WHEN I was a choirboy at St. James' Episcopal Church in New York," says TIME Music Critic Bill Bender, "the last thing I expected to see was a Broadway musical based on the life of Jesus Christ -- much less a rock opera." But as Jesus Christ Superstar began its evolution from record album to stage spectacle, Bender recognized its importance early on. Lyricist Tim Rice and Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber were putting the finishing touches on Superstar in London when Bender mentioned the imminent debut of the opera in our Jan. 12, 1970 cover story on The Band, one of the first rock groups to give penetrating treatment to religion. As soon as the Decca recording appeared last fall, he withdrew to his stereo-equipped office, emerged with an enthusiastic notice -- one of the first reviews of Superstar published anywhere.

This week's cover story on the show's Broadway opening is more than a critique of the music or the musical. We report on the production's development, the principals responsible for it and the show's impact on Broadway and beyond. The story, written by Bender and Senior Editor Timothy Foote, also discusses the darts and laurels that Superstar is attracting; to these we add some of our own.

To cover all facets of Superstar in words and pictures required a large cast of journalists. Bender and Reporter-Researcher Patsy Beckert interviewed Rice and Lloyd Webber, attended preview and premier performances, reviewed the merits of the show with the notables at the opening-night cast party. Show Business Correspondent Mary Cronin, who saw the production four times, obtained much of the background material for the story in two weeks of intensive interviewing. Jay Cocks, a movie critic who occasionally patrols Broadway as well, wrote a separate profile on Superstar's director, Tom (Hair) O'Horgan. Foote prepared lor the assignment not only by seeing Superstar twice, but also by revisiting, for comparison purposes, Hair and Godspell, the extraordinary and touching musical drama of the Gospel.

To capture the stage spectacle on film, our Color Projects staff arranged a "photo call" -- a performance of the show's highlights a cappella. Reporter-Researcher Mary Themo was pleasantly surprised by the performers' patience; they had already played two performances that day. "Jeff Fenholt, who plays Jesus, did complain just a bit," she recalls.

"He said he had been on the cross too long."

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