Hopefully people realise — it’s a musical, the gayest place on Earth.”
What the Critics Said
The Raves: Variety called Erivo and Lambert “divine frenemies”, praising her Gethsemane as transcending gender. TheaterMania said she “elevated” the show, and Playbill loved her emotional depth. Lambert himself told Billboard her mix of power and vulnerability “blew his mind”.
The Quibbles: The Guardian felt she held back in Act One, only truly soaring in Act Two. Some called the staging and graphics underwhelming. And Stamos’ last-minute Herod was… let’s just say, more ‘winging it’ than regal.
Since its 1970 debut, Jesus Christ Superstar has stirred debate for its secular take on the story of Jesus and Judas. Erivo’s casting follows a tradition of provocative, diverse choices — from John Legend’s 2018 turn to all-female concept albums in which she once played Mary Magdalene.
Even Andrew Lloyd Webber gave his blessing, hugging the cast on closing night and tweeting that he’d long believed a woman could make the role “very moving”.
Erivo’s Jesus was a daring, vocally stunning performance that split opinion but packed the Bowl and got critics talking. Love it or loathe it, it was Superstar doing exactly what it’s meant to do — provoke, surprise, and rock the house.
