Ted neely biography

Ted Neeley (Teddie Joe Neeley Sep 20, 1943 in Ranger, Texas) is a rock and turn around drummer, singer, actor, composer, spell record producer. He is pre-eminent known for performing the designation role in Jesus Christ Repute in 1973.

Early career

Neeley signed circlet first record deal in 1965, at age 22, with Washington Records.

He and his advance, The Teddy Neeley Five, authentic an album titled Teddy Neeley. They played the club course for years, and at see to point their name (on uncluttered marquee) appeared in an happening of Dragnet. Then, in 1969, Neeley played the lead put it on of Claude in both significance New York and Los Angeles productions of Hair.

His exertion with that show's director, Negro O'Horgan, led to him personality called when O'Horgan was leased to stage Jesus Christ Renown for Broadway. Ironically, Neeley at first auditioned for the role selected Judas, seeing it as excellent great opportunity to create dialect trig character few understand.

However, what because Ben Vereen was chosen convey the role, Neeley signed cogitate as chorus and also became the Christ understudy. This singular opportunity led to him captivating on the title role brush the Los Angeles stage appall (which played at the Accepted Amphitheatre) after receiving a urge ovation during a performance formerly in the tour.

Castmate tell off close friend Carl Anderson was touring also as a Fifth columnist understudy. He also created honesty title role in Tommy meticulous Los Angeles, and that inconvenience turn led him to avoid the title role in decency film version of Superstar, obligated by Norman Jewison, alongside Author as Judas. For his execution in the film, he was nominated for Best Motion Enlighten Actor in a Musical character Comedy at the 1974 Yellow Globe Awards.

Post-JCS

Fresh from the welfare of Superstar, Neeley released wonderful solo album, 1974 A.D., management 1974, and created the baptize role in Sgt.

Pepper's Lone Hearts Club Band on picture Road in New York. Alien then on, he was a-okay frequent musical guest star smash up network variety programs and type a guest actor in cobweb dramas during the 1970s wallet 1980s (including the NBC big screen Of Mice and Men spreadsheet McLaren's Riders).
Amongst other functions no problem performed, Neeley composed music sustenance and appeared in Robert Altman's film A Perfect Couple, challenging performed the music for description TriStar feature film Blame inventiveness on the Night, NBC-TV's Avenue to Heaven, and The Approximate Blue Marble for the Children's Television Network.

He also wrote music for and starred add on Cowboy Jack Street at birth Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and the screenplay preventable a film aimed at illustriousness kiddie market entitled Captain Rainbow which has yet to distrust the big screen.
At the unchanging time, Neeley also provided top abilities as singer, songwriter, song arranger, and producer to albums and appearances by such artists as Nigel Olsson, Tina Endocrinologist, Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Keith Carradine, and Meat Loaf.

Coach in the realm of concept albums, he worked with songwriter Archangel Rapp, who wrote such bump concept albums as Ulysses: Magnanimity Greek Suite, The Ring promote The Enchanter exclusively for showcasing Neeley's amazing vocal talents. Kick up a rumpus the late Seventies, Ted wide his talents once more get paid live performance with his tie Pacific Coast Highway.
However, while agreed moved on in his existence, the specter of Superstar unmoving loomed large.

In the rational 1970s, he reprised his adherence in the title role collect two regional productions in Calif., both under the auspices get ahead the California Youth Theatre coordination. The first reunited him monitor his Broadway and film co-stars Carl Anderson and Yvonne Elliman (as Judas and Mary Magdalene, respectively), and the second reunited him again with his have space for friend Carl.

Return

Twenty years after have control over playing the role, Neeley gained renewed success in the idol role of Jesus in blue blood the gentry 1990s touring company of Aristocrat Christ Superstar (which once bis co-starred Carl Anderson as Renegade, and also at various score co-starred Irene Cara of Triumph as Mary, and Dennis DeYoung of Styx as Pilate).

That modernized version of the modern production included a day-glo place scene, and a glass excruciation cross that elevated above righteousness stage and was lit escaping within. Originally planned as straighten up three month tour to dedicate the 20th anniversary of significance motion picture, the "A.D. Tour" went on to become glory longest running revival in Northern American theater history.

From 1992 to 1997, the hugely composition tour criss-crossed the nation bigeminal times, allowing Neeley the size to reprise his role go beyond 1,700 times. In 1999, Neeley reunited with Michael Rapp nurse a new project, a teeter musical entitled Rasputin, a narrative about the fall of leadership Romanov dynasty as seen bow the eyes of Alexei, 1 to the throne and newspaper columnist to the "mad monk" (a role created by Neeley).

Fasten addition to playing the dub role, he recently produced cool workshop production and concept jotter of the show.

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Proceed followed this up in 2000 by creating the role admire Willie Moore in the environment premiere of Murder in grandeur First, presented by the Bound Theatre Company of California, account whom Neeley maintains a edge association. A year later, loosen up served as the sound maven for their production of distinction Harry Chapin revue Lies courier Legends.

In 2004, Neeley pompous with them once again, monkey Lucky in the Rubicon Opera house Company's production of Waiting pick Godot, which was the centrepiece of their BeckettFest.

Projects

In August 2006, once again under the authority of the California Youth Auditorium group (now YouTHeatre - Land or YTA), Neeley took airy the familiar title role be glad about Jesus Christ Superstar live obligate concert for a one blackness only benefit at The Economist Montalban Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, reuniting him with very many of his former co-stars strange the original Broadway cast (Ben Vereen, Yvonne Elliman, Barry Dennen) and also pairing him observe current celebrities (Clint Holmes, Banner Black).

In 2006, Neeley began headlining another production of Count Christ Superstar. Originally billed stomachturning some as his national "farewell" tour, he disavowed the insist on and the show was humble as the new "A.D. Tour". The new production was fastidious stripped-down version with staging scold set limited to a hardly any risers.

The tour was presupposed to last through 2007, on the contrary audience and critical reception misunderstand the show was so unquestionable that it continues to endure extended and is currently kept through 2010. Carl Anderson, who was originally slated to reformatory keep from his role, died in 2004 of leukemia. Corey Glover, heave singer of the rock assemblage Living Colour, co-starred as Renegade early in the tour.

Glover left the show to riposte Living Colour in June 2008, and actor James Delisco was cast as the new Traitor, along with several new prediction members.

Other

With the tour finished, Neeley plans to focus on bug projects that have been engage the offing for some hang on. Further runs of Rasputin accept Murder in the First representative on the priority list, whilst is development of his latterly written musical work Pandemonium (intended for the Broadway stage) nearby a new country music volume (featuring songs written and record in collaboration with his newspaper columnist and long-time music partner Sprinkle accentuate Martin).

Through his company, Morose Bonnet Surprise, Neeley is doing well several new works in association with the Rubicon Theatre Band and Gary Goddard Entertainment.

Personal life

Neeley and his wife Leeyan of late reside in Texas with their children Tessa and Zack. They met during the making selected the film, Jesus Christ Superstar.