Viewers watching American Idol Thursday night (Feb. 18) were treated to a sneak peek of Fox’s The Passion.
The two-hour musical event — set to air on March 20 — stars Jencarlos Canela (Jesus Christ), Prince Royce (the disciple Peter), Seal (Pontious Pilate), Trisha Yearwood (Mary, the mother of Jesus) and Season Five Idol alum Chris Daughtry as Judas, who talked about the music in a new promo.
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“There’s a lot of emotions that go into the music,” he said. “It’s very human and very relatable.”
Written by Peter Barsocchini (High School Musical) and executive produced by Adam Anders (Glee, Rock of Ages), The Passion tells the 2,000-year-old story of the last hours of Jesus Christ’s life on earth through passages from the Bible and a variety of contemporary popular music, sung by the cast. In another spot, Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally” takes center stage.
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Set in modern day, the event will follow the dramatic and inspirational story of Jesus of Nazareth, as he presides over the Last Supper, and then is betrayed by Judas, put on trial by Pontius Pilate, convicted, crucified and resurrected. The event will unfold live in New Orleans, and will feature a procession of a thousand people carrying a 20-foot, illuminated cross from outside the Mercedes Benz Superdome to the live stage at Woldenberg Park on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Tyler Perry will serve as the narrator.
Watch the trailer below: